Philippians chapter 2. I'm taking
the title for the message from the words found in Philippians
chapter 2 verse 8, the last few words, even the death of the
cross. The death of the cross. The Lord Jesus Christ died for
our sins according to the Scripture. You see and you understand that
Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the very heart of the gospel,
is it not? It's a very marrow and heart
of the gospel. Without His sacrifice for our
sin, we would have no good news for any sinner to hear. Without His sacrifice for our
sin. Without His sacrifice and death
for our sin, without the shedding of His blood, there would be
no redemption, would there? There would be no righteousness
established that would justify us, would there? Without the
Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, we would have no salvation whatsoever. No wonder the Apostle Paul in
the second chapter of 1 Corinthians said, I'm determined, I'm determined
not to know anything among you, not to know anything among you,
but Jesus Christ and Him crucified." And again, when he closes that
epistle to the Galatians, he said, God forbid, God forbid
that I would glory in anything but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Now, going back to Philippians
chapter 2, When the Lord would teach us about true humility,
what is involved, He uses the Lord Jesus Christ and His submission
unto the Father's will as an example for us to follow. When
the Lord would teach us about giving, He points us to the supreme
example of giving. Consider how the Lord Jesus Christ
gave. Remember not too many weeks ago
from 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9 when Paul talks about giving.
He said consider this. He said, you know the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake
he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich. So
we are blessed because he gave his life for our sin. I wanna give like that, don't
you? Sacrificially give unto the Lord. When the Lord would
teach us about loving others, he points to what example? Not
to John, not to Peter, not to Paul, but when he would teach
us about loving others and laying our lives down for others, he
points us to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hold your place here, find 1
John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3 verse 6, Hereby
perceive we the love of God Verse 16, 1 John 3, 16. Hereby perceive
we the love of God because he laid down his life for us. Okay,
leaving us an example. Remember we read, we ought to
lay down our lives for one another, for our brethren. You would sacrifice
your life for those whom you love. You wouldn't even think
twice. You wouldn't even think about
it. to if your child or your son was in danger, you wouldn't
even think about jumping into a river or jumping into a fire
or burning house to rescue one. You'd lay down your life, wouldn't
you? Why? Because of love. You see, the
supreme example herein is love. Not that we love God, but that
He loved us. And that He sent His Son to be
the sacrifice for our sin. When the Lord would teach us
about forgiving others, What does he point unto? Turn just
a couple pages back, Ephesians chapter four. When the Lord would
teach us about forgiving others, he points to how he freely and
fully forgave us. Look, verse 32, Ephesians four.
Be kind one toward another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. Oh, forgiving
one another. How many times should we forgive
one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven us?
You remember, Peter asked the Lord, well, how many times should
I forgive my brother if he sins against me? And seven times,
or would seven be enough? Remember what the Lord said?
How about 70 times seven? That is, as often he is offended,
or he has offended you, Forgive forgive our Lord said in Matthew
6 those who will not forgive others are those who are strangers
to the grace of God We're to look over one another's faults
Look over mine. Will you I've got well Yeah,
I've got some faults I've got a lot of just ask my wife. She'll
point them out to you. I But what do we do? See, love beareth all things. Love overlooks these things.
And I wouldn't hold myself up as an example of forgiving or
giving or loving, but I would hold him up. How did he forgive
us? Freely. Freely he forgave us. And then here in Philippians
chapter two, when the Lord would encourage us to be humble before
him and before others, not to be puffed up and proud. what
he would teach us about humility of mind to a willing submission
to the will of the Lord. Again, he uses this prime example
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let this mind be in you which
was also in the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was higher than the
highest. How high? I can't even begin
to describe it. the Most High God, that He, my
God, would die for me." You talk about a journey from glory to
death upon the tree, into the grave, and then back to glory.
