Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/17103/jesus-servant-and-lord-quality-very-good/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] This afternoon we would direct your prayerful attention to the epistle to the Philippians and the second chapter and we will read this afternoon verses 5 to 11. [0:22] The second chapter in the Philippians verses 5 to 11. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [1:02] 5. Wherefore God also hath highly exhorted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [1:27] 6. We have just been singing of the wonders of redemption and the wonder that this glorious person in our text, who was equal with God, should take upon him our flesh. [1:49] 7. And as you were singing and we were singing that hymn, those words in the first chapter of John's Gospel came home to us where we read in the first verse, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. [2:14] 8. The same was in the beginning with God. 9. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. That is Jesus Christ as the divine creator, the one who formed the earth as we have been singing in the hymn. [2:35] 9. But then I thought of the 14th verse in that same chapter where we read this, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. [2:47] 10. And John says we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 11. Oh, that we might behold a little more of the glory of Christ, and that we might see this afternoon as we meditate upon these words, the wonder of that incarnation, the wonderful stoop that our Lord Jesus made when he came to this earth. [3:19] 11. We were looking then at these first three verses this morning, and as we sung the last hymn this morning, and I noticed what was over the top of it, Christ's example, and we had been thinking about the servant, the servant, the Lord guided my mind, I believe, to the 13th of John, where we can see so wonderfully this servant, this glorious person, who became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and who took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. [4:16] In the 13th of John then, we want to look at this little passage in the light of our text. The Lord Jesus Christ was now coming near to his sufferings, and we read in the first verse of that 13th of John, before the feast of the Passover, and it was wonderful how these things linked up with the Passover, and that Jesus was the Lamb that was typified in the Passover. [4:51] And when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, he knew. [5:04] He knew everything that was coming to him. He knew that he got to go to the garden. He knew that he must go also to the judgment hall. [5:17] He knew he must go to the cross. And that he must suffer, bleed, and die for his people. Now he says there, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. [5:32] Oh, the love of Christ to sinners. But here they were at the supper table, and we read in verse 2 that supper being ended, and the devil now having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. [5:53] Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and he was come from God and went to God. He was come from God and went to God. [6:05] And he was God. But think of it, friends, this almighty creator that we've just been singing about in our hymn, this one who had formed the earth, this one who had been with his Father from all eternity, this one who was almighty God as well as man, what does he do on this occasion? [6:30] All the wonder of this. He riseth from supper, we read, and lays aside his garments. [6:43] He laid aside his garments. And often when I read that sentence, I feel how he laid aside his deity, as it were, laid aside his power, as he is a servant, and takes a towel and girds himself, pours water into a basin, begins to wash the disciples' feet. [7:14] A servant. Our text says, he took upon him the form of a servant. Here is Jesus Christ as a servant, stooping down to wash the feet of his disciples. [7:31] And we can realise how Peter felt when it came to Peter's turn. He says, Lord, dost they wash my feet? [7:43] And again he says, they shall never wash my feet. But Jesus says, if I wash thee not, there is no part with me. Oh, Peter realised then that he needed this glorious person. [8:01] He needed his precious blood. He says, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. And the Lord Jesus shows to those disciples there that he had cleansed them by his own blood. [8:18] And yet they were not all clean because one of them was about to betray him. One of them, Judas Iscariot, had it put into his heart to betray his Lord. [8:34] But then, this is what seemed to link up with the last hymn this morning. After he had performed that and had stooped down so low as to wash the feet of his disciples, he said, ye call me Master and Lord. [8:54] And ye say, well, for so I am. He was their Lord and Master. But he says, if I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. [9:08] For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you. Oh, this wonderful example of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. [9:22] What else does he say? If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Oh, that we might follow this wonderful example. You know, Peter, when he writes his epistle, he speaks of this wonderful example of Christ. [9:42] In one of those chapters in the first epistle, he says this, Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, who his own self bearer sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. [10:24] So Peter speaks to us as well there of Christ's example, and we certainly have his example in the text. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. [10:39] But we want to come now to the eighth verse, as the Lord helps us. And the eighth verse says, being found in fashion as a man. [10:56] You know, I do like to think of the Lord Jesus as this man. The man of sorrows that we read of in Isaiah 53. [11:07] The one we read of in a previous chapter in that prophecy of Isaiah, when we read this, a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind. [11:20] Oh, that we might see this man set before us throughout the scriptures. You remember when he came forth from that judgment hall, he had been crowned with his horns. [11:35] And Pilate says, does he not behold the man? Oh, that we could behold the man this afternoon. The man Christ Jesus. [11:48] And I love that word where Paul writes to Timothy concerning the man Christ Jesus. and we find him saying in the first epistle to Timothy that this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. [12:17] And he also says this in the next chapter. There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. [12:30] Oh, and I love that language of the hymn writer, you know, when he writes about the man and he says, a man, there is a real man with wounds still gaping wide from which rich streams of blood once ran in hands and feet and side and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself. [12:59] Haven't we seen this, this afternoon in that 13th of John? He humbled himself. All the humiliation of the Lord Jesus Christ. [13:11] How humbled he was. How he became poor. There is a word in the 12th chapter of Romans which speaks of this humiliation and we find this recorded in that 12th chapter. [13:33] We find this there. I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. [13:53] Just as the Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself so we are to follow his example and humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exhort us in due time. [14:09] Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself. All the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ is a wonderful thing. [14:22] It is a wonderful thing to meditate upon it. And not only did he humble himself but he became obedient unto death. [14:35] By humbling himself by coming down to this earth by becoming poor he became obedient unto death. [14:45] this is the very reason why he came that he might die for sinners. Oh we have seen this wonderfully recently in that twelfth of John. [15:03] There is a wonderful verse there which speaks to us of the death of Christ and it is in verse twenty four there where we read verily verily I sound to you except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die. [15:22] He is speaking of himself when he speaks of that corn of wheat and he says except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit. [15:39] You think of the fruit friends of the death of Christ. The fruit of the death of Christ is the whole election of grace. All those who have been born again, all those who have been favoured to know Christ savingly, they are the fruit of his death. [16:04] All that we might realise then that he had to be like that corn of wheat and fall into the ground and die. But you see he didn't remain in the grave. [16:18] He rose again the third day. But as we went through that chapter recently we saw the Lord Jesus coming to this in verse 27. [16:30] Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour. He was beginning to come into this death you see. [16:44] The hour had come and he was beginning to feel what it meant to come to Calvary's cross and his soul was beginning to be troubled. [16:57] We hear of those from time to time who have the soul trouble and we realise what a deep thing it is soul trouble but we should never know it as Jesus knew it. [17:12] Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No. It was for this cause came I unto this hour. [17:26] This is the cause why he became man. Why we have the words of the text. Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. [17:44] He was willing to go to death. How willing was Jesus to die that we poor sinners might live the life they could not take away. [17:56] How willing was Jesus to give? He became obedient unto death. all and so the Lord Jesus says for this cause came I unto this hour and then he looks up to his father on that occasion and he says father glorify thy name and what happened when the Lord said that father glorify thy name there came a voice from heaven you know the father spoke three times from heaven when the Lord Jesus was here on earth he spake at his baptism when the Lord Jesus had been baptized in the river Jordan and the dove came down upon him and what did the father say on that occasion this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and the second time he spoke from heaven was on the mount of transfiguration when those three favoured disciples went with him up the mount and he was transfigured before them and they knew what it was or [19:16] Peter did at least he said it is good for us to be here he wanted to stay there and on that occasion we hear again the father speaking from heaven this is my beloved son hear ye him and I have often said friends Peter never forgot that second time when the Lord spoke because he mentions it in his second epistle this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount but this is the third time he speaks from heaven and he says I have both glorified it and will glorify it again and the people and the people stood by and heard that voice and they didn't realize who it was some of them said it thundered others said an angel spoke to him but the Lord Jesus says this voice came not because of me but for your sakes now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out the [20:26] Lord Jesus was about to go to the cross to overcome Satan the prince of this world was going to be cast out he was going to bruise the serpent's head and so he could say and I if I be lifted up from the earth would draw men unto me this he said signifying what death he should die he knew you see what death he should die he knew that he was going to the cross what a mercy if he went to that cross for you and for me he became obedient unto death even that's what our text says even the death of the cross I often think on these lines friends concerning these things we expect if the Lord favours us in this way when we come to die to have a