Philippians 2:3-11
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.”
Christ did not grasp for equality with God.
Philippians 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
We see the cost of Christ laid out for us in this passage. We tend to attribute the perfection and humility of Christ to his deity. We see that Christ striped himself and emptied himself in order to accomplish the saving power of the cross or else it would have had no effect!
Philippians 2:7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Even though Christ was fully God and fully man, the part that remained after he was emptied was susceptible to temptation. This temptation was no different than what Adam and Eve experienced in the garden.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 ESV
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Jesus is referred to as a man. This is an essential truth that holds our feet firm on the foundation that we can also overcome the same temptations that both Adam and Christ experienced.
What was at the core of both of their temptation?…. The temptation to grasp for equality with God.
When Satan tempted Eve, he sewed the seed of sin in Genesis 3:4-5 ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
When Satan tempted Christ in the desert in Matthew 4:8-10 we can see Satan offered the same temptation to grasp for false power to Christ. “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
The weapon of spiritual warfare that Christ used to refute and resist this temptation was worship!
The Temptation, The Lie- “You can be like God“
All false religions of the world are rooted in this lie. All man-centered pursuits spring from this temptation. Man will always be presented with the temptation to grasp for equality with God.
Worship of God is what keeps us from being in danger of this temptation and continues to deliver us from it having a stronghold in our life.
Worship in the Hebrew and the Greek mean to bow, to prostrate oneself, to give honor to someone greater. When we worship God we are grasping For God, not for equality with him. when we worship we are not seeking what God can do for us but seek Who God Is!
Rebellion and pride open the door for this temptation to take root in our life and cause us to not worship God.
Satan himself was the archangel over all of worship in heaven. He eventually grasped for equality with God and said, “I will ascend to the mountain of the Lord”
Isaiah 14:12-14 ESV
12 How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”
Let us not allow the temptations of this world to cause us to grasp for anything other than God. Let’s us not grasp for his power. Let us not grasp for His blessings. Let us not grasp for control. Let us be like Christ, and empty ourself in Worship. True worship always comes with an offering. True worship always requires a sacrifice. Let us offer up, sacrifice and lay down our selfish-serving, self seeking, selfish ambition.
Christ was lifted up and so will you be lifted up.
Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
The Lord will lift you up and when he does, He will be glorified through you! This is our worship! To bow low, to prostrate our life and grasp for Him!
Psalm 27:6 ESV “And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.”