That's a journey, isn't it? This is what the Lord Jesus Christ
has done for us. He's a prime example of humility
and submission. Our Lord said in Matthew 28,
even as a son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister and to give his life a ransom for many. He said, no man takes my life,
I lay it down. This commandment have I received
in my father. No man takes my life, I lay it
down, I have power to take it again. I've received this of
my father. Let this same attitude of submission
to the Lord and love and concern for others be found in you. Humility of mind. Now, these
things are not the ground or reason of salvation, are they? They're the fruit of salvation.
Turn over here to Galatians chapter five, remember? These things
being loving, giving, and forgiving, Laying down your life, being
gracious, humility of mind, these things are not the cause of salvation.
They're the fruit of being justified in Christ. You remember Galatians
5 verse 22? The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace. There's that patience, long suffering
right there. The fruit of the Spirit, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such, there's no, there's
nothing against being, there's no such law against those things,
is there? God would have us be humble in
his sight, humility of mind, humility of mind. Now, back to
Philippians chapter two, verse six. We find here the ground
or reason of any sinner being saved or justified in verse 6
down through verse 8, who the Lord Jesus Christ, who being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God. Who is the one who has accomplished
our salvation? God himself. Jesus Christ and
underscore this word who. Who. It all gets down to a person. Who he is. Turn one page to Colossians
chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1, Luke verse
12. giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet fit to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sin, who is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of every Creature you see it's
just not that someone from Nazareth Galilee named Jesus died upon
that tree the one who died upon that tree is God That salvation
that thou my God would die for me You see salvation is in a
person the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sin turn over
to first John chapter Chapter 5 this time, 1 John chapter 5. Who being in the form of God,
Jesus Christ our Lord, salvation is in Him. As Simeon said, let
me depart in peace, now I've seen, for I've seen thy salvation. as he holds the Lord Jesus Christ
in his hand. 1 John 5, 11, and this is the
record that God has given to us, eternal life, and this life
is in His Son. Where is eternal life found?
In the church, in the baptistry, in the law, in tradition, in
ceremony. No, where is it found? This is
the record. God has given us the record.
that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His
Son. He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son
of God does not have salvation whatsoever. You see, everything
God has for any sinner is in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
why the Apostle said in Philippians chapter 3, turn over there, Verse
8, Yea, he said, I count all things lost for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and count them but dung, that I may win
Christ. Philippians 3 verse 9, And be
found in Him. Be found in Him. You see, salvation
is in Him. I want to be found in Him, don't
you? Not having my own righteousness, which is the law, but that which
is through the faith of Christ. The faithfulness of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith, looking to the Lord
Jesus Christ. You see, it's who He is that
gives infinite value and eternal merit to what He accomplished
for us. Remember Paul's last word to
the elders at Ephesus recorded in Acts chapter 20. God bought
the church with his own blood. And he's going to enjoy what
he bought. You see it's who this one is
that dies on the cross. Now look at verse 6, Philippians
2 verse 6. We clearly see that the Lord
Jesus Christ He's not just a mere man. He's not just a mere prophet. He's not just a mere priest.
He's not just a mere earthly king, who being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. You remember why the Jews hated
him so much? You being a man, make yourself
equal with God, and they were ready to pick up stones and stone
him. because they thought he committed blasphemy saying that
he's God. But my friend, this book teaches
that clearly and plainly. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ?
Well, you know, he was a good old guy. Me and Jesus got a good
thing going. He's my friend. He's my co-pilot.
No, He's my God. He's my God and Savior. Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God? He is God our Savior, the same
nature, essence as the eternal God. One who is equal with God
must be God. Is that right? Well, sure that's
true. If we had no other scripture
than this to declare His deity, This one would be sufficient,
wouldn't it? He thought it not robbery to
be equal with God, but there are so many other scriptures.
