WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.920 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit GrandProquay.org. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:20.640 Amen. 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:21.920 Let's pray. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:30.399 Heavenly Father, indeed, Lord, you became a slave so that you can release us from our slavery. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:36.159 You are the eternal Son of God who stepped down to take on man. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:40.479 And to Lord, make us children of God. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:49.920 So, Father, we are thankful here today that we get to turn our eyes to Christ yet again and to see in him our rescuer, our deliverer. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:59.200 And Father, we pray, Lord, that we would see you as the one who redeems us and who has lived to be our example. 00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:02.079 So, Father, help us to see the ways of Christ. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:09.040 Help us to follow after his likeness and to live like him for the glory of your great name. 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:13.040 We pray, Lord, that as we turn our eyes to your word today, that you would speak. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:15.680 And so, Lord, we say together, speak, Lord. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:16.879 We are listening. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:20.400 Father, we pray all this in the precious name of Christ. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:23.120 And everyone said, Amen. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:23.680 Amen. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:25.280 You may have a seat. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:27.120 Well, good morning. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:28.640 It's good to be with you all here today. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:29.840 My name is Julian. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:34.319 I'm the spiritual formation pastor here at Grand Park Way Baptist Church. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:39.120 And we are glad that you are here to worship the Lord with us this morning. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:43.519 If you have a Bible, I want to invite you to join me in Philippians chapter 2. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.319 We're going to be in Philippians chapter 2 today. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:51.200 We're going to be in verse 1 here shortly. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:56.079 And I want to explore a question today as a church. 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:00.959 And that question I want to ask us is how low can you go? 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.040 How low can you go? 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:16.560 The other day, my wife and I, Kelsey, we uh took our girls to the roller rink, and I found out that falling when you're over 40 feels a lot different than when you fall when you're 10 years old. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:24.000 It was funny because I was skating with my oldest daughter, and my feet just get out from under me and I fall pretty hard and pretty fast. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:30.639 It's funny because you know they have like young uh teenagers that are working there, and a 16-year-old boy comes to me and he goes, Sir, sir, are you all right? 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:32.400 I said, Yes, I'm okay. 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:36.479 But my oldest daughter, she looked at me and she said, Dad, you ate it. 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.159 And I said, That's right. 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:40.159 I did eat it pretty good. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:47.759 But while I was recovering from my soreness, uh, I was remembering uh a game that we used to play on roller skates. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:49.199 Uh, we used to play limbo. 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:51.599 Did any of you guys play limbo on roller skates? 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:55.759 And some of you guys may remember that, but uh it starts, you know, relatively high. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.360 And so everybody normally skates under the first pass. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:03.039 But as the game goes on, the bar gets lower and lower. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.479 And if you touch the bar, if you touch the ground, then you're out. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:11.439 But the person who wins is the person who goes the lowest. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:15.599 The person who uh wins the game is the person that can go the lowest. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:19.120 By the way, that picture reminds me of a young Lindsay Frelick for some reason. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:32.479 Uh but when it comes to how we treat one another in the church, I believe the Lord wants to ask of us, how low can you go? 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:36.879 How low can you put others before yourself? 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:50.400 And what we find is when we look at Jesus Christ, we see the champion of limbo, the one who became low for us, the one who humbled himself so that we could know him and we could be in unity with one another. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:59.039 And so today, as we ask the question, how low to you go, we want to look to Christ, the one who rescued us and the one who is our example. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:03.840 But here's the thing: in a fallen world, I think we all play a different game. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.159 I think we're playing King of the Mountain. 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:08.159 Some of you may remember this game. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:18.480 Uh, it's the game where you race to the top, and the first one who gets there has to push and pull everyone else off the mountain while you are getting pushed and pulled yourself. