Philippians 2:1-11
This is interesting - to respond to life as Jesus - to respond to others not out of arrogance or conceit or power or fear but rather to respond as if I loved the other person, as if they mattered to me as if they mattered to God. Not to think only about my wants but about someone else as well.
How easy and how often reinforced to think of myself first-and even to only think of what I want as if it were a right that couldn't be denied-that shouldn't be denied as if everyone and everything comes second to my wants...not even my needs-my wants. This passage points in another direction.
I am fascinated by the portion that says Jesus-who is with God and from God and IS God didn't wield that power - but rather he willingly let all of that go for the sake of love. This love action was so remarkable no one has ever or will ever be able to do the same thing again, and that is the beauty of it - no one ever need do it again. God, God the Father has accepted and acknowledged this gift as a once and for all action that is unparallelled and there is no one who has ever lived or will ever live that won't recognize that gift.
I was thinking about this phrase that says: 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.
I was talking late into the night with some friends almost 20 years ago and the question came up about what Jesus did when he 'descended to the dead' the phrase we use in the Creed. The Orthodox depict Jesus pulling the captives free starting with Adam and Eve and in this discussion it occurred to me that Jesus did not go to hell in order to say 'neh neh neh neh neh.' He wasn't being mean, he was saying 'Hey, you don't have to live here-come with me and be free.' He went down and brought the captives freedom.
This is what this passage is saying everyone - at some point will see the glory that John talked about in yesterday's passage. I believe - and I will confess that Jesus is Lord - now.
Peace.
-see you tomorrow
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