Philippians 2

Philippians 2:1

In chapter 2, as he talks about Jesus willingly submitting Himself to the plan of His Father, Paul tells us not only are we to have a single mind, but a submitted mind… The Holy Spirit instructed our brother Paul to write these words: “If Christ has been good to you, if He’s been there for you, if He’s stood by you, fulfill my joy by being likeminded, of one accord"surely a revelation of the heart of our Lord, the heart of our Father. When my children were younger, nothing delighted me more than to pull into my driveway and see my teenage son, Peter-John, shooting hoops with his little brother, Benjamin. Even if they hadn’t mowed the lawn or picked up the toys, love covers a multitude of sins! So, too, when our heavenly Father sees His children having one mind, being of one accord, loving one another, how it must bless Him. “Fulfill my joy,” Paul says, revealing the heart of our Lord, “by being of one accord.” How does this happen? Read on.

Philippians 2:3

There at the Pool of Bethesda, when the water was supposedly “stirred” by an angel, the first person in the pool would supposedly be healed. So there he sat month after year after decadetrying to win the competition, trying to win the prize. Suddenly, there stood a Man before him, saying, “Do you want to be healed?” “I can’t,” he said. “I have no one to help me into the water.” “Take up your bed,” Jesus replied, as though He were saying, “Let’s not stick around here in the pool of competition, where people are striving to move up or to get ahead” (see Joh_5:8). Let nothing be done through strife. Let nothing be done for vainglory. I’m sorry to say that much of the church has been infected and motivated by competition. It ought not to be. “Be of one mind, of one accord,” said Paul. Not this church against that one, or this group versus the other one. We’re all one in Christ.” This is the key: Let each one of you esteem others as being better than yourself. How does that happen? By simply realizing that every single person around you, that every single person you meet is better than you in some way or at some thing. And once we look into their lives and explore who they are, we must conclude, “It’s a privilege to know you. I have no right to look down on you. You’re better than me.” My natural, carnal mind doesn’t work this way. My carnal mind wants to find fault with the person next to me so I can feel better about myself. But Paul says just the opposite: go around school tomorrow and look at every other student as being better than youand treat them accordingly. Gang, as we begin to develop the mind-set that we’re privileged to be with everyone around us, the result will be joy. But it can’t be done apart from our dependence upon the Lord day by day, moment by moment. It’s a challenge, and yet it’s something we can choose to do.

Philippians 2:4

I believe verse Php_2:4 is really the key to verse Php_2:3. I will esteem others as better than myself to the degree that I listen to their stories and explore who they arefor if we knew the secret hurts and pains and suffering of even our worst enemy, we would find all of our animosity evaporating. If we looked into people instead of down on people, we would be filled with compassion for people.

Philippians 2:5

Again, notice over and over again, the emphasis in this epistle is not on how we feel, but on how we think. Now we come to holy ground. The following section of Scripture is one of the most profound, one of the most theologically important sections in all of the New Testament.

Philippians 2:6

“I and my Father are one,” Jesus said (Joh_10:30). “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father,” He declared (Joh_14:9). Yet He wasn’t claiming something He had no right to claim. It wasn’t robbery for Jesus to claim equality with the Father.

Philippians 2:7

This phrase in Greek is kenoo, or, literally, “he emptied himself.” Jesus emptied Himself. Of what? Of His divinity? No. When Jesus came as a Man, He was still divine. Then of what did He empty Himself? He emptied Himself of His divine powers. The implications of the “doctrine of kenosis” are huge because this means that everything Jesus didthe miracles He ministered, the prayers He prayed, the teachings He gavewere not done in His own power. Jesus healed and prayed and taught through the power of the Holy Spirit as He followed the Father’s directives. Because I didn’t know this for probably twenty-plus years, when I read that Jesus walked on water, I thought, Big deal. He’s Jesus; when I read that He overcame temptation, I thought, Big deal. He’s Jesus; when I read that He spent the night in prayer, I thought, Big deal. He’s Jesus. Thus, the miracles and stories of the Gospels were irrelevant to me as far as they related to being an example or model for me. I didn’t understand kenosis. I didn’t grasp Philippians 2. I didn’t comprehend that when Jesus came to earth, He emptied Himself of His divine abilitieswhich means everything Jesus did, He did as a man just like me. Before He did anything, Jesus had to be obedient to the Father, to pray, to put Himself on the line, to be empowered by the Spiritor nothing would happen. That’s why He said, “Of my own self, I can do nothing” (see Joh_5:30)and neither can you. When a man who is serious about loving and serving God understands the kenosis of Philippians 2, he’ll never look at Jesus the same way. He’ll see that Jesus’ life is truly a model for anyone willing to be directed by the Father and empowered by the Spirit. Kenosis, tucked away in Philippians 2, is a doctrine of gigantic import as it relates to joy. This is the mind that’s to be in uswhere we empty ourselves of our rights, where we became servants, or, literally, slaves. How do you know if you’re a servant? There’s a very simple test: You’ll know if you’re a servant by how you react when people treat you like one. All of us like to think of ourselves as servants. “I will serve You because I love You…” we sing. But when someone treats me like a servant, I get offended. Slaves are not noticed. Slaves are not thanked. Slaves are not invited to dinner. No one compliments them. No one applauds them. They’re expected to do their work and not be seen. And that is the mind that is to be in me. Why would anyone want to have such a mind? Read on.

