Becoming More Like Jesus: Reflections on Phil. 2Sample

“King and Savior”

(Philippians 2:9-11)

The world dangles before us honor, prestige, fame, power, acclaim, and more. Followers of Jesus know these are earthly, worldly, and unimportant. Yet we often find ways to create our own versions of honor, prestige, fame, power, and acclaim in ways that we say bring glory to God rather than ourselves, while perhaps secretly harboring hope that there’s some extra glory left over for us.

We are called to imitate Jesus, to be conformed to the image of Jesus, to live and love like Jesus, to serve like Jesus, to obey like Jesus.

But in this particular way, we must absolutely never model ourselves after him:

God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:9-11)

Jesus is King, the One True King, the Only King. (We are not.)

He reigns from the place of highest honor. (We do not.)

His name is above all others. (Ours is not.)

He deserves the worship and adoration of all that exists. (We do not.)

He Is Lord. (We are not.)

Yet even as King and Lord, he brings glory to his Father. Even as King and Lord, he embodies humility.

We must remember that Jesus — though he is God incarnate, God with us, God revealed to us — is so far beyond our grasp and comprehension that we will spend a lifetime continuing to know him and draw near to him.

We must remember that Jesus — though he is our rescuer, our redeemer, our friend — is Creator and Lord, deserving of our awe-filled worship and surrendered adoration.

Jesus cannot be boxed into “my personal Savior” and contained solely or even primarily in that space. Jesus is King of all — and also, incomprehensibly, my Savior.

REFLECTION

Copy Philippians 2:9-11 for yourself.

How do you both exalt Jesus as Lord and embrace him as your Savior?

Are there ways in which your view and understanding of Jesus Christ need to expand?

How do you primarily engage in worshipping Jesus? abiding in Jesus? serving Jesus? learning from Jesus? listening to Jesus? loving others for Jesus?