”Having a KENOSIS Encounter”~Philippians 2:1-11

“Having a Kenosis Encounter”(Philippians 2:5-11 ) (07/16/21)

THEME: Chapter 2 “Have the MIND of Christ”

Vs. 5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:…”

• This exhortation finds its definition in vs. 2:2-4 …a) To THINK the same thing, b) HAVE the same Love …c) To be in HEART UNITY or agreement d) carry oneself in a ‘low running mind’(humility) ..e) To see to it that your Brethren EXCELL/SURPASS You
• Now in Phil. 2:6-8 we will see an illustration of what that means & how it applies to us
• GREEK Rendering: “This Be Ye Constantly THINKING in YOU ,which was also in Christ Jesus”………..The word THIS points us back to Phil. 2:4 for a definition of WHAT to constantly be THINKING
• “WHO” ( 2:6) connects the illustration(vs. 6-8) & definition (vs. 2-4)TOGETHER
• “Let This Mind Be” In GREEK ‘Let-Mind-Be’ is ONE Word= PHRONEO= To have understanding, To DIRECT Ones Mind Towards a THING/CONCEPT…see II Timothy 1:7 (SOPHRONISMOS)…to seek or strive for , this word connotes to have in view the direction which the THINKING of a practical kind takes…understanding & marinating in THOUGHT
•  
• “Was” Can be either was or IS
• BOTTOM LINE: The Philippians (US) should emulate in their lives the distinctive virtues spoken of regarding Jesus in 2-4..’these’ traits were the direction our Lord’s HABITUAL thoughts..so was or Is , vs. 6 Because our Lord STILL embodies the same mind as He always did.
• THERE IS MORE!! We do Not just Imitate CHRIST we have HIS MIND!!

1. I Jn. 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
2. I Cr. 21-5 In the same way, my brothers, when I came to proclaim to you God’s secret purpose, I did not come equipped with any brilliance of speech or intellect. You may as well know now that it was my secret determination to concentrate entirely on Jesus Christ and the fact of his death upon the cross. As a matter of fact, in myself I was feeling far from strong; I was nervous and rather shaky. What I said and preached had none of the attractiveness of the clever mind, but it was a demonstration of the power of the Spirit! Plainly God’s purpose was that your faith should not rest upon man’s cleverness but upon the power of God.
3. 6-8 We do, of course, speak “wisdom” among those who are spiritually mature, but it is not what is called wisdom by this world, nor by the powers-that-be, who soon will be only the powers that have been. The wisdom we speak of is that mysterious secret wisdom of God which he planned before the creation for our glory today. None of the powers of this world have known this wisdom—if they had they would never have crucified the Lord of glory!
4. 9-10a But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him’. But God has, through the Spirit, let us share his secret.
5. 10b-12 For nothing is hidden from the Spirit, not even the deep wisdom of God. For who could really understand a man’s inmost thoughts except the spirit of the man himself? How much less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? And the marvelous thing is this, that we now receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can actually understand something of God’s generosity towards us.
6. This wisdom is only understood by the spiritual
7. 13 It is these things that we talk about, not using the expressions of the human intellect but those which the Holy Spirit teaches us, explaining things to those who are spiritual.
8. 14-16 But the unspiritual man simply cannot accept the matters which the Spirit deals with—they just don’t make sense to him, for, after all, you must be spiritual to see spiritual things. The spiritual man, on the other hand, has an insight into the meaning of everything, though his insight may baffle the man of the world. This is because the former is sharing in God’s wisdom, and ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ Incredible as it may sound, we who are spiritual have the very thoughts(MIND) of Christ!
9. PSALM 1

Vs. 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

• “FORM” (MORPHE-Greek) ..this word has no reference to the ‘shape’ of any phys. Object as we think of it in our English language…”This word is used in its philosophical sense to denote THAT EXPRESSION of BEING which carries in itself the distinctive nature & character of the BEING to whom it pertains & is thus permanently IDENTIFIED with THAT NATURE & CHARACTER.”(Vincent)..ex. “The quarterbacks FORM was perfect today’’
• There is NO WORD in all the languages of the World to truly convey the DEPTHS of this meaning !!...this word(form) is used in a futile attempt to describe the essence of GOD’s BEING & How He expresses Himself …our minds truly cannot CONCEIVE of this fully..even at times when He reveals Himself to us (Exodus 33:18-33)
• This word ‘MORPHE” used here is an outward expression of an inward & perfect Identity…see “TRANSFIGURATION”(Metamorphoo) ( 17:2..Mk. 9:2..II Cor. 3:18..Romans 12:2)

 

• Jesus was /Is the DIVINE Essence of GOD & He was & IS EXPRESSING it to Mankind from His Innermost being…
• 2:9 9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature[a] dwells bodily[b] in Christ, (HCSB)

 

• HOWEVER…………………………………………….
• “Thought It Not Robbery” …Robbery means a thing unlawfully seized & a treasure to be clutched & kept at all costs”(seems to be 2 different meanings)
• CONTEXT in this passage ‘rules’ as to the meaning of this phrase…so basically (see vs. 2-4) Jesus Gave up His rights to Express His divine NATURE (The MORPHE)..Jesus gave up the rights to HIS RIGHTS…we will see this further
• TRS. 6 who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it];(AMP) Jesus did not consider it ROBBERY to be = w/ABBA, yet he did NOT attempt to grasp it Though It was His right.

