Text: Philippians 2:5-11
5 Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 6 Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, 7 but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Sermon
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38) Amen.
What does St. Paul mean when he writes about Christ Jesus, “he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed?”
The sentence in the Epistle would have worked very well without it. Here’s how it would sound without that line: “Let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Though he was by nature God … he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant.”
But Paul added this thought, “he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed.” This is a unique Greek form that isn’t used anywhere else in the New Testament – the word translated in the EHV as “a prize to be displayed” or translated in the NIV as “something to be grasped”. Perhaps by using a unique word form St. Paul is indicating something utterly unique is happening here.
Let me read that line for you again, but this time, putting the emphasis in a different place, which maybe will help lead us in a direction to see what Paul is getting at here. “HE did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed.”
When you put the emphasis there the focus changes from the object of the equality of God as a prize to be displayed to the subject of the One who doesn’t feel the need to display his equality with God as a prize.
What does all that mean? It’s pointing to these two paintings that grace our sanctuary for the season of Lent. In the Garden, the serpent had seduced Adam and Eve into thinking that if they ate the forbidden fruit, then they be equal with God. They would have their eyes opened and be like God knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:4,5). So, they reached out and grasped the fruit. But it wasn’t really the fruit they wanted – it was to be like God – equality with God – that they prized.
But Jesus is the opposite of Adam. He is the second Adam. Everything that the first Adam did at the tree, the second Adam came to undo at the tree of the cross. The second Adam doesn’t need to grasp equality with God. He is equal with God! He is God. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God – as we confess in the Nicene Creed. The deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory and coeternal in majesty – as we confess in the Athanasian Creed.
Jesus didn’t need to display the prize of his divinity. He didn’t try to grasp what was his from eternity. It was just the opposite. He let go. He gave up the prize. St. Paul says Christ “emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant.” So, what does that mean?
Jesus did not empty himself of being God. “Emptying himself” is explained in the next phrase that he took on the “nature of a servant.” Jesus never stopped being true God. Jesus humbled himself by becoming the most helpless of creatures – an infant in the womb. That Almighty God became human to save puny humans. That’s like you becoming an ant to save the puny ants in your driveway. Jesus gave up the full and constant use of his power and glory as God. He humbled himself to the point of dying a convicted criminal’s death on a cruel cross.
Adam grasped. Jesus gave. Adam was disobedient. Jesus was obedient. Adam desired to display equality with God. Jesus decided to set aside the display of his equality with God. The first and second Adam were opposites.
But they were not only different in life, they were also different in death. Adam deserved his death. Jesus didn’t. Adam died as the penalty for his sin. Jesus died to atone for Adam’s sin. God returned Adam to the dust from which he was created. God would not let Jesus’ body see decay.
What does all this mean for you?
What kinds of things do you grasp for? What kind of prizes are you trying to display? You grasp for a better relationship with your teenagers and spouse. When you get it, you display those good times and smiling pictures on social media. You grasp a better contract at work or that scholarship to college. When you get it, you display it by bragging to your friends. You grasp more playing time on the athletic field or more responsibility at work. When you get it, you display it in your confidence and pride.
I remember a decade ago when my WLS girls’ soccer team won their first soccer tournament. After the girls had their pictures taken with the trophy, I brought it home. I placed it in my bed – like I was going to sleep with it. Then I took pictures and posted them on Facebook. It was a joke, but winning that trophy wasn’t a joke. Neither were the other trophies the girls won over the years in soccer. As coach and players, we were proud to display the prizes won on the soccer field.
But we grasp for more than wins on the athletic field, in the classroom, or in the workplace. We are like Adam grasping at equality with God. We want to be the ones to judge between right and wrong in our culture. We want to be the ones who decide whether we’re going to have times of sickness and stress or health and ease. We want to be the ones who pick and choose the teachings of the Bible. We want to be the ones to decide what to do with our time, our talents, our wealth. We want to be in control and be like God … instead of trusting his timetable, his loving actions, his allowance for difficulties and suffering.
