Lord's Day Sermon, January 24, 2021: "Living Faithfully in the Mystery of the Day" Part 2

“Living Faithfully in the Mystery of the Day with the Humility & Obedience of Jesus”

Philippians 2:1-16

Bart Newton, Preaching Minister

To view a simple online worship service of “Word, Communion and Prayer,” and please click on the the following link: "Living Faithfully in the Mystery of the Day” Part 2 . Below is an accompanying basic outline which includes the main points,. Scripture references, and a few quotes.

Philippians 2:1-11: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (ESV)

Living faithfully = living a worthy life; living a life of value according to the Gospel. (See Philippians 1:27)

•“A July 2020 survey by Lifeway Research revealed the top “pressure point” Protestant pastors faced during the pandemic was maintaining unity in their churches and dealing with complaints and conflicts, followed by figuring out how to care for members from a distance. Other top pressure points included ‘personal exhaustion’ and ministry ‘uncertainty.’” “2020’s Church Divide”, World Magazine (12/26/20): Online: Source: https://world.wng.org/2020/12/2020_s_church_divide

• V. 5, CSB: Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus…
• V. 5, NIV: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…

• V. 6, NIV: Who, being in very nature God,…
• V. 6, CSB: who, existing in the form of God…
• V. 6, NTL: Though he was God…
• V. 6: GW: Although he was in the form of God and equal with God…

John 1:1-2: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. (CSB)

• And Jesus didn’t consider this equality as something to be “grasped” )v. 6) = to cling to (NLT); something to be used to his own advantage (NIV); as something to be exploited (CSB); take advantage of (GW).

• How did Jesus “empty” himself?
• V. 7a, NLT: Instead, he gave up his divine privileges…
• V. 7a, NIV: rather, he made himself nothing…

• In what way did Jesus “empty himself”? Deny himself of His lordship?
• Did He temporarily forfeit or lay aside certain divine attributes such as His omnipresence (everywhere-presence)?

• Into what did Jesus empty Himself? A human servant. (v. 7)

John 1:14a: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (CSB)

Isaiah 53:2b: He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at him,
no appearance that we should desire him. (CSB)


Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(ESV)

Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—(CSB)


• Acts 3:15: …you killed the Author of life… (ESV)


• 1 Corinthians 2:8: … the rulers of this age …crucified the Lord of glory. (ESV)

• John 18:11: At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?” (CSB)


• “[Jesus] looked at himself, at his Father and us, and for obedience’ sake and for sinners’ sake he held nothing back.” –J.A. Motyer, The Message of Philippians, p. 118

The mind (attitude) of Jesus is one of self-emptying, self-humbling and obeying God the Father’s will!

Matthew 16:24: Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (ESV)

• Matthew 16:24: … “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. (NLT)

• Matthew 16:24: … “If any of you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me. (GNT)


The fact that Jesus is our King should determine our mindset (“heartset”) and behavior! (vv. 12-13)


• “This is not the fear of a lost sinner before the Holy One, but the fear of a true child before the most loving of all fathers; not a fear of what he might do to us, but of the hurt we might do to him.”—J.A. Motyer, The Message of Philippians, p. 128

• “We have burned down our evangelical witness. Burned it to the ground. But here is what I know. I know God can bring beauty from ashes. I believe He will raise up a people purified by the very fires we set. A people defined by Jesus Himself, not denomination nor political party.—Beth Moore 8:36 AM · Oct 19, 2020·Twitter for iPhone

In the mystery of the day may each of us live a self-denying, humble, obedient life that seeks the approval of the Father and the eternal welfare of others.
Philippians 2:14-16: 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (ESV)

Hebrews 2:14-15: 14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (NLT)