The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-02-11
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY
.IHUMpLEp.A AND EXALTED.

LEssoNrTBxr-PhH. 2:1-11
\ GOLDEN TgxT-For 70 know tbs
thoISh he was Hen. Yet for Your sakes
sftyS miSht Become rieh.-sTi Cor. So.
q The key word Of the nrst chapter Of
philippians 10 Confidence (see w
es14.a25l. Paul has confidence in the
church ct Phillppi on account of their
spiritual condition Wv. I, q, which re
aulted In fellowship Wv. $50 and fruit
fulness Wv. 9-13). This confidence In
sptfest boldness and is source of Joy
and blessing. Paul's creed is also set
forth In chapter 1911. This CON.
adence Sc In the face of the conflict
and suffering which was before them
.tgee q; 1880.
{. sBeIof8rhe Same Mind, w. IL. The
keyiword Of this chapter is the word
seomfort" wv. /, 49,. The first sec
Aonfmtght be entitled THE Comfort Of
Love" CIV. 1-18) and the second sec
tion The Comfort OF. knowledge" wv
1890. II there was to be opposition
from without certainly the Christians
ought to stand together. Paul is urg
ing them to unity in order that Il
Smight comfort and console him. He
had always rejolced in this church
E(1:4). but he desires them to "fll full
his 10Y by being OF the same mind
having the same love, being of one 40
cord, Of one mind" Paul's comfort Of
love in the disciples he anticipated
would be due to their state Of mind
which depended upon (a) unity wv
a.2); ID humility (v. 81; (c) that
they might "mind the things of 9th.
8 era ". ~. Nothing would so comfort
and console, or 80 gladden. the heart
of Paul az such unity. It WAS even
30 with the heart OF our Lord tsee
John 17:21). The words "be Of the
Z same mind" do not refer merely to q
unity OF opinion, but rather to unity
of purpose and affection, literally "be
ing Bou1ed together"
II.aLet This Mind Which
Was Also In Christ Jesus, w. SO. The
second comfort of love was due. not to
e38unity of mind, but to the standing
which Paul and this church had IN
{ Christ, due to his (Christ's) standing
pSfnS God. The words of this passage
ere among the most wonderful to be
found anywhere in the Bible. They
contain a statement of the most pro
&ound truth and mystery that we have
regarding the person OF our Lord Jesus
Christ. No jplummet has sounded their
depth, nor rod scaled their height
nor tape measured their breadth. His
eternal deity-and on the other hand
his amazing ]. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
these facts and truths are brought be
3oretus to enforce the homeliest duties
OF every day life. Equal to God (John
1880 yyet he gave up his divine glory
and incarnated himself in. the his.
torical Jesus. was anointed Of God
died on a Roman cross, buried in 10
geph's tomb, yet rose again and is
alive today as much as when he walked
Ger Galilee's hills. The mind that
was In Jesus was purpose to choose
the lowest depth of humiliation rather
than Q full equality with God, either
choice of which he might have made;
but he chose the former-creation's
most sublime illustration of self-sacrl'
dce-and this Is the mind we should
have. The word robbery" implies- a
thing to! be seized hold of. Instead OF
Gsizing hold Of equality with God,
Jesus let go and seized hold of the
death on the cross, and thus made
himself of no reputation, literally emp
tied himself. The context shows Of
what he. emptied himself: (a) his
divine form; (b) his divine glory. This
latter Is, shown by his birth IN stable
RndBh death upon cross, thereby
being under the curse Of God (Gal.
1919 But this was an act of obedt
sncS to God ". 81. The father babe
him to do It. The sacrifice Of Christ
had fits original source in tho will Of
God-his love towards us John 3:16,
Rom! $3.50. There are three thoughts
nsthis passage: (a) the incarnation;
o. the passion; (c) the exaltation.
Keep this In mind and remember
Paul's circumstances in prison when
heYwrote this letter.
IIIs God Also Hath Exalted Him, w.
lsif,. The result Of this comfort. Of
eve due to state Of mind on the
partsof the disciples and their having
10 mind of Christ, was first the 81,
Gtation Of Christ ". 81, and the giving
into him OF "the" name, not 50" name,
nat Is above all other names; and
secondly, worship on the part OF all Of
GODS creation, every knee bowed In
Tubmission; and third, confession ".
M. Jesus, who humbled himself to
ne lowest place, God has exalted to
;heihighest place. Humiliation of self
3 the path to exaltation by God.
The name Jesus is above every
tame, because Jesus has been exalted
iboye every man.
Thesworship mentioned here is not
nsrely that we worship through him.
though that is true tJohn 14:6):
The phrase every knee shall bow"
sga3clear expression Of the oneness OF
ieloyah and Jesus.
Notice that those that bow are in
4eayen, in earth and in Hades Grew.