comfortable pillow we hope to have a comfortable bed to lie upon but the [21:38] Lord Jesus Christ had nowhere to lay his head as he said but especially in his death he had nowhere to lay his head he was hanging upon a cross this was the kind of death he had friends he was nailed to the accursed tree even the death of the cross we cannot enter into it really what it meant as we mentioned those lines this morning and they come to us from time to time concerning his death much we talk of Jesus blood and of his sufferings so intense angels have no perfect sense oh this death of the cross oh we would desire to be led into it and to see the deep that coucheth beneath in these things when the apostle wrote to the [22:45] Galatians he mentioned this the death of Christ or he said in the fourth chapter of the Galatians when the fullness of the time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that he might receive the adoption of sons the Lord Jesus Christ died that he might redeem his people from their sins there was only one way you see by which they could be saved and that was by the redeeming blood of Jesus nothing else would do nothing else can save a soul but this redemption which is in Christ Jesus that's why he came to this earth then that's why he was sent forth by the father that's why he was made of a woman and made under the law to redeem them that were under the law by his death death in our text even the death of the cross nothing else could redeem his people as [24:09] Peter says in his epistle doesn't he we were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot all this cross of the Lord Jesus as we were reading from the Hebrews just now I thought not only of those two chapters we read but I thought of the opening chapters of chapter 12 and we find there this same person spoken of where the apostle says this wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses speaking of those in the 11th chapter of course the witnesses he says let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race it is set before us looking unto [25:11] Jesus we need to constantly look to this person who became obedient unto death look by faith just like those Israelites when they were stung by the serpents that was the only way of salvation they couldn't cure themselves they couldn't do anything they must look to the brazen serpent looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and then he goes on to speak about this death and he says who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross he endured it because he had a joy before him and I believe that joy before him is expressed in Isaiah 53 he shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied that joy was set before him and so he endured the cross what an endurance endured all those hours have you thought about it sometimes the hours that he was hanging there and three hours of darkness those three hours of darkness must have been tremendous suffering when he uttered the words in the opening of [26:43] Psalm 22 my God my God why has they forsaken me he endured the cross despising the shame oh it was a shameful death but he despised all that and he is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God and he goes on to say this for consider him or we could desire this more and more friends over the coming days to consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest you be wearied and faint in your mind he have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin but he did resist unto blood he became obedient unto death even the death of the cross all this was indeed a painful death a slow death the apostle speaks of being crucified with him [27:57] I am crucified with Christ he says and so we see the very centre of our salvation here in this eighth verse being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross this is surely the Lord Jesus going into the depths going into the grave eventually and dying for his people but now let's come to this other part of the text you see the Lord Jesus didn't stay in the grave he died on that cross he was placed into the sepulcher by loving hands but he didn't stay there he rose again the third day according to the scriptures and so we have the next part of the text which is the other side the first part of the text is the humbling the coming down of the Lord [29:10] Jesus Christ and as I think of these words think of Joseph in the book of Genesis he knew what it was to go down and down he was a type of Christ he went down into Egypt he went down into Potiphar's house he was forcedly accused he went down into the prison house but eventually he was brought out he was exhorted next to Pharaoh and they said bear the knee to him didn't they he was just like the Lord Jesus Christ he had to know what it was to go down first and then he was lifted up and so was the Lord Jesus Christ wherefore God also hath highly exhorted him oh the exhortation of the Lord Jesus Christ oh it is spoken of in the book of the [30:12] Revelation this exhortation of the Lord Jesus Christ it is wonderful to read in that book of the Revelation of the way in which the Lord Jesus was exhorted we find it recorded in chapter 5 and verse 11 John beholds and he says I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand and thousand saying with a loud voice worthy worthy is the lamb worthy is the lamb this lamb of god this one that became obedient unto death was that lamb that John spoke of John the Baptist behold the lamb of god and here he is exalted worthy is the lamb that was slain and one thing I noticed recently friends that lamb was slain from the foundation of the world in other words [31:20] God knew that he would be slain from before the foundation of the world it was all determined by the father from all eternity he is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world and here he is exalted worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and John further says every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb forever and ever he is exalted it