Let's see if we can find a few. Turn to Hebrew chapter one. Hebrew
chapter one. Hebrews chapter 1, verse 1, God
who in sundry times and divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son, whom he is appointed heir of all things,
by whom also we made the world, who, who, there's that word again,
being the brightness of his glory, the expressed image of his person,
upholding all things by the word of his power, when he by himself
purged our sin, he sat down. On the right hand of the throne
of God. Look at verse 8, Hebrews 1 verse
8. But unto the Son he saith, the
Father saith, Thy throne, O God. There's the Father calling the
Son, God. Thy throne, O God, is forever
and ever. The scepter of righteousness
is a scepter of thy kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ is God. In John chapter 13, the Lord
said, you call me, he said to his disciples, you call me Lord
and Master, and you say, well, that's what I am, Lord and Master. You remember Thomas, when he
beheld the risen Lord, he said, my Lord and my God. And you know what? The Lord didn't
rebuke him, did he? You're right, Thomas. I am your
Lord. I am your God. We read in John
10 many times, I and my Father are one. Philip said, show us
the Father. Philip, I've been so long time
with you and you don't know me? You see, those who have seen
me have seen the Father. I and the Father are one. Aren't
you glad that our God is our Savior? He's able to save to
the uttermost all that come to God by Him. He has all ability,
all power in heaven and in earth. He is God. The Father, God the
Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, these three are
one. One God, manifest in three distinct
persons, and yet one God. But He made Himself of no reputation. Look at verse 7. He made Himself, willingly, lovingly,
took upon Himself the form of a servant. He made Himself of
no reputation. Now He was born King, right?
Where was He born? Not in the palace. He was born
down in a cow stable. Down in the barn. They didn't
even have any room for him in the motel. Go out there to the
haystack, out there in the shed. He made himself of no reputation. Low born. He took upon himself
the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. Now this is amazing, isn't it?
How can God, who inhabits eternity, inhabit a body of a man? And
yet, that's exactly what the scriptures teach. God was manifest
in the flesh, in the flesh. In order to save us, you know
what he did? He became one with us. He became
one of us. He remained what He was, the
Eternal Holy God, and became what He was not. The Word was
made flesh. The Word that was in the beginning
with God, that was God, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among
us. And John said, we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full
of grace and full of truth. Find another scripture that will
help us here, 1 Timothy chapter 3. The Lord Jesus Christ is God
manifest in the flesh. First Timothy 3.16, without controversy,
this is not debatable. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God became a man. God was manifested in the flesh,
justified or vindicated by God the Holy Spirit, seen of angels,
preached in the Gentile, believed in the world and received up
to glory. He came from glory and He went
back to glory. He's God. The Lord Jesus Christ
is fully, totally God and fully, totally man and one blessed person.
He really is. Had to be to accomplish salvation. Turn over here to Romans chapter
8. Man alone cannot satisfy And God cannot suffer, but the
God-man mediator both suffered and satisfied himself. Look at
Romans 8. There is therefore now, verse
1, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not according to flesh, walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the
law could not do, and that was weak through the flesh, nothing
wrong with the law, the problem was our flesh. God sending his
own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, or by sacrifice
for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the
flesh, we don't seek salvation by the deeds of the flesh, but
after the Spirit, and the Spirit testifies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look back to the text, made
himself of no reputation, took upon himself the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men. He was a faithful, obedient
servant to his father, always doing his father's will perfectly. Remember Isaiah 42, God said,
Behold My servant. And then Isaiah 53, let's turn
and read that. Isaiah 53, My righteous servant,
for he shall justify many, Let's see if we can find Isaiah 53
verse 10. Isaiah 53, 10, it pleased the
Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his
soul, and shall be satisfied by his knowledge, shall my righteous
servant justify many. He's what kind of a servant?
A righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities. He's a righteous servant to the
Father, accomplishing the Father's redemptive will in saving His
people by the shedding of His blood. Not only is He the faithful
servant unto the Father, He's a faithful and righteous servant
to His people, isn't He? We read a moment ago where I
quoted, the Lord said, I didn't come to be ministered unto, but
to minister unto you. He's a faithful and righteous
servant to his people as a surety, as a mediator of the everlasting
covenant. He's the servant to his people,
accomplishing our salvation. Now look at verse 8. And being
found as a real man, bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh,
in the habit, the habit of a man, he humbled himself. and he became
obedient unto death, not just any kind of death, even, even,
even the death of the cross. As a real man, not just in appearance,
but in reality, the Son of God became the Son of Man, Son of
Man, in order that sons of man become sons of God. Turn back to Hebrews and look
at Hebrews chapter 2. He took not on Him the nature
of angels. Some of those angels were fallen
angels. When they fell, when they sinned,
they fell. But the Lord didn't redeem any
fallen angels. But look what He says here in
Hebrews 2, for as much then, verse 14, as the children, takers
of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise. took part of the same
flesh and blood he was a real man that through death he might
destroy him that had power of death who had introduced the
reason for death that is sin that is the devil He destroyed
him and delivered them, who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him
the nature of angels, but he took on him, he laid hold of
the seed of Abraham, that's his elect, wherefore in all things
it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. that he might
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in
that he himself has suffered being tempted, he's able to succor
them that are tempted. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers
of the heavenly calling, consider the Lord Jesus Christ. In his
real humanity, the Lord Jesus Christ honored the law of God
for us as a real man. Look back to the text. And being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient
unto the death, even the death that God appointed for him. Him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain
the Lord of glory, even the death of the cross. Now stay with me
here. The Lord took in union to his
holy deity our flesh Apart from sin, He had no sin, did no sin,
and knew no sin, in order that He might be the spotless Lamb
of God to die for our sin. God made Him sin for us who knew
no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Now, listen to this question
very carefully. Why did the Lord die upon a cross,
upon the tree? Could he have died some other
way? Could he have been stoned? Would
that have been sufficient? They tried to take a sword and kill
him one time, remember? They tried to pick up stones
and to stone him one time, but remember he said, my hour has
not yet come? But finally on the eve of the
cross he said, now my hour has come. Why did He die this particular
death upon the tree? Because we're reading Scripture,
He died for our sins according to the Scripture. I tell you
the reason why He died upon the tree, because our sin was laid
upon Him and He became guilty for our sin. The curse of the
law was upon Him. We read in 1 Peter 2, He bare
our sin in His own body on the tree. Isaiah 53 said the Lord
laid on him the iniquity of us all Made to meet on him our sin
the sin of God's people were made to meet upon Him now turn
and read this with me turn to Galatians chapter 3 Why was he hung upon a tree or
upon a cross Look at verse 13 Because He was
made sin for us, and being made sin for us, He was made a curse
for us. Galatians 3 verse 13, Christ
has redeemed us from the curse of the law. What does the curse
of the law say? The guilty must die. To offend
in one point of any of that law is to be guilty of all the law.
Look at verse 10, Galatians 3 verse 10, for as many as are of the
works of the law are under the curse, for as written, cursed
is everyone that continues not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. The Lord Jesus Christ upon
Calvary's cross, our sin being laid upon Him, the curse of the
law was upon Him, because our sin was upon Him. Look what it
said, for it is written, being made a curse for us, He redeemed
us from the curse of that law, which is death to the guilty,
being made a curse for us, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us unto God for it is written, Cursed is every one
that hangs upon a tree. Now if you look at the reference
there, it's back to Deuteronomy. 21 23 and if you go back and look at
that Those who were killed according to the law were hung up upon
a tree to show they were under the judgment of God What happened
at Calvary the Lord Jesus Christ was under the judgment of God
for our sin You see why He could not be stoned? Why He had to
hang upon the tree? He was guilty for our sin and
He died for our sin according to the Scripture. The preaching
of the cross to them that are perishing is foolishness, but
unto them which are saved it's what? The power of God. You see,
the Lord Jesus Christ having died for my sin, and having put
away my sin, there is therefore now, we read it a moment ago,
no judgment to those who are in Christ, being justified freely
by His grace through the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, turn back to the text. So the Lord Jesus Christ died
for our sins according to Scripture, but he's also raised again according
to the scripture. Now, what would we have today
if there be no resurrection from the dead? If the Lord Jesus Christ
