Philippians 2 (NRSVue)
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God exalted him even more highly
and gave him the name
that is above every other name,
10 so that at the name given to Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The Spirit of God is most clearly revealed in giving humbly.
Here are some questions for reflection:
1. How does Jesus’ humility and willingness to serve (Philippians 2:6-8) challenge common ideas about power, status, or recognition in both past and present society?
2. The God of the Old Testament was more akin to a concept of God whereas the coming of Jesus gave us access to an embodied God. How might the idea and worship of an embodied God, represented in Jesus, equip you and I to know and understand God?
3. Just as a website or social media profile provides only a carefully curated snapshot of an individual without knowledge of them, we can only expect that limited knowledge of God with just a Sunday morning snapshot. We must get up from the pew and go beyond that snapshot. In what ways can you and I actively seek out a greater knowledge of an embodied present God in our daily lives?
4. Pastor Trey contrasts the idea of a God limited to the concepts of retribution, domination, and exclusion with a greater embodiment of an unlimited God of restoration, generosity, and inclusion. In what ways does a limited concept of God create a tempting, easier, path to follow than one of fully embodied unlimited God?
5. In what area(s) of life do you currently struggle with pride or a desire for recognition? How does this passage speak into the need to realign those inclinations toward a more Christ-like posture? How can we tangibly take steps to make the shift needed in our everyday lives?
6. What does it mean for God to highly honor Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11)? How does this specifically give hope in the face of systemic struggles?
7. In what ways can the church embody Christ’s self-sacrificial love in its mission to serve the marginalized and vulnerable? How can we tangibly at Intention Church be the hands and feet in service to others defiantly and humbly saying “Say when…” in a societal moment where so many other “Christian” voices are modeling exclusion, retribution, self-exaltation, and personal gain?
8. Philippians 2:8 describes Jesus as obedient even “to the point of death”. Compare this verse to Jesus’ words in Luke 22:42. What can we gather about what obedience to God should look like in difficult situations by Jesus’ example?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. No doubt Jesus spent a significant amount of time in the synagogue or temple, but the Gospel accounts only mention a few select times. Jesus took the message out of church to the people where they lived. If we worship a God that brings His word out to the people, what kind of disciples can we expect to become?
2. Building relationships can be scary, even more so as adults sometimes, and coming to true authentic relationship with Jesus is no different. We spend a lot of time talking about our church trauma, but if we reverse it…What verses, moments, or interactions have you personally experienced that helped pave the way for a relationship with Jesus?