091209w Beyond the Manger 2
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· Christmas is more than a story about a baby. It’s purpose is the baby who was born to die, in order that you and I would have salvation.
· It is about God coming to earth in the flesh to destroy the works of the devil. You cannot get a much better gift than that at Christmas.
· People rarely think about the cross at Christmas. Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. NKJV But in Phil 2:6-8 Paul connects the two thoughts. He became an man and died on a cross. I like how the Complete Jewish Bible reads: Phil 2:7-8 And when he appeared as a human being, 8 he humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death — death on a stake as a criminal! CJB
1. God Made Manifest
A. Jesus—God found as a man.
i. Found—greek word means to fall upon, come upon discover. To discover out of inquiry.
a. The text reads that Jesus the left the form (Morphe) of heaven and took upon Him the morphe of man.
b. When he did that, he was later discovered to be God. To do what he does he must be from God. John 3:2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." NKJV When men encountered him they knew he was more than a man. Woman at the well, “You must be a prophet!”
ii. In appearance or fashion as some Bibles read.
a. Comes from the gk. Work schema—outward structure, appearance, features, sketch.
b. It is like God is saying, “Surprise! Didn’t think God could do that did you?”
c. This is extremely important, for this was precisely the same word that was used in ancient times to depict a king who exchanged his kingly garments for a brief period of time for the clothing of a beggar.
B. God laid aside all of who He was in order that He may get our attention as one of us. That is incredible humility, that God would appear to us as a man.
i. He traded Kingly garment for that of a servant.
ii. But He did not stop there. He went even deeper into that place of humility.
2. God Goes Deeper
A. In verse seven he gave up his reputation, took the form of a slave, in the form of a man. When you are God that is a lot of humility!
B. It goes on to say after all of that—he humbled himself.
i. Grk. Tapeinao—it means to be humble, to be lowly, and to be willing to stoop to any measure that is needed.
ii. This describes the attitude God had when He took upon himself human flesh. Think of the love that God has loved us with that He would totally divest himself of all His splendor and become a man.
iii. It especially amazes me when I think of how bad I recoil at the thought of being humble or humbled. Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death on a cross.
iv. Phil 2:7-8 And when he appeared as a human being, 8 he humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death — death on a stake as a criminal! CJB
C. He became obedient
i. The word obedient tells me that this was not a pleasurable experience that Jesus looked forward to in anticipation. To humble Himself to this extent required Jesus to be completely obedient. For Jesus to be totally obedient he has to scorn the shame and endure the pain of the cross to obey the eternal plan of God.
ii. Grk. Hupakouo—from the words hupo, means under and the word akouo which means to hear. When you put the words together it is a picture of someone who is ,hupo, under someone elses authority and, akouo, listening to what they have to say. After listening they then carry out those orders/instructions.
iii. Therefore people who are humble are obedient people who are:
a. Under authority.
b. Listening to their superiors.
c. Carrying out all that is given to them.
d. This is what the word obedience means to you and to me.
D. Deep as death. Not much deeper to go from there if you are being humbled as a man.
i. Mechri—grk. To such an extent as. Jesus humble himself to such and extent as death…even death on a cross/or death as a criminal.
ii. That is low! For Jesus to humble Himself to the point of death, EVEN the death of the Cross, demonstrates how much He was willing to humble Himself to redeem you and me.
3. God Manifest More!
A. God in return for that humility gives him the name that is above every name! vs. 9-11.
i. Because Jesus was willing to take the low road, God lifted Him up. He gave him the name above all names: King of Kings and Lord of Lord so that all three worlds would bow to him, those in heaven, on earth and under the earth.
ii. Because of that we are to do vs. 12 “…work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for is is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
B. Because Jesus took the low road He is able to manifest himself more in our lives. 1 John 3:8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. NKJV
i. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. NKJV
ii. Jesus came to give us life.
a. To break the cord of sin and death.
b. To heal the sick.
c. To deliver the oppressed.
d. To free us from our sins.
C. He gave us the Holy Spirit so that He could be in all the earth working through people just as the Father set the pattern to be.
i. Humble men, full of God, destroy Kingdom of darkness.
D. Merry Christmas! God is with us.
Conclusion:
· Invitation.
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