Three weeks ago I was in Athens, Greece with one of our Gospel Partners. Saturday morning’s schedule was free from commitments so we traveled out to the Areopagus and climbed up Mars Hill, the great setting for Paul’s confronting the Greeks with the gospel in Acts 17. The hike up was more strenuous then I imagined and when we reached the top I remember standing somewhat breathless—mostly in awe. The historical significance of city, the contemporary views of beauty, and the depth of meaning this mountain has to our understanding of God coalesced in together that moment and I found my soul stunned in wonder.

I believe God desires to do the exact same thing with us as we stare at this summit of truth about Jesus in Philippians 2:5-11. Dennis Johnson says, “This passage is . . . a majestic mountain peak, towering over the surrounding countryside. It is a pinnacle of theological truth, piercing the heavens and probing the mystery of the incarnation.” Alec Motyer writes, “[Here] we tread . . . on very holy ground indeed. We do well to remember that this privilege is given to us not to satisfy our curiosity but to reform out lives.” Gordon Fee agrees when he comments, “[This is] a passage that should cause the reader to soar.”

But let’s remember, this deep theological hymn is meant to fuel a particular practice in our life as a church: joyful unity. So let’s consider a couple ways to cultivate humility in our lives, according to our text.

Behold the glory of Christ. It begins here, it always begins here. We must load our minds with the glory of Christ in order to live for the glory of Christ. Where in your week are you devoting time to see and savor the glory of Christ? Maybe it’s personal times of devotion, small group, another discipling relationship, but how I long you might see gathered worship as God’s ordinary, ordained place to see the glory of His Son. It’s not legalism to say you must be doing it; we need the cultivation of desperation in our lives for to live we must look upon His glory. Which leads to the second point . . .

Believe the gospel of Christ. We don’t want to merely behold the glory of Christ in the gospel, we want to believe it. Jesus came to saves sinners like you and me. How’d he do it? By obeying to the point of death, even death on a cross. He now sits on high reigning in power, calling out through His word and Spirit, “Believe in me! Find your sin forgiven, your penalty of eternal death removed, and receive eternal life.” If you’re in hear tonight and are not a Christian I want you to feel the urgency of this gospel call. For 2:10-11 says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. There is thus an eternal urgency before you in this text:

• Bow the knee today = salvation
• Bow the knee then = condemnation.

Will you believe today?

Be like the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Paul’s essential point: imitate Jesus’ example of humility. Be like him. Imitation may have fallen on hard times in some circles of Christianity, but it is oh so biblical. The pattern of our Lord is to be our pattern, humiliation now and exaltation then; humility now and glory then.

The first order of life in a faithful church, Paul says, is living worthy of the gospel of Christ; worthy living that is best seen by walking in humble unity. The struggle for humility for many of us is the hardest fight in the Christian life. And so Paul serves us by saying, “Look at the example of Christ; have that mind among you.” Joyful humility comes from seeing and savoring the example of Jesus Christ.

This post is adapted from my recent sermon, “Rejoicing in Jesus,” on Philippians 2:5-11.