13th June 2025

13th June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:5-11 focus v8-11)


Message (Alan Burke)


You’ve two kidneys would you give one of yours up so that someone could live? You’ve two lungs what about one of them? Or how about part of your liver? Maybe an eye? What about if the person in question was your enemy? Would you give them your life so that they could live? I suspect you knew where I was going with those questions, but if they weren’t asked in the context of this passage and devotion would your answer have been any different? Don’t worry you don’t have to tell me but as Paul gets us to think on Christ he takes us to more of the wonder of what has been done for us who by our nature his enemies. For Jesus left the realms of glory he condescended for us, lowered himself, made himself nothing for you and I so that we might become the children of God


Think on that, think on Christ, think on how he made himself nothing for you and I so that we might know what it is to become the children of God. And he, the pre existing, eternal Son, who was with the Father (Jn 1:1, 17:5, 24), who took the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, in the appearance of man, God showed us His humility, as he humbled himself for us and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (8). 


We are so familiar with the crucifixion but in Roman society it was never a discussion topic in polite company, we even have instances of Roman etiquette books that dealt with what is appropriate and not appropriate to talk about that crucifixion is a big no no. It was the ultimate indignity, degrading and humiliating, crucifixion was cruel and unusual by design. It was intended that those who hung on the cross would suffer not for minutes or hours but for day, both physically as well as emotionally with the shouts and taunts of the onlookers, as family came and wept, as the pain increased, as the exhaustion grew. 


Yet Paul wants us to think on how the one through whom all things were made, who rules over the heaven and the earth, who is rightfully the King of kings and Lord of lords, came, giving up the highest pinnacle of glory to take on our humanity, instead of exalting himself he humbled himself even to death on a cross. This is the ultimate example to us of humility. He who had the privileges that were rightly his as king of the universe, gave them up to become a baby bound for the cross. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that we by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). 


The Triune God in his purposes, designed that we should in the death of Christ, see and taste, and ponder, and feel, and recognise the unmerited goodness of God, and the love of Christ toward us, that is applied to us by the work of the spirit within us, this great and immeasurable, wonder that our saviour Christ Jesus regardless of his position humbled himself and his life for our sakes. This is the means by which we are redeemed, reconciled to God, that we are given right standing before God by the imputed righteousness of Christ, that we are cleansed from our sin, true life has been procured for us a gift that we have not deserved, eternal life is ours though Christ Jesus, who humbled himself for us.


So Instead of having selfish ambition or concede we should count others more significant than ourselves. We should seek humility, instead of looking for our own selfish ambitions we should count others more significant than ourselves. That is what is required of us as believers and it is costly. How unreasonable are we when we who are nothing, refuse to give up pride, selfish ambition, conceit what ever it is and look to our Saviour, think on what he has done, how unreasonable are we who hold on to so much instead of marvelling at how he gave up everything for us. This is the pattern of humility that we ought to look to, it is the pattered that we ought to live by. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q2 What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
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