1. 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

• Jesus did not see the TREASURE of His Expression of Deity as something to be Seized & kept at all costs…But rather he willingly gave this up..He relinquished His rights to that expression
• Jesus experienced & participated in Kenosis ( emptied Himself) = trs. Of ‘Made Himself of No Reputation’
• “The Form of A Servant” again as in vs. 6 MORPHE= Form…Servant = is a word Paul used in 1:1 when he described Himself as a BONDSLAVE
• GREEK grammar construction implies that Jesus FIRST took on the role of a BONDSLAVE Before he ‘Emptied Himself’ (participated in KENOSIS)..by taking on the role of a BONDSLAVE caused him to participate IN KENOSIS…so we could say it this way….’Having Taken the FORM of a BOND SLAVE, Jesus Emptied Himself’
• Opposite in a way of vs 6….Jesus Gave up His Lordship in a sense to SERVE us…He emptied out Himself FOR US!... 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many…He was exchanging DEITY /Lordship…for servanthood
• By the Act of KENOSIS Jesus totally obliterated His self-Life & emptied himself of every OUNCE of Deity
• For the Philippians KENOSIS was the Key to UNITY
• ***Jesus came to Live & Show us How ABBA Intended A Man/Woman to LIVE that was fully dependent on HIM***

I CR15:45-49 45 So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being;[m] the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual.

47 The first man was from the earth and made of dust; the second man is[n] from heaven. 48 Like the man made of dust, so are those who are made of dust; like the heavenly man, so are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man.

 

John 13:1-17 Jesus washes the disciples feet…………….(vs. 12-17)  When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined[a] again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you16 “I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master,[b] and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them

MTT. 26:7-13 7 a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for Me. 11 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me. 12 By pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. 13 I assure you: Wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

 

 

1. 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

• “In Likeness of Men having BECOME” (Grk.)
• Fashion or appearance
• Humbled = To bring Low..like ‘run low’
• This is not the emptying part but refers to the self- humiliation of death on the Cross
• A death of Ignominy & degradation
• HEBREWS 5:7-8 7 During His earthly life,[a] He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8 Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered.(HCSB)
• 1:14 The Word became flesh[a] and took up residence[b] among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son[c] from the Father, full of grace and truth.(HCSB)
• ** It was Not just Enough for Jesus to show US How a Person Fully dependent on ABBA should Live..BUT In Giving Up His Rights As God’s Favored Son , He was fully able to Bear & take On ALL the world’s Injury, SIN & Insults ,ultimately resulting In His WILLING Death On the Cross**

LUKE 9:23-24 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever wants to save his [a]life will lose it, but whoever loses his [b]life for My sake, this is the one who will save it.( NASB)

Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

•  

 

VS.9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 

(VS. 9) “WHEREFORE/Also” that is, because of Jesus voluntarily humbling Himself God has highly exalted Him

“Highly Exalted”  The Grk. Construction of this term means ‘to exalt to the highest rank & power , to raise to supreme majesty’, that is, a SUPER- EMINENT exaltation.

“Given”  as also in Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?....Given & Freely given  in these vs. are the Grk. Word ‘Charizomai’…to show favor, grant, bestow, forgive… This is speaking in regard to our Salvation that God freely gave to us through Jesus AS WELL as here ABBA bestowing on the Man Christ Jesus HIS EXALTED position …because he voluntarily subjected Himself to the subordinate position as “Sin-Bearer on the Cross”…OTHER TRS……”Freely Bestowed” (Vincent)…”Gave” (Lightfoot)…GRACIOUSLY GIVEN (Thayer)

Not just A NAME but THE NAME…the definite article appearing In the Greek language REFERS to a PARTICULAR NAME…THE NAME is a common  Hebrew Title  which denotes office, rank, or dignity…see “The Name of God” in the O.T. = Divine Presence, Divine Majesty, adoration & Praise

CONTEXT HERE: Points to the Honor & Praise BESTOWED on Jesus as one who was GIVEN…THE NAME..The Man Christ Jesus was who was elevated to the HEIGHT Exaltation of Supreme  DEITY

John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Every Jew reading this would know immediately what Paul meant, because in the Jewish scriptures there was a name that was never pronounced. They called him the Ineffable Tetragrammaton. Ineffable means unspeakable, unpronounceable. Tetragrammaton means four letters, YHWH . It was the name YHWH—Jehovah..Christ Won This position through His Resurrection!

VS.10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

• “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” = It is at THE NAME that belongs to  & was GIVEN to Jesus at His exaltation to which every knee will bow
• AT should Be IN
• The NAME is  the Spiritual Metron/Sphere in which every prayer should be offered & to which every knee shall bow
• All CREATION will give Honor & Homage to THE NAME
• ISAIAH 45:22-23Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By Myself I have sworn; Truth has gone from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to Me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
•  
•  
•  
• ROMANS 14:10-12 But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.[a]11 For it is written:
• As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God.[b]
• 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
• ACTS 2:33Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear.
•  

 

1. 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

• “CONFESS” means to openly or plainly confess, that is to AGREE with someone, this word also means to publically Declare….this word Confess is often associated with praise & Thanksgiving
•  
• JUST what does Lord mean? Lord means he has the right to everything he surveys. In Scotland he is called, the Laird. The Laird of the castle has the right to ownership and authority, who holds the key to everything-the one who has mastered all the forces he controls and is perfectly at ease in every situation he encounters. Paul says Christ is the one who has won that position because he unhesitatingly and unreservedly committed himself to all that was involved in the mind of Christ, that attitude of his own heart that led him first to mortality, then to ignominy, and finally to unequalled glory.

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………….

YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE MIND OF CHRIST TO THE DEGREE THAT YOU BELIEVE & RECEIVE IT!

• RESULT: Peace & The End of Conflict
• Paul is saying here: let the mind of Christ, involving the renunciation of your rights and the willingness to accept injury break through in your life. Accept these conditions as God's will for you. This is why you have Christ in you. Accept the hurt without complaint, and without fail he will bring you through to victory and to peace.
• ISAIAH 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.