Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

St. Paul wrote the epistle to the Philippians while he was imprisoned in Rome.  This letter is a very personal and joyful letter but also Paul addresses Christological theology and it’s practical application.   The verses we are studying today focus on the great humility and selflessness of Christ Jesus.  The Apostle Paul begins this beautiful passage by commanding that believers display the same attitude of service and humility, that Jesus has shown.  Paul then writes that Jesus is God but put this aside to be made in the likeness of man in the form of a servant.  Christ did not empty himself of His deity but of it’s outward manifestation and added to it a complete human nature of His free will and choice.   Christ always existed and Christ came into the world in the likeness of man – as a real man.  He was true God and true man which no created mind can fully understand.  Jesus Christ possessed the essence of God’s nature from all eternity.  He is the image of the invisible God.  He humbled himself and carried out His obedience even to dying – dying the death of crucifixition, which death was denied to a Roman citizen as too cruel.

Paul then writes that Chist’s exaltation was as great as His humiliation and God raised Him to be above every name – that every knee should bow to his name on earth, above in heaven and those under the earth; that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  God will not leave one single created intelligent being who does not acknowledge Jesus as Lord – even the fallen, the unredeemed.  Even hell will confess that Jesus is Lord.

Jesus is the final and complete explanation of everything.  All things were created through Him and for Him.  Amen