Title: The Greatest in the Kingdom
Text: Philippians 2: 1-21
Date: 12-12-10
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Phillipians 1: 1: Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ…
A servant is dependent and in submission to Chirst the King
Galatians 1: 10: …if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
The disciples were arguing over who should be the greatest in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 20: 25: But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 27: And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant 28: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
A servant in God's kingdom esteems others better than himself. He seeks to bring great glory to God, by faithfully ministering right where the Lord has placed him. By serving others, through much reproach, difficulty, and opposition.
I. EVERY PERSON IS A SERVANT
Either slaves to sin (overcome and bound by the prince of the power of the air) OR Servants of Jesus Christ (overcome and bound by the lovingkindness of our Master the Lord Jesus Christ, made willing bondservants.)
Ephesians 2: 3: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Those whom God has made new creations in Christ Jesus are under a different kind of yoke--BOUND BY THE FREE, ALL-POWERFUL GRACE OF GOD.
II. JESUS CHRIST IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
If we would know what it is to be a servant of the Greatest Servant, Christ Jesus, then we need to behold how our Master served his Father and for his bride. Then we shall behold what it is to be a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2: 1: If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Exodus 21: 1-6 is the law of the Hebrew servant. We can see much in this of how our Lord Jesus served.
Exodus 21: 1: Now these [are] the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2: If thou buy an Hebrew servant,
Hebrew means "from beyond"--Christ Jesus is from beyond—God the Son, but he took upon him the form of a servant. Philippians 2: 6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Exodus 21: 2: If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
Phippians 2; 8:…And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient. Christ Jesus served the Father faithfully--six years, six days--a full week of service. He was obedient--without sin from beginning to end. Before he finished the work on the cross, he has finished the work given him to do during his days and he did this as an obedient servant. Before the cross work, he prayed to the Father concerning his service during his life and said,
John 17:4: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
No sin was in him. He was not under the curse of the law but proven a spotless, free, perfect servant of God. He was free to go out for nothing--without paying any price.
Exodus 21: 3: If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4: If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
Our Lord had a bride when he came--a chosen people given him of the Father. But in the law of the Hebrew servant, if the Master gave him the bride and she bore him children, if the servant goes out alone, the wife and her children shall be left behind, he shall go out by himself. Christ had a bride, children he loved, and he would not leave them behind.
Exodus 5: And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
The Lord Jesus plainly said that he loved his Master, God the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the servant of his Father, loved his Father and he loved the bride the Father had given him, the children she had born him. Therefore, as the righteous servant, Christ Jesus humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The Master shall bore his ear through with an aul--open his ear--Now we turn to Isaiah 50.
Isaiah 50: 5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear,
Philippians 2: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Christ willingly, declared his love for the Father and for his bride, by being willing to be taken before the judges. The law of the Hebrew servant said, "then his master shall bring him unto the judges." The judges of the earth judged he should be crucified.
Isaiah 50: and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
And Christ was made to bear the sins of his people in his own body on the tree, made a curse for his people and God the Judge of the earth, in righteous judgment, turned his back on his servant as he bore the sin of his people in his own body on the tree. He satisfied the eternal due of his people. But this is the law of love by which he bore the burden of his people and declared God just and the Justifier. Oh, and how this magnifies the faithfulness of Christ Jesus the Faithful One and the faithfulness of the LORD God--read it in verse 7 and think of these two working faithfully toward each other.
Isaiah 50: 7: For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
When will a weak child of God set his face like a flint in the face of death?--when his confidence and strength is the faithfulness of the LORD God and not in himself.
The perfect fulfillment of the law in every regard is seen in Christ on the cross. The active fulfillment of the law is love. Christ Jesus loved his Father and he loved those given him of the Father so that he laid down his life for both—that is the righteous, faithful fulfillment of the precept of the law of God. At the same time, the Lord Jesus Christ was willingly made sin and declared God just and the Justifier as he satisfied divine justice by being cut off out of the land of the living—that is the righteous, faithful fulfillment of the penalty of the law. In Christ there remains nothing else for God to do so declare his righteousness and holiness, and in Christ there remains nothing else for the believer to do to earn a righteousness or holiness--GOD AND HIS CHILDREN ARE BOTH SATISFIED IN CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF GOD!
Philippians 2: 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
APPLICATION
Philippians 2: 12 : Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
In each believer it is God working through the Spirit. In this assembly it is God working in the midst. Knowing this, let us work out the daily affairs of this congregation with great fear and trembling before God who is working in us.
Philippians 2: 14: Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Do all things without criticizing my brother or sister to another brother or sister. Do all things without disputing—arguing—against the other--esteeming the other to be the righteous, holy habitation of Christ Jesus who is working all things together in our midst to glorify his great name. Would we dispute with Christ? Let us not dispute with a brother or sister. As much as I can, instead, let me lay down my life for the sake of my Lord and those brethren he has given to me.
Philippians 2: 15: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16: Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 17: Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. 18: For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. 19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. 20: For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. 21: For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.
Remember Philippians 2: 4: Look not every man on his own things, but on the things of others. Here is exactly what is meant, Timothy did not seek his own things, but he looked on the things which are Jesus Christ's.
When the Spirit comes in power we find we are freed by our Master. He opens our hear, puts his mark upon us. We become willing-servants, "I love my master…I will not go out free." We serve him forever as his willing bond servants. Jesus Christ is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Oh, may we see not our own, but the things which are our Masters.
This is what the Master said to his servants:
John 15: 11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full. 12: This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17: These things I command you, that ye love one another.
AMEN!