Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from Philippians 2. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Last week we talked about the two disciples who wanted to sit beside Jesus in His glorious kingdom. They were ambitious, looking to move up in the world to positions of preeminence. Jesus told them how glory is to be achieved in the kingdom of God – by humility, service to others, and laying down one’s life.
- On this Sunday of the church year – Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion, we see once again the themes of glory and service. On Palm Sunday Jesus was greeted by cheers and praise – it appeared as if He was being glorified, and on His way to a position of great prominence and glory. Five days later He was executed as a dirty, low down criminal!
- But while Christ’s glory was delayed, it certainly was not denied. On the third day He rose again from the dead – and was glorified and elevated to the highest glory, as described in our text!
- When the two disciples asked for glorious positions, Jesus did not scold them. God’s glory, Jesus’ kind of glory, is a good thing for us to be ambitious for! But we must seek it properly, and that means that our glory will also be delayed, like Jesus’ was.
- But this much is clear from the Holy Scriptures:
I. Christ’s Glorification Came By Humble Service
Text: “Have this mind in you which is yours in Christ Jesus, Who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
A. His Crucifixion Brings Us Forgiveness
Eph. 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
B. His Crucifixion Brings Us Peace With God
Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Statement: To those who know the true fear of God, who recognize just how evil and repugnant human sin actually is, the service of Jesus in suffering for our sins and taking all guilt away from us is incredible! It is the most glorious thing that we have been redeemed, forgiven, and set at peace with God! All of this has come to us through the service of Christ, His self-sacrifice. This is the glory of love – for those who are wise enough to see and understand!
Application: And we rejoice and praise Jesus even at this time of His abasement and suffering. But we are also eager to see Him glorified as He deserves. We are eager to see Him glorified and placed in absolute power because there can be no disputing His perfect love for us! So we rejoice that:
II. Christ Was Glorified, But His Glorification Was Delayed Until His Resurrection
Text: “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
Romans 1:4 “He was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Statement: Yes, Jesus’ glorification was delayed – but His glory is above all glory, the very glory of God. And power, and rule, and dominion as well – every knee must bow to Him, and every tongue proclaim Him Lord!
Application: Hopefully there is no one among us who is ashamed and embarrassed by the Gospel account just read, the account of Jesus’ service to us, His humble service of suffering and death on the cross! It is the way of glory within the kingdom of God. Jesus said so, and the Father has said so! So as we contemplate Christ’s crucifixion we are actually looking at His glory – a glory well earned, and perfectly bestowed in His resurrection!
Transition: So, what does this mean for us? First, we must remember that seeking glory within the kingdom of God is a good thing. Second, we must remember how such glory is obtained. And finally,
III. We Must Know That Our Glory Is Also Delayed
A. As We Learn The Mind Of Christ And Humbly Serve As He Did
Text: “Have this mind in you which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
Matt 16:24,25 “Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’”
John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
B. But We Shall Surely Receive Our Glory In Our Resurrection On The Last Day
Matt. 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Rom. 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us.”
1 Pet. 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
1 John 3:2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.”
Statement: So our glory is also delayed – as God works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, so that our ambition for heavenly glory is sought and achieved by loving others as Jesus has loved us. What a glorious day our resurrection will be!
Application: So in the meantime we continue to seek to have “this mind in us which is ours in Christ Jesus,” a humble, serving, and self-sacrificial love for others! We have seen the length to which Jesus was willing to go in serving us. We are called to follow Him, to also lay down our lives in service to others.
Conclusion: In His crucifixion we see the real ambition of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. That ambition is to love – perfectly, fully, and completely! There is great glory in this, the greatest glory possible.
This is the ambition we are called to have. But like God’s love, our love and service to others is not well appreciated. In fact, it can be mocked and even persecuted. But though our glory is delayed, it will surely come. God has promised it, and it cannot be any other way.
So let us take heart as we contemplate the glorious love of Jesus. Let us rejoice in our forgiveness and salvation. Let us give Him glory and honor. And let us honor Him and praise Him by seeking the same glory – in lives of love and service. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.