The Biggest Losers, Part 1: Jesus Lost His Grip, Philippians 2:5-11

Hello y'all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A few weeks ago I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline and questions for our meeting on January 10, 2010. The lesson is on Philippians 2:5-11. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

The Biggest Losers
Jesus: Lost His Grip
Philippians 2:5-11

Introduction

Last week’s message: “My Name is Jacob”
Ended with a list of folks the world would consider “losers”

Traveling home from Christmas in Tennessee
DeGarmo and Key: “All the Losers Win”

"You say 'winners don't need a crutch
Only losers could believe in such'
You don't need God, you don't need anything
You'll face life alone and take what the future will bring

"Here's to all the losers that lose all guilt and sin
Here's to life in Jesus, where all of the losers win

"You think I've missed what success can bring
I miss success like trees miss cold in spring
You think that all is far too much to give
That's what Jesus gave so that this loser could live

"Here's to all the losers that lose all guilt and sin
Here's to life in Jesus, where all of the losers win"

Biggest Losers
Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; John 12:25

Philippians 2:5-11
The lesson from today’s passage
Jesus lost his grip and gained a lot

If we lose our grip, we will find gain

1. Losing a Grip on Position
Philippians 2:5-8

Questions
a. In what way did Jesus not regard equality with God as something to be grasped or used for his own advantage? What did it look like?
b. In what way did Jesus “empty” himself?
c. What does humility look like in Jesus’ life?

Jesus lost his grip on his personal position
Jesus laid aside his glory to identify fully with humanity
2 Cor. 8:9; Heb. 4:14-16

He did not grasp personal benefits too tightly
He became sin, so that we might be righteous
2 Cor. 5:21

He did not take advantage of his position
a. He emptied himself
b. He became a servant (“form” and “likeness”); Mark 9:35
c. He humbled himself; John 13 (foot washing)
d. He was obedient even to death; Rom. 5:8

C. S. Lewis quote
“God descends to reascend. He comes down – down to the very roots and sea-bed of the nature he has created. But he must go down – to come up again – and bring the ruined world up with him.”

He did not demand attention
Instead of expecting recognition, applause, or service, Jesus served others

By losing his grip on his position, Jesus found great gain
a. He gained salvation for others
b. He gained followers
c. He gained exaltation

If we lose our grip, we will find gain

2. Losing a Grip on Promotion
Philippians 2:9-11

Notice that the next few verses tell what is done “for” Jesus, not by him
Jesus didn’t go out and “grasp” an opportunity for promotion
His humble obedience simply lead to exaltation
2 Peter 5:5-7

Jesus’ exaltation includes:

a. The “Name”
Name above all names may equal God’s own name: “Yahweh”
“Jesus” or “Jeshua” already means “Yahweh saves”
Jesus also is “Lord” over all things: Lord means master, king, ruler

b. Worship: Every knee will bow

c. Disciples/Followers

Jesus lost his grip on promotion and found himself the center of not only God’s attention but of the attention of all creation

If we lose our grip, we will find gain

Application
Jesus existed in the form of God, but he did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped for his own advantage. He was willing to let it all go. He lost his grip. He became a loser. Christ was willing to abandon those external trappings that declared him unmistakably to be God. Jesus was willing to lose it all, even his own life, so that we could gain life.

We are not able to claim that we are conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of Jesus’ gospel unless we share his attitude, until we are willing to surrender the things that give us an advantage as he was willing to sacrifice for us.

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.“ C. T. Studd

In light of this truth, are we prepared to follow in Jesus’ footsteps? Are we willing to release all the things that we value in order to live a life pleasing to Christ who loved us and gave himself for us? Are we willing to serve others as he served us?

Here are some suggestions for this week:

a. Your title should not shape your attitude
b. Rather your life should exhibit humble obedience/service/death
c. Make a list of things in your life that are benefits to you, that give you an advantage
d. Choose one of those things prayerfully and let it go or to use it for the promotion or advantage of someone else
e. Make a commitment this week to do one random act of kindness without any hope of recognition or repayment
f. Learn to serve others, especially those who cannot pay you back
g. Make a meal for someone, go visit an elderly person you don’t even know, write that check for a charity you want to support, help that person that “bugs” everyone else, give a 30 percent tip, share the love of Christ with a stranger

The result will be that God will certainly reward your servant attitude

Discussion Questions
What are the privileges, rights, perks, titles, or status you tend to want to “grasp” for your own benefit or advantage? What can you do to avoid using these for selfish benefit or promotion? How can you use them to bless or to promote others?

In what ways can you empty yourself on behalf of others? What would that look like?

Where are servants needed in our church? At your job? In your neighborhood? Where can you serve? Will you?

What is your level of obedience? Are you willing like Christ to humble yourself in obedience even to the point of death to those things that benefit you?

Who in your circle of influence could use the benefits God has given you? Will you be a humble servant to them to make sure they receive those benefits?

What can we do as Christ followers to focus less on our own gain so that we may focus on serving others? What stands in our way?

Thanks for reading!