Jesus exemplified the opposite of having a sense of entitlement as a self-sacrificing servant.
Yet, He is the only one who deserved entitlement.
Philippians 2:6-11 This passage is often considered to be the greatest declaration of Jesus Christ. In a nutshell it describes Jesus’ pre-existence with God, His willingness to leave His position and glory in heaven to come to earth as a human, His humility and obedience which culminates in complete victory, triumph and total acknowledgement of who He is in His glory and authority. It is also a call to us to follow Jesus’ example of selfless living.
This passage was most likely a hymn sung by the original followers of Jesus Christ. To sing these verses together every Sunday would be a wonderful reminder of who Christ is, and affirmation of who we are in Jesus Christ
6-8 Emptied Self-abandonment to the love of God, and the love of other.
The call of God to have the mind set of Jesus to let go of entitlements and became a servant.
Let’s look at these verse by verse:
6 Christ, who, being in the form of God… “being” – “huparchein”: this form of “being” depicts the very essence of a person – that which can’t be changed; the innate, unchangeable characteristics of a person. Jesus, who at his very essence is God – His divinity didn’t change!
He did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped could be better understood as “asserted” or “utilized” to His advantage. Jesus didn’t forcibly retain His position.
7 Jesus’ essence didn’t change. What He emptied Himself of was His position of status, privilege and glory. He willingly, of his own accord out of love for His Father and for humanity, relinquished His glory (John 17;5). He submitted to the humiliation of becoming a man; God/man but without the radiating glory and honor. Jesus allowed Himself to experience all the trials and pains, the bodily functions and needs of a human.
Fully God, fully human.
This is one of those truths that we mortals have a very hard time trying to wrap our finite minds around.
One analogy: take resin, warm it up to the point that it can be poured into a mold. The resin is still resin – its character, its properties don’t change but it is contained in a specific form, molded for a specific purpose. In order to serve us by dying for us and setting us free from the wretched condition of sin.
Jesus gave up His entitlement in order to be a servant. To die for us, setting us free from the power of Satan. Matthew 20:28 “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to give His life a ransom for many.”
He allowed himself to be completely molded into a human form, yet, in essence God, at the same time, submissive to the Father’s will.
8 Humbled Himself
Heb 5:7-8 “During His earthly life, He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8 Though He was God’s son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. After He was perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.”
Jesus gave up all His rights and entitlements, in complete surrender and obedience to God’s will, because of LOVE.
The totality & climax of Jesus’ obedience: dying on the cross – as someone cursed Gal 3:13
Our entitlement?
Mark 10:43-45 But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many.”
9-11 Exhalted
Hebrews 2:14–15 Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil— 15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
Jesus paid the price of our sins with His blood claiming us from the dark domain as He defeated Satan! The Messiah, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings triumphed over all the principalities and powers of evil.
Glory, power, position, honor, acclaim – the utmost superiority and authority over all of creation. Acknowledgement and exaltation given by God the Father!
The name above all names: This is not referring to His earthly name, “Jesus” but to His real name, the name that encapsulates who He is, the name He is known by in Heaven. When we get to heaven we will know His true name for we will know His full identity.
Just as we’ll know God’s name for Jesus, we’ll also know our personal name by which we were created.
The full revelation of Jesus — as well as ourselves, our true & complete identity — will compel every single person throughout the scope and breadth of time and space to fall on our knees and worship Him.
Every. Single. Person who has lived will confess – acknowledge, proclaim – Jesus as Messiah, Lord, Savior and Ruler over me. We will bow and worship Him. No hesitation, no argument, no pride.
Our only sense of entitlement will be an aching desire to serve Him. For now, here on earth, most of us struggle with a sense of self-entitlement. “I deserve.” “My rights.” Jesus humbled Himself and came to serve – this is what He desires from us. Forego pride and be humble servant followers of Him.
Psalm 138:6 ”Though the Lord is exalted, He takes note of the humble.”
Isaiah 57:15“For the High and Exalted One who lives forever (who inhabits eternity), whose name is Holy says: ‘I live in a high and holy place, and also with the oppressed and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed’”
God reviving our hearts and spirits will be our eternal reward.
Scotts Mills Friends Church 