Philippians 2:8

Although Jesus was filled with the Spirit from birth, He was not empowered by the Spirit until, through His baptism, He said, “I am dying to Myself. Your will be done, Father.” Because Old Testament Scriptures teach that every single sin must be atoned for, it is no wonder Jesus had to be slain before the foundation of the world (Rev_13:8). Jesus did not go to the Cross simply for a few hours one April afternoon in A.D. 32. No, when He submitted Himself to the Father’s plan, a price was paid that we cannot understand until we see Him. Then, with tears flowing down our cheeks and noses flattened as we fall on our faces, we’ll say, “Truly, Thou art worthy” (see Rev_4:11).

Philippians 2:9

Peter put it this way: Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and He will exalt you in due time (1Pe_5:6). If you exalt yourself and demand your way, you will be abased. But if you humble yourself, you’ll be exalted. And Jesus is the Perfect Example. God exalted Him because He humbled Himself by becoming a slave to the point of death for all humanity.

Philippians 2:10

Rom_10:9 declares that he who believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth that Jesus died for his sins and rose from the dead will be saved. Here we read that every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord. Does this mean that everyone will be saved eventually? No. There’s coming a time when everyone will see Jesus and will bow before Himbut it will be too late. “Lord, Lord,” they’ll say in that day, only to hear Jesus say, “Depart from Me. I never knew you” (see Mat_7:23). But we who have said, “I’m flawed; I’ve failed; and I have all kinds of problemsbut Jesus is my Lord, the Son of God who died for me"we are saved. Our place in heaven is secure forever.

Philippians 2:12

In addition to having a mind submitted to the will of the Father, Paul says that another key to joy is to work out your salvation. Notice he doesn’t say, “Work for your salvation,” or, “Work on your salvation.” He says, “Work out your salvation.” What does it mean to work out one’s salvation? It’s like going to the YMCA; it means you exercise it and strengthen it. Notice also that Paul says we are to work out our own salvation… What if Peter had said that day, “Hey, guys, look at me. I’m walking on water. You all should walk on water. Come on, guys. Get it together. Step out. Follow me. You can do it. Test your faith”? We’ve all heard sermons along those lines, and I understand the intention, but they’re terribly flawed. Peter walked on water not because he had faith. Peter walked on water because Jesus said, “Come.” Jesus didn’t tell James or John, Andrew or Bartholomew to come. The language is clear that His command was given to Peter singularly (Matthew 14). Work out your own salvation. What’s God working in your heart? What’s He calling you to do? In the course of a single evening, I read two outstanding books by two good Christian brothers. One said Christians should move into the city in order to minister to the multitudes. The other said Christians should move out of the city, as did the desert fathers. Unable to reconcile the two, I was troubled until the Lord spoke to my heart, saying, “Jon, what have I called you to do? What have I placed on your heart? I am the One who cared for the poor, and this brother is showing that side of Me. I’m also the One who moved to a solitary place and communed with the Father, and the other brother is showing that side. Let every brother reflect that which I have made clear to him.” That is why we need each other, gang. God manifests Himself through each of us a little differently. “With fear and trembling” means to give some real thought to what you’re doing. Work out your salvation soberly and thoughtfully.

Philippians 2:13

It’s God who gives us the desires and the ability to do what He wants us to do. Although he was only seventeen years old when he had a vision of the sun, moon, and stars bowing before him, Joseph knew it spoke of a position of authority he would assume over his brothers. And sure enough, as prime minister of Egypt, his brothers did, indeed, bow before him, asking help from him (Gen_42:6). Joseph’s dream came to passbut not before he was thrown into a pit and tossed into prison. Here’s where a lot of us err. “I have a vision,” we say. “It’s in me to be a mother, so why am I not married?” or, “It’s in me to be a missionary, so why isn’t it happening?” or, “It’s in me to work with kids, so why aren’t the doors opening?” Understand this, dear brother and precious sister, concerning another man who had to go through a bunch of stuff before his vision was fulfilled: Scripture says it was not until he patiently endured that Abraham obtained the promise (Heb_6:15). You might land in a pit or two. You might go through a prison or threebut know this: God will fulfill that which He has placed in your heart if you patiently endure and don’t give up. I’m slowly but surely learning that what I really want, that what I truly desire, is His will. Why? Because I’ve demanded my will too many times and gotten itonly to be disappointed. Other times, I’ve watched the Lord work in ways I wasn’t anticipating and seen that what came of it was wonderful.