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:35.680 And I believe that selfish ambition, rivalry, pride, when we find ourselves engaging in this kind of mentality and behavior, we find that in the end, if you win, it really means nothing. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:49.839 But what we find in Jesus, our rescuer, is the one who is an example of who lived a good life for us and who models for us of the kind of life that we were meant to enjoy. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:59.439 I want to read from Philippians chapter two here this morning, and I want us to see our call as a church as we read this passage together. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:05.360 Our main text is in verses 5 through 11, but I want to begin in verse 1 for some context. 00:05:05.519 --> 00:05:07.600 Let's read God's word together. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:28.399 The Apostle Paul he writes this so if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:36.800 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:42.720 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. 00:05:42.879 --> 00:06:09.680 And here's our key text 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, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:30.399 Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:33.040 This is the word of God for the people of God. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:39.600 I believe here we find in our text two things to consider from verses five through eleven. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:43.839 First, in verse five, we see that we are to have the mind of Christ. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:46.480 Paul calls the church to have the mind of Christ. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:52.480 Then in verses six through eleven, we are given the song of Christ, the song of Christ. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:56.879 Where do you get the mind of Christ uh conveyed for us? 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:58.720 It's in verses six through eleven. 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:05.360 So I want to unpack this passage and then I want to ask us again, Grand Parkway, how low can you go? 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:07.120 First, consider this. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:11.040 You are called to think like Christ in your relationships. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.240 You are called to think like Christ in your relationships. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:21.600 Again, verse 5, Paul says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:35.600 The Apostle Paul he wrote to the church of Philippi, who was struggling with um rivalry within the church, with selfish ambition, with conceit, which is empty pride. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:43.199 And as they were being tempted within and without, the apostle Paul writes, and he says, Hey, this does not bring unity in the church. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:47.279 In fact, this kind of mentality brings disunity, it brings division. 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:50.879 And that's not what God has called you to. 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:58.000 Rather, he's called us to unity and to um uh to to uh unity. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:06.480 And what we see here is that uh this kind of mentality, this disunity and division, does not bring glory to God. 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:11.439 Rather, it brings uh a distaste for people. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:18.399 But the Lord caused us together to be fruitful and to live on mission for Him. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:31.360 What we see is that God, what He has for us, just as what He had for the church of Philippi, is to put to death our disunity and to put on humility and put on love and to put on selflessness. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:42.480 He's saying, Hey, let's be all hands in the middle on this, because this is what brings God glory, and this is how we'll be successful in what God has called us to as we live on mission together. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:43.759 But how do you get there? 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:45.840 How do you get to unity in Christ? 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:48.080 How do you get the mind of Christ? 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:54.960 I believe this the way forward to a common lifestyle is for us to share in common belief. 00:08:55.279 --> 00:09:00.480 And we do that by upholding Christ and looking to Christ together. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:05.840 And what we do when we extol Christ, we want to tune our hearts to his. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:06.480 A. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:06.799 W. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:13.279 Tozer, in his book, The Pursuit of God, he tells of how to have greater unity. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:24.240 He says it this way: Has it ever occurred to you that 100 pianos, all tuned to the same fork, are automatically tuned to each other? 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:32.879 They are of one accord by being tuned not to each other, but to one standard to which each one must individually bow. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:46.960 Friends, this is why we preach and teach Jesus Christ, because as we lift him up, we will tune our hearts to his and experience then the unity that he has called for us as the people of God. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:51.279 You see, you must think of Christ like this in your relationships. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:10:02.080 You must have the mind of Christ and put on the mind of Christ, because it's not automatic if you're going to experience the kind of unity that the Lord has for us as we reveal for us in the Word of God. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:06.159 Now, to show us what the mind of Christ is like, he gives us a song. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:11.919 That's why for some of you, you see in your translations a different kind of format in verses 6 through 11. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:23.200 And that's because some, that's the reason because some scholars believe that this is a song that has poetry and rhythmic style to it, which was a song that was adopted in the early church. 