Are these ways that we are still grasping for equality with God?
In our Prayer of the Day this morning we said, “We praise you, O God, for the great acts of love by which you have redeemed us through your Son, Jesus Christ.” Jesus redeemed us – he paid the price for all our grasping, for all our displaying of prizes. He bought you back from the serpent’s lies of becoming like God. He won the victory over sin, death, and hell.
Jesus reached out his nailed scarred hands to grasp you. He became obedient to death – even death on the cross – to win you back from the serpent’s lies. The very human God Man walked out of the tomb on Easter morning to give you the prize of eternal life that he had just won for you. You! You are the prize that Jesus proudly displays in his trophy case. You are the prize he takes pictures of and displays on social media for his angels to see. You are the prize that he sets a place for at his wedding banquet in heaven. It’s all about you.
To receive this prize Jesus won for you, St. Paul encourages you to humble yourself – to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. Humble yourself by admitting you are a poor, miserable grasper. Grasping and coveting what belongs to others. Grasping and lusting after someone you cannot have. Grasping and envying those who are better than you and you hate it. Grasping equality with God.
Then humbly receive what you could never grasp for yourself – forgiveness of your sin, a return from your rebellion, a home in heaven. Admit that for you to be saved, it didn’t come from you. Your Old Adam inside of you is working against your salvation every step of the way. It is your sanctified spirit, placed in you at your baptism or conversion, that moves you on the path to heaven. Confess that your salvation comes from the second Adam who was humble, perfect, and obedient in your place. Thank him – not just for dying for Adam’s sin or humanity’s sin … but specifically for your sin.
We are reminded on Palm Sunday that Jesus is our King. His humility is our hope. Though true God, he became man. Though all powerful, he became a servant. Though immortal and eternal, he died. He not only laid aside his glory, but he took our shame upon him. He not only humbled himself, but he died as one who was cursed. Yet in this great humility, he won the peace of forgiveness for us. The King came humbly because he wasn’t on the way to a throne in Jerusalem, but to a hill called Golgotha where he would fulfill God’s mission and save his people. He did not come into Jerusalem riding a stallion because he was going to war. He rode a donkey like the Old Testament kings as they returned home victoriously from war. Jesus had already won. The Ancient Serpent of the devil just didn’t know it yet.
Palm Sunday marks the final mile of Jesus’ journey to the cross and then to the crown. For people who wanted to be like God, God became man. Jesus Christ, the God-Man set aside the full and continuous use of his power and glory. The King of kings laid aside his royal robes, stepped into the sandals of a servant, and rode into enemy territory on a beast of burden.
No one waited on him. Instead, he got down on his hands and knees to wash the dirty feet of his twelve disciples. He turned down the help of twelve legions of heaven’s angels when desperate men arrested him on Holy Thursday. He allowed evil men to assassinate him on Good Friday.
But our Servant-King not only humbled himself to save us. He was also exalted to the right hand of the Father to once more take up the full and continuous use of all his divine powers. Jesus not only died. He rose again. He was not only buried in the darkness of the grave. He ascended on high as his glory brightens the heavens.
Jesus did not consider equality with God a prize to be displayed. You are his prize that he wants to display. That’s what all these worship services during Holy Week are all about. Now it’s your turn to prize Jesus. Worship Holy Thursday as you celebrate Christ inviting you to his holy Supper where he is both Host and Meal. Worship Good Friday as you mourn and are grateful that God had to die for you. Worship at the Easter Vigil as you vigilantly watch for Christ to walk out of the tomb. Invite your friends and family to worship with you on Easter morning as we watch Christ march victoriously out of the grave. As Christ’s followers, we do not merely watch from the sidelines as Christ marches in victory over sin, death, Satan, and hell. We join in the victorious procession! The victory is ours, now and forever.
On the Last, everyone will have to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord over all. But let’s start that acknowledgement today and throughout this week. “God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Amen.
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38) Amen.