The Grand Miracle of Christ's Incarnation (Philippians 2:5-8)
This sermon delves into the theological depth of Christ's incarnation, explaining how God truly became man. It unpacks the biblical description of Jesus' divine nature and His profound act of self-humiliation for the salvation of humanity.
This sermon explores the profound theology of Jesus Christ's incarnation in Philippians 2:5-8, detailing how He, as God, willingly emptied Himself to become a humble servant and die on a cross for humanity.
Overview
The sermon dives into Philippians 2:5-8, shifting focus from its ethical example of humility to its theological truth: the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The preacher emphasizes that this event, God becoming man to die for us, is the greatest miracle God ever performed. Drawing on C.S. Lewis's analogies from 'Miracles,' the sermon frames the incarnation as a divine descent and reascent, mirroring patterns found in nature and moral life, where belittlement precedes new life and growth.
The core of the argument begins with Christ's eternal deity, explaining that He 'existed in the form of God' (morphe), meaning His essential being was God. He was 'equal with God' (isos), a truth His enemies recognized even when they rejected Him. The first step of His humiliation was His refusal to 'regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,' meaning He did not cling to His divine rights and privileges.
This unselfishness led to Him 'emptying Himself' (kenosis). The sermon clarifies that He did not empty Himself of His deity but rather of His heavenly glory, independent authority, the voluntary exercise of His attributes, personal riches, and a favorable relationship with God. This self-emptying also involved taking on something: 'the form of a bondservant' (doulos), becoming a slave, and 'being made in the likeness of men,' truly human with a fleshly body, experiencing suffering and temptation, yet without sin.
The final steps of His descent are His ultimate humiliation: 'being found in appearance as a man' (schema), where people saw only His human form and missed His deity, and His willing act to 'humbled Himself.' This humility extended 'by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross'—the most excruciating, embarrassing, and degrading form of execution, reserved for criminals and slaves. This unimaginable plan, the preacher concludes, reveals the unsearchable grace and love of God for sinners.
Key points
- Philippians 2:5-8 presents the incarnation of Jesus Christ as God's greatest miracle, a theological truth to be understood beyond its ethical example.
- Jesus eternally existed in the 'form of God' (morphe), signifying His essential divine being and full equality with God.
- He willingly chose not to cling to His divine rights and privileges, initiating His self-emptying (kenosis).
- Christ's self-emptying involved giving up His heavenly glory, independent authority, voluntary use of divine attributes, personal riches, and a favorable relationship with God, without ceasing to be fully God.
- He took on the 'form of a bondservant' and was 'made in the likeness of men,' becoming truly human and experiencing the effects of the Fall without sin.
- His humiliation included being perceived by people only as a man, often missing His inherent deity.
- He 'humbled Himself' further by becoming obedient to the point of death, specifically the degrading and painful death on a cross.
In John MacArthur's words
“The greatest miracle that God ever performed was when He became man that He might die for us.”
“He did not empty Himself of His deity or He would have ceased to exist.”
“He never ceased to be God, never. He remained fully God.”
Outline
- I. Introduction to the Incarnation (Philippians 2:5-8)
- A. Ethical Purpose (brief mention)
- B. Theological Truth: The Grand Miracle
- II. The Descent of Christ: Understanding Philippians 2:6-8
- A. His Eternal Deity (Verse 6a)
- 1. "He existed in the form of God" (morphe vs. schema)
- 2. "Did not regard equality with God"
- B. His Voluntary Renunciation (Verse 6b-7a)
- 1. Did not grasp His favored position
- 2. "Emptied Himself" (The Kenosis)
- a. Not of His deity
- b. Of His heavenly glory
- c. Of independent authority
- d. Of the prerogatives of His deity (voluntary use of attributes)
- e. Of personal riches
- f. Of a favorable relationship to God
- C. His Assumption of Humanity (Verse 7b)
- 1. "Taking the form of a bondservant" (doulos)
- 2. "Being made in the likeness of men" (truly human, post-Fall humanity without sin)
- D. His Ultimate Humiliation (Verse 8)
- 1. "Being found in appearance as a man" (schema; perceived only as man)
- 2. "He humbled Himself"
- 3. "By becoming obedient to the point of death"
- 4. "Even death on a cross"
- III. Conclusion: The Unsearchable Grace of God
- A. Romans 11:33: "O how unsearchable are Your judgments and Your ways past finding out."
- B. Psalm 36:6: "Thy judgments are like a great deep."
Scripture references
- Philippians 2:5-8
- Philippians 2:3-4
- John 5:18
- John 8:58
- Colossians 1:15
- John 10:33
- John 20:28
- John 14:9
- John 2:25
- John 1:1
- John 1:3
- John 1:14
- Hebrews 1:3
- Luke 9:32
- John 17
- Matthew 24:36
- John 5:30
- Hebrews 5
- 2 Corinthians 8:9
- Mark 16:12
- Isaiah 52:13-14
- Luke 2:52
- Colossians 1:22
- Galatians 4:4
- Hebrews 2:14
- Hebrews 2:17
- Hebrews 4:15
- Deuteronomy 21:22
- Galatians 3
- Romans 11:33
- Psalm 36:6
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
Insights
Divine love is revealed in God's willingness to descend.
The path of humility is often the way to reascend.
True power is not in grasping but in letting go.
Questions & answers
What is the 'Grand Miracle' according to C.S. Lewis, as cited in the sermon?
The 'Grand Miracle' is the incarnation, the central miracle of Christianity, which involves God's descent from absolute being into humanity to lift up the ruined world.
What does 'form of God' (morphe) mean in Philippians 2:6?
The word 'morphe' signifies a form that truly and fully expresses the essential being or nature of something. Applied to Jesus, it means He existed in the deepest being of God, possessing His unchangeable essence.
What is the doctrine of 'kenosis' or Christ's self-emptying?
Kenosis is the theological term for Christ's self-renunciation, His refusal to use what was rightfully His, and His giving up of divine advantages and privileges during the incarnation.
What did Jesus NOT empty Himself of during the incarnation?
He did not empty Himself of His deity or any portion of His essential divine nature. He remained fully God, unable to be less than who He eternally was.
How was Jesus 'made in the likeness of men' according to the sermon?
Jesus was made truly human, possessing all the essential attributes of humanity, including a fleshly body. He experienced the effects of the Fall like sorrow, pain, thirst, and hunger, but without ever sinning himself.
What was the ultimate point of Christ's humiliation?
His ultimate humiliation was His obedience to the point of death, specifically the excruciating, embarrassing, and degrading death on a cross, which He endured out of love for sinners.
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