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:26.240 And here that song is still relevant for us. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:28.879 Now, there's two parts in the song that you'll notice. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:33.039 The first part is how Christ made himself low. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.960 The second part is how then God raised him high. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:40.399 Christ made himself low, and then God raised him high. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:43.039 And the first part you see it in verses six through eight. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:44.879 And here's what we are to see. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:50.240 When Christ makes himself low, we see in our Savior our example. 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:55.360 And you are to then give like Christ, who gave his life for you. 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:57.759 Give like Christ who gave his life for you. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.799 Look again at verses through eight. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:22.240 It says, Who, though was in the form of God, did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:29.919 Notice that the song doesn't begin with the earthly life of Jesus, but it begins with the pre-existent eternal Son of God of heaven. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:45.600 Notice what it says that though he was in the form of God, that is Jesus being very God of very God, we then see that he humbles himself and he demonstrates his love for us in this continual downward uh motion. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.360 The contrast is seen here. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:52.639 Uh, though he was in the form of God, he then takes on the form of a servant. 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:56.639 Notice he doesn't see serving us as beneath him. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:05.679 Nor does he cling to his majestic status or to his um his royal uh status and privilege. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:12.639 He's not clinging to that at our expense, no, but rather he empties himself by taking on the form of a servant for us. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:21.919 It's important to stop here and to make sure that we're singing the same song, the same song that the Bible sings, and the same song that the church has sung all throughout the ages. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:28.799 Because some have wrongly taught that Jesus left his divinity in order to become man. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:36.399 But the eternal Son of God is not subtracting his deity here, he's adding to himself humanity. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.600 This is what the church has called the doctrine of the incarnation. 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:47.919 And it means that God, who is fully God and was fully God and always will be fully God, he adds to himself full humanity. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:59.679 This is why we confess with the scriptures and with the church throughout the ages, for example, with uh the creed of Chalcedon, that Jesus is truly God and truly man without any mixture of error. 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:06.480 You see, this verse is communicating that though Jesus veiled his deity, he did not void his deity. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:09.919 Remember, fully God, becoming fully man. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:13.519 And he does this in his humble love for us. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:18.320 He took on himself the form of a servant. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:29.440 He doesn't reluctantly come, he's not grasping for the throne, he rather gives up his prerogatives and his privileges so that he can give his life for us. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:35.200 Anselm would say it this way: if he were not fully man, then he could not die for us. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:39.440 And if he were not fully God, then he could not save us. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:48.480 But here's the good news for us this God who is a hundred percent God becomes a hundred percent man so that he could 100% save us. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:49.200 Amen. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:53.360 Now consider how low Jesus goes. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:56.559 He steps down and he becomes a baby boy. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:03.120 And though he was a king, he was not born into royalty, he was not born of money, he was born in a manger. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:08.000 And he steps further down, he becomes a servant for us. 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:13.679 But he serves and goes even lower, becoming obedient to the point of death. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:20.159 But he even goes lower because the kind of death that he dies was death on a Roman cross. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:30.559 You see, he served you not only by living a righteous life for you, but he serves you but by dying in your place, taking on the judgment that you deserve at the cross. 00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:34.720 And it's important for us to see here something and not miss it. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:40.639 And that is this that Paul is indeed writing to show us that Jesus is our example. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:44.080 But listen, he must first be your savior. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:49.600 Because if you have Jesus as your example and not as your savior, you're still dead in your sins. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:53.919 You see, first he must be your savior, and then he must be your example. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:59.440 It's what Paul is showing the church of Philippi and what he wants us to see here today as well. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:05.120 But again, he becomes low and he came low to rescue us. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.039 And this makes me want to ask a question. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:10.639 How low were you when Jesus met you? 