Humble Lord? (Philippians 2:1-11)

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  (Philippians 2:1-4 NIV)

The Apostle, Paul, believed that Jesus was God just as John did.  Here, however, he doesn't talk about Jesus only as the supreme creator of all that is seen and unseen.  He speaks of Jesus as a role-model for us all.  Jesus shows us how God lives as one of us.  We, then, should look at His life as an example to follow.  Since we believers all have Christ in common and all share His Spirit as well, then we should all be united in our mind, spirits, and love.  Knowing Jesus changes our relationship with others who know Him.  We are connected by Him.  We are His Body: the Church.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8 NIV)

This connection changes the way we treat one another.  Rather than getting full of ourselves and looking down on others, Paul implores us to think like Jesus did.  Yes, He is God.  He didn't stay God in the heavenly realms, barking down orders to us from above the clouds.  Instead, God humbled himself for our sake.  He came down to earth as one of us, limiting Himself to serve us and to save us.  He even took the death-penalty for us just so we could walk once again with God.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV)

While Jesus created the heavens and the earth, that doesn't mean that all of His free-willed creation listens to Him, follows Him, or bows down to Him.  That only happens when we recognize Jesus as Lord.  His humble service to us has more than earned Him the right to our humble service.  It's time for us to humble ourselves like He did and walk in His ways - making Him Lord of our lives.

So what do you think about this Jesus who humbled Himself to serve you?  Are you ready to humble yourself to serve Him?  Are you willing to call Him Lord?