Philippians 2:1-11 Sermon Outline

Philippians 2:1-11


2 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 rivalry 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 made himself nothing, 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.



Circumstances may cause us to lose our joy, but people can also bring trials that rob us of joy. How many times we lose our peace and joy because of what people say or do. The best remedy for these trials is the submissive mind, the humble mind that seeks only to honor Christ. Pride is the cause of much unrest and contention (read James 4), but humility brings peace and joy. Paul gives four examples for us to follow so that we may achieve the submissive mind.



I. The Example of Christ (2:1–11)



There is the suggestion in this passage of disunity in the Philippian church (see also 4:1–3). Paul appeals to them on the basis of their Christian experience to have unity of mind and heart and to put others ahead of themselves. What motives are there for unity in the church? Christ is the greatest incentive; if we are in Christ, we ought to be able to live with one another! Other incentives include love, the fellowship of the Spirit, the deep-seated desires we have in Christ, and the joy we can bring to others. Paul saw strife and selfish ambition among the Roman believers (1:14–17), and he warns that it must not be present at Philippi. “Lowliness of mind”—this is the submissive mind that thinks not of itself but of Christ and others. “Humility is not thinking meanly of ourselves; it is just not thinking of ourselves at all.” Paul points to the attitude of Christ before His incarnation. Was He selfishly trying to hold on to His privileges as God? No! He willingly laid aside His glory and “put on” the form of a servant. He did not cease to be God, but He did lay aside His glory and the independent use of His attributes as God. His life as the God-Man on earth was completely subjected to the Father. “I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:29). Jesus humbled Himself to become flesh, and then to become sin as He willingly went to the cross.

But Christ’s experience proves that exaltation always follows humiliation. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,” promises 1 Peter 5:6. The person who exalts himself will be humbled (Luke 14:11). Remember what happened to Pharaoh, King Saul, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, and Herod? We do not worship a “babe in a manger” or a “sacrifice on a cross”; we worship an exalted Lord seated on the throne of the universe. Christ’s life, death, and resurrection proved eternally that the way to be exalted is to be humbled before God. There is no joy or peace in pride and self-seeking. When we have the submissive mind that Christ had, then we will have the joy and peace that He alone can give.



Philippians 2:1-11

Paul presents Christ as the believer’s life pattern. The Joy found in humility, through Christ's Example.

I. The Challenge from Paul (2:1–18): He desires that the church strive for humility.

A. The essentials in humility (2:1–4)

1. Unity in love (2:1–2a) "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love..."



2. Unity in spirit and purpose (2:2b–4) " being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry 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."



B. The example of humility (2:5–11): Paul holds up the earthly ministry of Christ.

1. The pain (2:5–8b)

a. Even though he was God, he did not cling to his rights as God (2:5–6). "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, ..."



b. He laid aside his glory (2:7a). "but made himself nothing,"



c. He took upon himself the nature of a human servant (2:7b)." taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."



d. He humbled himself (2:8a). "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,"



e. He became obedient and died on the cross (2:8b). "even death on a cross."



2. The gain (2:9–11)

a. God has exalted him to the highest place (2:9a). "Therefore God has highly exalted him..."



b. He has been given a name above all other names (2:9b). "and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,..."



3. Someday all people will acknowledge that he is Lord (2:10–11). "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."