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:19.519 For some of us, our testimonies very much tell the story of how the Lord met us when we were at our lowest. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:26.639 And I want to remind you that no matter how far you went, the Lord chased after you and met you there. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:31.759 Some of you just running from God today, I want to tell you don't run any further. 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:33.919 You don't have to go any lower. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:38.240 The Lord wants to meet you right here where you are at. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:40.799 What kind of pit did you fall into? 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.279 Or what kind of pit did you dig for yourself? 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:52.480 The Lord can meet you there because the Lord condescends and he humbles himself, becomes a servant to meet you where you're at, even if you're in your lowest moment. 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:59.679 There is not a place low enough where the Lord cannot meet you, but he's come to find you yet even there. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:04.480 No matter how far away you've run from God, the Lord meets you there. 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:17.039 Look, Jesus not only comes to be with you in your lowest moment, but he comes to lift you up and to raise you up, to raise you up into newness of life, to raise you up into the abundant life that he has called you to. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:27.200 There was a missionary to Africa, and this missionary tells a story about a particular tribe that uh they were a part of. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:33.360 And in this tribe, the strongest man in that tribe could only be king. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:41.600 And you would think because he had to wear this big headdress or these heavy royal robes, but that's not necessarily why he had to be the strongest person. 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:46.879 You see, this part of Africa, in this part of Africa, um, rain is scarce. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:54.639 And they had these unique wells where you had to have slits and you had to personally go down there to get the water and to bring it back up. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:03.039 Well, there was one day where a man fell and broke his leg, and no one in the tribe could save that person. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:05.119 And so they summoned the king. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:21.200 And what the king did is he laid aside his headdress, he laid aside his royal robes, and he went all the way down and became a servant and served that man to put him upon himself and to lift him up and to rescue him. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:28.400 Now, let me ask you a question Did that king stop being king when he laid aside his headdress and his robes? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:33.279 No, but he took them off and he went down to go and rescue that man. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:38.079 In the same way, does Jesus stop being God when he comes to rescue us? 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:44.720 No, he is the very God who is very man who became a servant for us so that he would rescue us. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.519 This is the glory of God in Jesus Christ. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:49.440 And it's through the cross that we are saved. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.559 And now it's through the cross that we must live. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:58.160 Therefore, give like Christ who gave his life for you. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:02.799 We saw in the first part of the song how Jesus makes himself low. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:07.680 Now, in the second part of the song, in verses nine through eleven, we see how God raised him high. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:08.559 God raised him high. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.480 Look again at verses nine through eleven. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:22.799 It says, Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:29.119 And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:31.279 That is what the Father does for Christ. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:36.400 And here's the thing when we humble ourselves, this is what the Father wants to do for us as well. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:38.000 This is our third point. 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:40.319 Allow the Father to lift you up. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.720 Allow the Father to lift you up. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:47.440 Jesus teaches this in Matthew 23, uh, verse 12. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:51.279 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:56.079 And whoever humbles himself will be exhausted, uh exalted. 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.039 Now, don't miss both sides of that coin. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.160 Both are true. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:04.160 If you humble yourself before the Lord, the Lord will exalt you. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:10.880 But if you exalt yourself before the Lord, make no mistake about the Lord will humble you. 00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:17.839 And ultimately, when we humble ourselves and we admit our need for a savior, the Lord lifts us up. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:20.240 He exalts us with newness of life. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:24.160 He will exalt us when he returns and gives us a glorified body. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:27.039 But humility is not just a one-time act. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:29.920 Humility is a lifestyle for the Christian. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:38.880 We live a cross-shaped life, a continual life of humbleness and a service just like that of our Savior, our rescuer. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:43.920 I think this captures uh it best, this passage from Matthew chapter 20. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:45.920 Uh, let me set it up for you. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:51.119 The disciples, they're jockeying for who's going to be the best in the kingdom. 00:19:51.359 --> 00:20:01.599 It's even comical because uh James and John, their mom comes to Jesus, and uh the mother is saying, Hey, Jesus, can both of my sons you know sit at your right and your left in your kingdom? 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:05.200 Well, Jesus, he responds, and he says this in verse 25. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:16.079 He says, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them, it shall not be so among you. 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:32.720 But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:44.640 In the same way here, we don't want to exercise ourselves over others, but we want to become a servant like that of the greatest servant of all, our King, King Jesus. 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:47.279 Do you want to be great in the kingdom of heaven? 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:56.799 Then get busy serving, get busy serving and trust that God will do the exalting in his time, in his way for his glory. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:00.400 But look at verses 9 through 11, just a little more closely. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:09.759 First, we saw that the Son, he made himself low, and he serves us with the redemption for the Father's glory. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:15.119 The Father then lifts him by placing on him the name that is above every name. 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.359 That is the name Lord, by the way. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:20.000 He is God, King of glory in eternity past. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:25.920 And now his name is Lord, the God who saves, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:32.240 Now we move from the eternal Son of God who took the form of a servant to uh to the cross. 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:41.839 And now, because of the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus Christ, he has this upward status and this name that's above every name, the Lord saves. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:54.960 And you see, when Jesus, when he rose again, the king, he comes to the throne, but this time he comes back to the throne not empty handed, because he rescues a kingdom people for himself. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:58.559 And that's who we are in him, the king of glory. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.759 The final lines here. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:07.279 They envision a day where every knee bows and every tongue confesses this reality. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:14.559 Whether under the earth, on the earth, or in the heavens, they all confess and bow at King Jesus. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:18.640 By the way, I recommend that you do that now, not wait for that day. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:20.880 But let me get back to my message. 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:24.000 This part of the song, it reminds us of another song. 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:26.960 In fact, it echoes this song that we find in Isaiah. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:32.880 In Isaiah 52 and 53, in those chapters, for example, we have the servant songs. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:38.319 And what Paul is doing here is he's remixing the song, he's updating the song. 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:48.799 I don't know if some of you, uh if you've listened to an old song before, that's a classic, and uh a new artist comes along and they uh they remake the old song. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:54.880 Now, sometimes the the new song, it's not as good as the original, right? 00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:02.640 But every now and then you get a new artist who remakes it and who updates it, and the new song is better than the original. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:17.839 What Paul's doing for us is he's showing us, hey, this is a better song for us, because what was foreshadowed or what was promised here in Isaiah chapter 45 is now realized and fulfilled in Jesus Christ because he accomplished the redemption. 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:24.000 And it's this Jesus, when he returns, that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:32.079 We have this song in Philippians 2, and it's a better song because it tells us of the king who accomplished redemption for us. 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:37.759 God's word is calling for us as a church to experience unity. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:46.319 And as a church, we can only do that when we lift high the name of Jesus and we tune our hearts to the Savior who laid down his life for us. 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:49.920 And his life is a model life for us, an example for us. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:24:04.720 And if we're to experience unity as a church here at Grant Parkway, we must live our lives, Kim, in service to one another, laying our lives down joyfully and gladly, not seeing service as beneath us. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:10.880 Oh, it's my joy because I get to reflect the Savior who laid his life down for me. 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:16.400 And so I don't need to grasp for my privilege or for my prerogatives or for my preferences. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:21.839 I lay them aside and I lay my life down like the one who laid his life down for me. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.640 So I want to ask you, Grand Parkway, how low can you go? 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:31.759 And here's the thing: this is a game that requires 100% participation. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:39.279 And if you call this church your home, if you're a member here, I want you to gladly participate in this together, this heart. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:45.839 Let us share in it together that we would all lay down our lives for one another. 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:54.720 What if each time we gathered, it was an opportunity to experience a big bonfire? 