wherefore God also hath highly exalted him he is at the right hand of the father didn't we notice it this morning and what we read this afternoon after we read of his being the express image of his father's person and upholding all things by the word of his power we read this when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high oh he's been exalted to the right hand of the father wherefore [32:58] God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name what is this name is given to us in the next verse given him a name which is above every name it's wonderful you know how this name is known worldwide this name of Jesus is known and yet people may know it you see as a name but know nothing of the worth of it know nothing of the preciousness of it know nothing of what the hymn writer says when he says how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear it soothes his sorrows heals his wounds and drives away his fear oh given him a name which is above every name there's no name like this name what does it mean it means a saviour it means he came to save his people from their sins and so it is a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and notice this word should [34:23] I hadn't noticed it really myself till recently it doesn't say every knee shall bow it says every knee should bow even now friends we should bow to this name every knee should bow oh that we might bow to this name now because one day everyone will have to bow to it everyone will have to confess that he is Lord that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow bow what a mercy when we can bow before him here below of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess now friends have we made a confession of this name let me name two particular cases before you this afternoon who confessed the name of Jesus we spoke of the mad gathering this morning now when that man was given the mind of Christ afterwards you know he wanted to go with the [35:50] Lord Jesus into the boat he wanted to be with him but what did the Lord Jesus say to that man he said go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord had done for thee you see if we love this name and if we believe in this name we shall want to confess his name before others that man had to go home to his friends and some of us you know when we were exercised about following the Lord we went one year to Ramsgate on holiday and Mr. [36:33] Tom Farley was the preacher but his text was that in our hearing go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and we knew then we had to go home to our own people and tell them confess the name of Jesus every tongue should confess oh what a mercy when we can make that confession of the name of Jesus what does Paul say in the Romans about this confession he says this we are to confess with our mouth and believe with our hearts in the Lord Jesus that if they shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead they shall be saved so the dear man who we spoke of this morning was sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind he had to go home to his friends and confess the name of Jesus and tell them what the Lord had done for his soul then the second one the woman at the well in the fourth of [37:55] John when she realized who it was when he revealed himself to her and he said I that speak unto thee and me we read that woman left her empty water pot and went her way into the city and she confessed him she saith to the men come see a man this same man in our text come see a man that told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ oh she confessed him before others have we made that confession have we been favored friends to tell to sinners round what a dear saviour we have found have we been brought where the psalmist was when he spoke about this confession come and hear all you that fear God I will declare what he has done for my soul every tongue should confess that [38:59] Jesus Christ is Lord and when poor sinners confess that Jesus Christ is Lord they glorify the Father to the glory of God the Father oh I do pray that many more yet may confess him now here on earth because I believe presently every tongue will confess him and every knee will bow before him and we shall praise him throughout the countless ages of eternity for this great salvation that we have been reminded of in our hymn today and as we have been reminded of in the words here before us being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross wherefore God also hath highly exhorted him and given him a name that is above every name may the [40:07] Lord then bless his word to us and help us as we go to his house this evening and may we feel his presence there amen i yo in a we conclude our series by singing hymn number 535 to tune St. Raphael 689 all the love of Christ the sinners who can make his wonders known sin born slaves true grace are winners a bright celestial prayer Jesus gives us endless glory and redemption [41:07] Jesus saw something rooted and determined us to stand shed his blood and brought us to him for our life is only God he redeemed us from sin Satan and the grave hymn number 535est and the people who are we he up O the Lamb of Christ to sinless, who can make His wonders known? [42:10] Sway, God, say to grace, the wind of the world, O the Lamb of Christ to sinless, to grow. [42:30] Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, He by nature, God is graceful, God is the Lord, God is the Lord, O the Lord, God is the Lord, I will theenden of His name. [43:21] I will now speak yet. Jesus, Jesus, He can play His new Courtenay tract, He can play His new средu. God is the Lord, can make His new Eleazar service? [43:38] And that new солн lighter's love Is Iím Jesus So assenting !" And be turned in as to save Shed his blood and brought us to him For all my Jesus Again shamed [44:41] Thou who slipped And bore CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS [45:55] CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS CHOIR SINGS now and evermore Amen