Philippians 2:5-8
Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest boxers who ever
lived. But he was also famous for his confidence. He often
told people, “I am the greatest.”
One day, Ali was on a commercial flight when the plane
began experiencing turbulence. The flight attendant
walked through the cabin and instructed everyone to
fasten their seatbelts.
As she came to Ali, she noticed his seatbelt was still
unbuckled.
“Sir,” she said, “you need to fasten your seatbelt.”
Ali reportedly looked at her and said,
“Superman don’t need no seatbelt.”
Without missing a beat, the flight attendant replied,
“Superman don’t need no airplane either.”
Everybody laughed, and Ali buckled his seatbelt.
There’s something inside all of us that likes to believe
we’re more important than we really are.
We want recognition. We want credit. We want our way.
We want people to notice us.
Pride comes naturally.
Humility does not.
Yet the most remarkable thing in human history is that
the only person who truly had the right to exalt Himself
chose instead to humble Himself.
Jesus never had an inflated view of Himself.
He actually was exactly who He claimed to be.
He possessed all authority, all power, and all glory.
Yet instead of demanding to be served, He served.
Instead of lifting Himself up, He lowered Himself.
Instead of saving His life, He gave His life.
Philippians 2:5-8 shows us three attitudes of a humble
person
3 Attitudes of a Humble Person
Philippians 2:5-8
The first attitude of a humble person is a:
Selfless Attitude
In the previous verses, Paul told the Philippians to do
nothing from selfish ambition or conceit.
He told them to put the needs of others over their own.
Now in verse 5, Paul tells them to have this mind among
themselves.
The focus is on others. Paul’s talking about the
relationships within the church. He wants them to be
selfless in their interactions with one another, just like the
first church mentioned in Acts 2.
Paul wants them to be selfless rather than selfish.
He tells them to have the same mind as Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:16 says we have the mind of Christ.
We know that Christ’s attitude was selfless.
He laid down His life so that we could be reconciled to
God.
We should have a humble, selfless attitude just as Christ
did.
Listen to what James writes in:
James 4:6-8 “But he gives more grace. Therefore it
says,
‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God , and
he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
God opposes the proud
God gives grace to the humble.
Form Of God
Jesus in His humility, even though He was in the form of
God, did not consider equality with God something to be
concerned about. He understood God’s plan.
This form of God statement is about the nature of Jesus.
Jesus was fully God
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in
the beginning with God. All things were made through
him, and without him was not any thing made that was
made.”
Colossians 1:15-17 “He is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things
were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities – all things were created through him and for
him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold
together.”
Jesus didn’t let pride get in the way of His purpose.
The second attitude of a humble person is a:
Servant Attitude
The Bible says that Jesus Emptied Himself
By taking the form of a servant.
Remember earlier we talked about Jesus being in the
form of God? Now Paul says He took the form of a
servant.
Form of a Servant
When Jesus was having the Passover feast with His
disciples, He stopped, got up and washed the feet of his
friends.
Jesus told them “you also ought to wash one another’s
feet.”
What Jesus did for them was a loving act of humility.
And He wanted them to follow His example.
And He wants us to follow that same example.
Taking the form of a servant shows that
Jesus was fully human.
John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son
from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Jesus was born in the likeness of men.
Jesus is eternal, but at the right time, He was born of
virgin and took on flesh. And He used His flesh to serve
others.
The third attitude a humble person is a:
Sacrificial Attitude
Earlier we talked about Jesus emptying Himself, now we
see that Jesus humbles Himself by becoming obedient
to death, even death on a cross.
So far the Scripture has described Jesus as being in the
form of God and the form of a servant, now it describes
Him as being found in human form.
Think of the humility of Jesus.
Becoming man was humbling
Becoming a servant was even more humbling
Becoming a sacrifice was the most humbling.
Jesus became the sacrifice for us.
He went to the cross to take on our punishment and to
suffer God’s wrath in our place.
He suffered the most excruciating death imaginable.
Out of love for you and me.
APPLICATION
Empty Ourselves
If we find any pride or selfishness in ourselves, we should
empty ourselves of it and seek to be filled with the Holy
Spirit.
We should look for ways to serve others and extend
grace.
Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom,
brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity
for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Sacrifice Ourselves
Obey the Lord by dying to ourselves each day.
We should be taking up our cross to follow Him.
We should be willing to sacrifice anything for the one who
saved us.
Romans 12:1 tells us to present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship.
How does God want you to be a living sacrifice today?
What does it cost you to be a Christian?