Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
Philippians 2:3-8
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Commentary:
Christ’s Example of Humble Service. This passage is often referred to as the “hymn of Christ.” Paul depicts Christ’s example of service in a stirring poem that traces his preexistence, incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God. Paul wrote this magnificent theology to encourage the Philippians to consider other people’s interests first (see v. 4). Jesus is the paradigm of genuine spiritual progress: not a self-aggrandizing struggle for supremacy, but a deep love for God and neighbor shown in deeds of service. Verses 6–11 have some clear indications of poetic structure, leading some to believe that this is a pre-Pauline hymn adapted by Paul. It is just as likely, however, that Paul composed the hymn for this setting. In view of the myriad theological questions that arise in these verses, it is critical to keep two things in mind: (1) these verses were written not to spur Christians to theological debate but to encourage greater humility and love; and (2) the summary of Christ’s life and ministry found here is not unique: the same themes are evident throughout the NT.
Study Questions:
- For the believer, humility is ESSENTIAL. If we're going to be like Jesus, walking in humility is a must. How do we accomplish this? By living in light of the Gospel. When you keep yourself reminded of all you've been forgiven of, what he did for you that you could not do for yourself, that you could not earn, that you cannot repay; when you fully embrace the Gospel of Jesus, the byproduct is humility. How often do you remind yourself of what Jesus did for you? How might keeping this in the forefront of your mind affect your moods, attitudes and actions day to day?
- But this runs counter to our culture, even in the church. We are not called to exalt ourselves or clamor for position and power. We're called to die to ourselves and submit to him. Pride is something that's extremely easy to see in other people, but almost impossible to see in the mirror. Take a minute to self-assess. Do you see any indications of pride in your life? When was the last time you confessed sin or a mistake to someone instead of hiding it? Do you tend to be short-tempered, easily offended or unforgiving? What does the fruit of your life say?
Pray:
- That you would remind yourself daily of the Gospel.
- That you would keep a watchful eye out for pride in your life.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
7. How can I trust that the Bible is still God’s Word today? I trust the Bible is still God’s Word today because Jesus rose from the dead proving He was God and said His words would never pass away. Through the Holy Spirit, God inspired the writing of the Scripture, determined the canon of Scripture and protected the copying of Scripture so that we might know Him and worship Him to this day.
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
(Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
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