00:24:54.960 --> 00:25:05.119 And what if we had an opportunity to say, in the burn pile, I'm throwing my selfish ambition, I'm throwing all of my pride, and I'm sacrificing it to the Lord? 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:13.039 And what if instead we were able to put on the mind of Christ and live out what we see demonstrated in him for us? 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:18.400 What kind of church would we be if we all experienced that together? 00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:22.160 This is the path of unity for us. 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:29.680 And once we live in this way, we are uh living out the design the Lord has called us to as his people. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:33.920 I believe change it should happen and it should begin in the church. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.680 But don't let it stop here. 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:37.119 Take it home with you. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:44.720 You know, some of us we don't have rivalries in the church, but some of y'all have rivalries in your marriage, or maybe with a family member. 00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:50.960 But what if this passage unlocked for you an end to the vicious cycle that you're experiencing? 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:56.400 What if this passage was the way that that cycle could be broken? 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.440 Somebody has to lose. 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:02.000 And the gospel grants us the grace to lose. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:05.119 And the cycle can end with us. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:09.359 The Lord rescues us and redeems us for freedom. 00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:12.400 Live in the freedom that the Lord has given you. 00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:18.880 Some of us, I believe, we're playing king of the mountain or cutthroat on at work and on our jobs. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:23.359 But what this passage helps us to do is to no longer live in that way. 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:25.440 Because Christ did not call us to that. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:36.640 Instead, he gives us a new ethic, a new way to approach our work and to approach those who are at our work and to our clientele or whomever that we are engaged with, or also in our communities. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:45.759 It's time that we together crucify the mentality that brings this unity and division and together put on the mind of Christ. 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:48.480 It's for freedom that Christ set us free. 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:50.799 Now go live in the freedom. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:54.960 So may I ask you one more time how low can you go? 00:26:55.359 --> 00:27:02.720 If we're to be like Christ and if we're to experience the kind of unity that we see here, we need to think like Christ and in your relationships. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:06.720 You need to give like Christ who gave his life for you. 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:10.240 We need to allow the Father to lift you up in his hand. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:11.599 Let's pray to God. 00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:27.759 Father, I pray, Lord, that as we look at what we see here in your word this morning, may you continue to stir our hearts. 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:39.839 The kind that doesn't bring superficial change, but but true, deep, real change. 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:48.160 And Father, I pray, Lord, that as we look to Christ who is our Savior, may He now be our example. 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:53.920 Indeed, Lord, you delivered us from the penalty of sin. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:56.880 And you're delivering us from the power of sin. 00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:03.759 And now, Lord, deliver us to something, deliver us to a new life and an abundant life. 00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:12.240 So, Father, I pray, Lord, that you would be the one who would bring healing wherever healing needs to be. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:16.640 And let it begin with us, Lord, the people of God and the church of God. 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:23.920 Father, I pray, Lord, that your grace would spill out into every part of our lives. 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:29.519 And that, Lord, our marriages will be able to be healed where they need to be healed. 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:35.200 Our relationships with our sons and daughters, with our grandchildren, with our parents. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:40.559 I pray, Father, that this passage would be a medicine for us. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:49.119 And Lord, I pray, Lord, that as we engage with the world, that it would be notably different. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:53.680 That there's something about us that's not of this world. 00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:57.200 It's indeed otherworldly. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:02.480 Because Christ came to rescue us and give us newness of life. 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:07.440 And so, Father, we ask that you would continue to have your way in our hearts and in our church. 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:10.480 May you continue to lead us on, King Jesus. 00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:21.200 And Lord, may we gladly bend the knee and confess that you are Lord, and may we joyfully follow after you to the glory of your great name. 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:25.920 As you continue to worship, I have some questions on the screen for you. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:31.759 Would you read those questions and ask the Lord to continue to work in your heart at this time? 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:33.759 I'll give you a few moments to do that. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.559 Amen, Lord. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:46.319 We pray that you'd have your way in our hearts and may you be glorified in us. 