Philippians 2:14

A submitted mind doesn’t murmur or make excuses, as the newer translations properly render the word “disputings.” As I tell my kids, “When you get good at making excuses, that’s all you’ll be good for.” That’s why Paul says, “Don’t make excuses and defend your positions. Don’t murmur.” Murmuring was a real problem for the people of Israel. After God opened the Red Sea and crushed Pharaoh’s army, the Israelites sang for a few moments, but then they started murmuring because they didn’t have water to drink. When God gave them water, they murmured because they didn’t have the right kind of food. And they murmured yet again when the land to which they were going seemed intimidating to them (Exodus 15, 16). Scripture tells us the Lord hears us even as we murmur in our tents, even when we think no one is listening (Deu_1:27). “Do all things without murmuring,” says Paul. Why? Read on.

Philippians 2:15

If you simply choose to say, “I will not murmur or excuse my behavior; I will not defend my position or dispute my situation,” you will shine as a light in the world. Try it. Next time you’re in line at the grocery store, tempted to murmur, “Can you believe how long these lines are? Can you believe how cold it is? I wish I lived in Hawaii…” and you’ll fit right in. But, instead, say, “Can you believe how good the Lord is to give us this much food? Can you believe how wonderful a summer we’re going to have because of all this rain?“and without preaching a sermon, without passing out a tract, you’ll shine like a light in the darkness. Evidently, our brother Paul viewed himself as sort of a coach. He says, “I can’t wait to see you guys at the judgment stand getting rewards because of the way you chose to shine like lights in the midst of a people who were always complaining and ungrateful. I coached you and you got the message.”

Philippians 2:17

“If I end up losing my head here in Rome"which he eventually would"rejoice with me. I’m happy,” said Paul. The African impala can leap ten feet high when running at full speed. But when you go to a zoo, you’ll see impalas kept in areas with only a four-foot fence. Why? Because if it can’t see where it will land, an impala won’t jump. Here, Paul is jumping at the opportunity to go to heaven. Why? Because he had seen where he would land. Caught up into the heavens, he was given a sneak preview. And what he saw there was too good for him to even articulate (2Co_12:4). Paul’s mind-set was like Christ’ssubmitted to the will of the Father. Whether he lived or died, it didn’t matter to him, for he knew right where he’d land.

Philippians 2:19

Jesus is the Ultimate Example of a submitted mind. Paul, too, had a mind submitted to the will of the Father. And here Paul writes of another one who had a submitted mind: his young protigi, Timothy. “I’m sending Timothy to you,” Paul says, “that I might find out how you’re doing.”

Philippians 2:20

Paul had a lot of men around him, but only one like Timothy.

Philippians 2:21

Timothy was one who didn’t have an agenda of his own, one who said, “I care about the people you care about, Paul. I’m going to serve you as a son would serve his father. And I’ll go if you want me to go.” When Henry III, one of the great Bavarian kings, first came into power, he was burdened by the responsibilities and demands of being king. Feeling pressure on all sides, he finally walked away from the throne and went to a monastery. “I want to contemplate God and worship the Lord,” he said upon arrival. “Understand this, Henry,” said the abbot. “The first requirement of a monk is that he be in total submission. A monk’s life is not his own. Can you submit yourself to the Lord by trusting me?” “Yes,” said Henry. “Then go back to the throne. I am instructing you to rule and serve where God planted you.” Henry did, indeed, return to the throne, becoming one of the greatest German kings of history. The inscription on his tombstone gives the reason: Henry III, the king learned to rule by being obedient. Such a man was Timothy.

Philippians 2:24

Epaphroditus was the man the Philippians sent to encourage and to bring financial assistance to Paul. “I’m sending him back your way,” said Paul, “because he was concerned that you might be worried about his condition, having heard he had been sick.” What? Epaphroditus was sick when he was with PaulPaul, the one whose sweatbands were used to bring healing to people; Paul, the one who laid his hands on people and they recovered; Paul, the one who was known for moving in the miraculous? Why didn’t Paul heal Epaphroditus immediately? For the same reason he didn’t heal Trophimus (2Ti_4:20), or Timothy (1Ti_5:23), or even himself (2Co_12:7). Ultimately, everyone will be healed, for by Jesus’ stripes, we are all healed (Isa_53:5). The only question is timing. When they ask for healing, some are healed immediately; others, five years later; others, not until they get to heaven. Healing has nothing to do with a person’s spirituality or faith. It has everything to do with God’s sovereignty. Three times Paul prayed for deliverance, only to hear the Lord say, “No, Paul. When you are weak, then My strength is manifested. My grace is sufficient for you” (see 2Co_12:9). Thus, I encourage those who are afflicted to follow Paul’s model, to pray three times, thirty times, or three hundred timesuntil they receive what they’re asking for, or until they have a peace in their heart that says, “This is what the Lord has for me, and I can embrace it.” God healed Epaphroditus, and Paul was glad.

Philippians 2:28

This is a classic vignette because in it we see Paul making it easy for a homesick Epaphroditus to go home by saying, “When he gets there, honor him.” Paul doesn’t call Epaphroditus a wimp, a weasel, or the guy who couldn’t hack it away from home. No, he calls him his brother, his companion, his fellow soldier. I like Paul’s heart.