was not raised the third morning, having accomplished salvation,
if he's still in the grave, if his body's still in the ground,
we have no salvation. None at all. You see, the whole
thing hinges upon not only his death, but his resurrection. You read Romans chapter 1 when
Paul talks about the gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus
Christ. How he was raised from the dead,
delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. His sonship is declared by his
resurrection from the dead. Now turn to 1 Corinthians chapter
15. I read a portion of this at the
gravesite on Wednesday. And we placed the tabernacle
of our departed brother. Raymond's not there, but his
body is. But we put the body of our, the
tabernacle of our dear brother in that grave waiting for the
resurrection of the dead. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
gonna come back and he's gonna raise up our vile bodies and
fashion it like unto his glorious body. But now look at 1 Corinthians
15 verse 12. What if the Lord Jesus Christ
was not raised from the dead? Read on here, 1 Corinthians 15
verse 12. Now, if Christ be preached that
he rose from the dead, and that's what we preach, go through all
the preaching in the book of Acts, You killed the Prince of
Life, God raised Him from the dead. God raised Him from the
dead, over and over and over. They emphasize God raised Him
from the dead. Now if Christ be preached that
He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is
no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection
of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen,
then is our preaching vain. I mean, what we're doing right
now is just useless. And your faith is vain. Yea, and we're found false witnesses
of God, because we testified of God. They were eyewitnesses
of His majesty, that He raised up Christ, whom He raised not
up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not,
then is not Christ raised? And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain, and you are yet in your sin, then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." How do we
know that his redeeming blood and the work that he did for
us and his death that he accomplished for us was successful and accepted
of God. How do we know that? Raised from the dead, but more
than that. Turn over here to Romans 8. Yes,
he was raised from the dead, but it goes a little bit further
than that, doesn't it? After 40 days, among men in a
resurrected body? What happened? He ascended to
glory at the forerunner and He occupies heaven for us right
now. Romans 8, look at verse 32, He
that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all,
how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifies. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also, I like how this just keeps
climbing higher and higher and higher, who also maketh intercession
for us right now. The Lord Jesus Christ is seated
on the throne of glory. We read many times through the
scripture, on the right hand of God. On the right hand of
God. A place of acceptance, love,
and power. And you know what? As the forerunner,
he's entered in and he's seated. And you know what the scriptures
teach? We're seated in him. Already, right now. And our representative. You see, when he lived, he lived
as a representative man. What he did, I did. When He died,
I died with Him. When He came out of that grave,
He's my resurrection. When He ascended to glory as
the forerunner, we entered in with Him. You see, we're vitally
united to the Lord Jesus Christ. As I've said for years, what's
true of the head is true of the body. Where He is, we are in
Him. Look back to the text now. Wherefore, God also, verse 9,
hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, wonderful counsellor,
the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the name which is above
every name. There is salvation in no other
name than the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot give him too much glory. We cannot give him too much honor,
praise, throughout all eternity. What is it? Worthy is the Lamb.
Worthy is the Lamb. All honor and glory is due unto
the Lamb. God has exalted Him, given Him
a name which is above every name, that at that name every knee
is going to bow in reverence. Reverence that name love that
name in heaven in earth and in hell The demons recognize who
the Lord Jesus Christ is and they confess you remember those
cast-out demons They said we know who you are. You're the
Holy One of God. I Have you come to torment us
before the time? Everything in heaven, everything
in earth, every creature in heaven, earth and hell is going to bow
and reverence His holy name. Aren't you glad you love His
name? To you who believe, He is precious. And every tongue
should confess. I confess it now. I confess it
publicly and openly. And every believer confess Him
by believer's baptism. Every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord. He's not Lord by something you
do. The old religious men used to
say, well, make Jesus your Lord. My soul, you can't do that. God
has made Him Lord. You remember what Peter said?
This same Jesus whom you crucified, God is both Lord. God has made
Him both Lord and Christ. That every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord. And it all gets back to this
end, to this purpose. You remember Romans 14? To this
end, to this purpose, Christ both died and rose and revived
that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. To the glory of God. The glory
of God. Everything works to that end
to the glory of God. To the glory of God. He came
from glory. He accomplished that redemptive
work to the glory of God. And he ascended to glory, all
to the praise of the glory of his grace.