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:52.880 And Father, we pray, Lord, that we would continue to live and to practice what we see in Christ, the one who rescued us. 00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:57.039 And Father, we pray, Lord, that we would flourish as a church. 00:29:57.279 --> 00:30:05.200 And Father, we pray, Lord, that our community, our county, our city would be greater for it. 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:11.839 Father, we pray, Lord, that we would reflect the wonder and the beauty and the glory of Jesus Christ and the way that we live. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:19.599 So, Father, may you have your way at Grant Parkway as we make ourselves low and become humble like Christ our Savior. 00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:21.440 We pray this in his precious name. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:24.079 And the people said, Amen. 00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:29.279 We don't make you aware of all that's going on in life of our church, and the way we do that is by our video announcements. 00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:31.519 Let's turn our attention to the screen. 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:36.480 Here's what's happening at Grand Park Way Baptist Church. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.119 Howdy. 00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:38.400 My name is Ian Weber. 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:41.279 I get to serve as the student pastor here at Grand Park Way Baptist Church. 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:44.880 And my name is Amy Fairley, and I serve as the associate student minister. 00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:47.920 This year we're going to be doing something a little different in the student ministry. 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:54.160 We're actually going to be hosting our very first ever Student Apologetics Conference, helping students look a little deeper into their faith. 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:59.440 Why Weekend's purpose is to help students know why they are Christians in the first place and what that asks of them. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:05.839 No one should believe in Christianity on blind faith, nor is someone a Christian because they go to church or their parents are Christians. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:09.599 People should be Christians because Christianity is true in every sense. 00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:18.720 History, science, philosophy, archaeology, theology, logic, all of it points to a real God who is good and who knows his Christian personally. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:27.200 Plus, at Y Weekend, students will learn how to defend their faith as Scripture commands believers to do in our theme verse, 1 Peter 3.15. 00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:31.279 This weekend will serve them both in their current grades and for the rest of their lives. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:39.440 At Y Weekend, students can ask their questions in a place that welcomes the things that don't make sense or seem harsh, confusing, contradictory. 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:46.640 It also encourages students to bring their unbelieving friends to think critically about the greatest movement in human history, the Christian faith. 00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:49.039 Your students are not going to want to miss this weekend. 00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:53.680 Sign up online, on our social media, in the parents' email, whatever. 00:31:53.839 --> 00:31:55.599 We look forward to seeing you there. 00:31:56.640 --> 00:32:01.839 The Men's Discipleship Group Training is this Wednesday, March 26th from 6 to 7 p.m. 00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:02.799 in the gathering room. 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:08.079 This one-hour workshop is designed to equip and encourage discipleship group leaders and participants. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:13.599 Finally, as April is approaching, so too is our annual partnership with Hike for Home. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:18.000 This is a suicide awareness walk on the morning of April 12th at Brazos River Park. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:27.039 Not only is this a great cause, but you also get to enjoy a plethora of your church family, engage tons of people from the area that may not know Jesus and have plenty of free food and coffee. 00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:29.519 If you'd like to attend, please sign up on our website. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:34.880 For more information or to register for these events, please visit our website at grandparkway.org. 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:41.200 If you have any questions or want someone to pray for you, find one of our pastors at the front of the stage at the conclusion of our service. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:42.319 Amen. 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:44.720 If you're visiting with us, I just want to say again, welcome. 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:45.920 Would you do us a favor? 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:48.640 Would you text welcome to that number on the screen? 00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:51.759 We would love to know that you were here visiting with us this morning. 00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:56.319 Also, if you came to worship by way of giving, we have our drop boxes in the back. 00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:59.119 If you've brought your tither offerings, you can drop them off there. 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:03.359 If you would stand, I would love to give you a spoken blessing before we are dismissed. 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:06.400 You could hold out your hands like this. 00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:17.839 Christ traded his royal robes for a servant's tau so that you can have new life and abundant life. 00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:23.759 Now, rather than grasp for your earthly life, give it away and glorify your Father in heaven. 00:33:24.079 --> 00:33:28.400 Go enjoy the abundant life as you live in the likeness of King Jesus. 00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.359 You're dismissed.