Don’t ever forget who Jesus was.

Steve Brown:
Don’t ever forget who Jesus was. Let’s talk about it on Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
That was author and seminary professor Steve Brown, and this is Key Life. We’re all about radical grace. Because of what Jesus has done, God’s not mad at you. Keep listening, and that message will set you free to live a life of joy and surprising faithfulness.

Steve Brown:
Thank you Matthew. We’re looking at the first 11 verses of the second chapter of the Book of Philippians, one of the most important texts in the entire Bible. I read it to you yesterday, but if you’re smart, you’ll read those 11 verses sometime today, before you go to sleep tonight, because every time you read those verses, there ought to be astonishment. There ought to be excitement. There ought to be puzzlement that God would do that for us. Okay, let’s dig in. I want to show you five or six things about this text. And when we finish talking about it in a few days, I will feel as I always feel when I teach this particular text that I missed it, that I didn’t cover it, that I didn’t do it right, because it is so big and it’s so astounding that it’s hard to get your arms around it. But the first thing you ought to know in this particular text is who Jesus was, Philippians 2:5 through 6a.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God.

The word was in, in the Revised Standard Version and the English Standard Version, and being in the King James Version, are very interesting in the Greek. They mean the very essence of God. That which cannot be changed, that which Christ possesses as a part of Himself, and in such a way that it cannot be taken from Him, that describes the innate, unchangeable, unalterable characteristics and attributes of Jesus, who is God, who is in the form of God. Now, as if that weren’t enough, Paul proceeds to make the statement even stronger. The Greeks have two words for form. One word means the outward form of something, that outward form can change. For instance, I’m bald, but one time I had hair. I have wrinkles, but one time my face was smooth. I have a beard, but I wasn’t born that way. But the Greeks have another word for form and it means the essence of something. My essence in this sense is maleness. I can be a little boy, a teenager, a father, a husband, and all of that time I am still a male. The word, and I don’t care what anybody else tells you, that’s a fact. And the word that Paul uses for the form of God means the essence, the essence of something that simply doesn’t change, it’s who he is.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though His innate, unchangeable characteristic was the very unchangeable essence of God.

Let me tell you something, you want to know what God is like? Look at Jesus. You want to know how God loves? Look at Jesus. You want to know what you should be if you’re following him? Look at Jesus. And why is that? Because that’s God, the God of the universe. I have a friend, Harold Myra, and he was the chief executive of Christianity Today for a hundred years. He brought that magazine into one of the most successful enterprises in the history of the Christian church. And Harold’s my friend and I love him a lot. I remember one time when I realized who he was, we were talking at a hotel someplace where we were having a meeting and he mentioned kind of as an aside that he had written a novel. And I said, you’re kidding? He said, no and I’ll send you a copy of it and he did. And it was a great novel. But when I got the book, I look at the list of the other books that he had written, and that I had read, and even given to friends. And I realized it was the same Harold Myra who had become my friend. I realized that over the years, his teaching and his writing and his wisdom in the books that he wrote had meant a lot to me. Well, that’s what happens here. People throughout history have asked their questions. Is there a God? And if there is a God, what is he like? Is he a monster? Does he demand the fruit of the womb for the sin of my soul? Does he get angry? Does he care? Is he forgiving? Is he merciful? Does he love? And then very slowly, does he love me?

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

He, who Paul says in Philippians 2 was.

The very essence, the reality, unchanging of the God of the universe.

And when you realize that Jesus was that, it causes amazing astonishment. Alright, I could say a lot more about that, but if that doesn’t blow you away, I’ve given you the Jewish Prayer from the Rabbi’s Manual, which is kind of, it is one of my favorite quotes. This is what the prayer says.

Thou art great, and we are small. Thou art infinite, and we are finite. Thou art eternal, and we tarry but just a little while. Thou art everything, and we are nothing, but with all of thy power and greatness. Thou dost bend down low and listen to the sound of our tears as they strike the ground.

Is that beautiful? It is. But there’s more to it than that.

Thou dost bend down low and listen to the sound of our tears as they strike the ground. And in that bending down low, thy tears have mingled with my tears, God and man.

Is that something else or what? And so, you should always, when you read this text, notice who Jesus was before he was Jesus. Who Jesus was, and what he will always be, and who he is now. Let me show you something else. Second, I want you to notice not only what he was, I want you to also know what he enjoyed, Philippians 2:5 through 6.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped to himself.

That’s what the Greek word for grasp means. It’s interesting, it means that Jesus Christ turned away from that which was his. He avoided the temptation to grasp and hold it tightly. It was his and he could do that. Equality with God. That means everything was his. Every wish could be fulfilled. Everything he wanted was his because he was God. But he refused to grasp it to himself. And say what’s mine is mine and it’s not yours. He emptied himself. Albert Schweitzer, and you might have to Google it, if you’re older, you’ll know about him, is known the world over. He was a missionary, he was a Bach scholar, he was a physician, but that’s not what he’s known for. The fact that he gave up a position at home of money and power and influence and went to Africa as a servant. Now, that’s something else. And that is what Jesus did. You think about that. Amen.

Matthew Porter:
Thanks Steve. You know, when Steve says a particular text is one of his favorite passages, well, that gets my attention. And that’s where we are here in Philippians 2:1 through 11. More to discover tomorrow. Hope you will join us then. So, I think that you would agree that we as Christians are often right on issues like salvation and theology, but we sometimes miss the less articulated truths of humility and love and forgiveness. Well, that truth is actually the premise of Steve’s book called Talk the Walk. We created a special booklet that features excerpts from that book and we would be happy, nay, delighted to send you a copy of that for free. Just call us right now at 1-800-KEY-LIFE that’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also e-mail [email protected] to order that booklet. Or to mail your request, go to keylife.org/contact to find our mailing addresses. Again, just ask for your free copy of the Talk the Walk booklet. And finally, if you’re blessed by the work of Key Life, would you help share that blessing with others through your financial support? Giving is easy. Just charge a gift on your credit card or include a gift in your envelope. Or you can now give safely and securely through text. Just pick up your phone and text Key Life to 28950 that’s Key Life, one word or two. It doesn’t matter. Just text that to 28950, then follow the instructions. Key Life is a member of ECFA in the States and CCCC in Canada. Both of those organizations assure financial accountability. And as always, Key Life is a listener supported production of Key Life Network.