Bible Reading for August 2 – Philippians 2:1-18

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Sure, it involves receiving the blessings of forgiveness and reconciliation He offers to us. But at its root, following Jesus requires us to live as He lives. And today’s passage shows us that one of the hallmarks of His life was humility.

And that should be truly amazing. After all, as verse 6 points out, He is the Son of God – you can’t get any more powerful and important than that. But He freely chose to empty Himself, laying aside so much of His power and glory by taking on the limitations of human flesh. But He went even further than this, because He didn’t become a man to gain worldly wealth or power. Instead, He came to humble Himself as a servant. He served us by dying for our sins on the cross, submitting Himself to the will of the Father by making Himself a sacrifice to save a world full of sinners.

And verse 9 reminds us that it was precisely because of that humility, that service, that the Father exalted Him, giving Him all authority in Heaven and on Earth. It was because He served us, giving us what we need, that eventually every knee will bow before Him.

So, what does all that mean for us? It turns out that the way up is the way down. If we want to follow Jesus, if we want to share in His glory, we must live like Him, doing God’s will instead of our own, serving others in true humility. And in a sinful world like ours, that often means humbling ourselves not just before our loved ones, but before our enemies as well.

That’s the sort of attitude Jesus has toward sinners like us. So, are we really following Him?

Philippians 2:1-18 (ESV)

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 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.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.