Imitating the Incarnation
Tim Keller | July 2, 1995
Overview
Many people today believe that Jesus never claimed to be God. They think Jesus was merely a wise teacher whose followers later deified him. Yet,key passages such as Philippians 2 demonstrate that from the very beginning of Christianity,Jesus was worshipped as God. In our lives,we can only see Jesus’ love for us once we realize that he is God. Jesus left the perfect love of the Trinity in order to serve us. He then sends His disciples out into the world,following in his footsteps,serving and sacrificially loving others.
Outline
Understanding Philippians 2:3–11
In Philippians 2:3-11, we get a full picture of Jesus – showing us that he’s God, he became a man, and he was humble. This doesn’t just tell us about Jesus but also pushes us to think like him, which can change how we see the world and how we act. The heart of this conversation is about these three things: Jesus being God, becoming a man, and being humble.
1. Jesus is God
The Greek word “morphe” tells us that Jesus is God. This cancels out any idea that Jesus might be a smaller type of god and confirms he has the same qualities as God. The early Christians worshipped Jesus as God, and he himself said he was God. Also, he showed his power in ways that make it clear he’s divine. This means we can either fully commit to him or reject him as someone who’s lost his mind. Also, we get to understand the Trinity, why everything was created, and why being unselfish is important – all because of Jesus. This highlights the need to connect deeply with a loving God before looking for love in other places.
2. Jesus became the God-man
Christianity uniquely says that Jesus is both God and a man, without making his divine nature less. This shows us that both spiritual and physical things are important, which is different from some religions that think the physical world isn’t worth much. The gospel shows Jesus as a humble servant who brings together the body and soul. It asks believers to follow his example of humility and giving ourselves to God to find real salvation and purpose.
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