The Costs and Benefits of Unselfish Living (Part 2)

One of my favorite Old Testament stories is about the life of Joseph, and I'm going to

guess that's a popular one among our church family.

If you're familiar with it, then you know the story begins with Joseph living comfortably

at home.

He's the favored son of his father.

Well, we soon learn in Genesis 37 that he had a dream of how he was going to one day be

elevated to a position of power and glory over even his family.

Joseph had 10 brothers.

They were jealous for many reasons.

He was the favored son.

But they hated him even more after he told them about that dream.

Well, Joseph's jealous brothers, their hatred was such that they wanted to kill him, or at

least they talked about killing him.

But some of the more, I'd say, less violent ones talked them out of it, and they sort of,

I guess you might say, to reach the compromise, they sold him into slavery in Egypt.

Well, as a slave in Egypt, Joseph demonstrated he was really a man of faith.

Joseph is really in the Old Testament and all the Bible, one of the great men of uncompromising

faith and trust and confidence in God.

And he was put to the test being sold in slavery in a foreign country.

But he was faithful to God in the way that he lived.

And he was faithful in the circumstances to serve his master, his owner, as faithfully as he could.

Well, it was noticed.

He was such a man of integrity that his owner put him in charge of everything he owned.

But somewhere along the way, he was falsely accused of a crime against his owner's wife

and unjustly thrown into prison.

Now, as a man in prison, formerly a slave, you would think he's hit rock bottom.

He's just going to give up, pray to die.

But he didn't.

He was faithful as a man of God, a man of integrity in the prison.

And he was even put in charge of some things in the prison.

Well, about 17 years after his downward spiral began with being sold into slavery,

Joseph's dream came true.

God elevated him to a place of real power and glory, second in command over all Egypt.

Now, this eventually led to his brothers who came to Egypt looking for food.

bowing down before him, just like he had said in the dream.

Now, from that position of power and glory, Joseph saved his family from starvation

and saved or preserved, what you might say, the foundation for the future nature, future nation of Israel.

Because the people of Israel came from Joseph's family.

Now, that is certainly an unlikely sounding path to a position of power and glory, isn't it?

But if you know the story of Joseph, it was all planned.

That was by God's design.

He didn't make those brothers hate him and set him into slavery.

But God used what they did to accomplish his good purpose, the ultimate good of Joseph, his family,

and through the nation of Israel and Jesus, all the world.

Now, Joseph lets us know he understood all that happened to him, good and bad.

It was a part of God's plan.

He makes it known in what has really become a memorable statement to his brothers toward the end of the book of Genesis.

He looked at his brothers and he said,

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,

to bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today.

Now, what I want us to think about now is that Joseph's path to glory is really not all that unusual.

More often than not, that's how God works in the lives of his people, including his son, Jesus.

We saw in last week's study, Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 8,

Philippians 2:5–8

that Jesus has always existed as the son of God in glory in heaven.

He did not, his origins are not, cannot be traced to the stable in Bethlehem.

He left the glory of heaven to be born into this world.

He humbled himself to become a man, to become a slave, to become a prisoner who was actually executed by crucifixion,

the most humiliating, degrading, and torturous death that the Romans could think up in the first century.

Today, I want us to look at how God elevated Jesus, exalted Jesus to the highest position in all the universe.

The position of power and glory over all things, following his humbling himself.

Turn, if you would, to Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Philippians 2.

And what I want us to do is read what we looked at last week, verses 5 through 8,

where we see Jesus starting out in heaven, equal with God, fully God,

but he didn't hold on to it.

He didn't just use it for himself.

He laid aside that glory for us.

Let's look at it.

Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse 5.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

After he had told them, told these church people just like us,

to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count each other more significant than yourself,

that each of you look not only to his own interests, but also the interests of others.

How in the world are we going to do that?

Well, he tells us,

have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,

he's always existed.

He's divine, the Son of God.

Did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

or a thing to be held on to,

or a thing to be used just for himself or his own advantage,

but emptied himself,

laid aside that glory.

He didn't cease to be God,

but he didn't use what he had for just himself.

But he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant,

a slave,

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,

shameful, degrading, torturous.

That's what we looked at last week.

But look on in verse 9,

therefore, as a result of Christ humbling himself like he did,

God has highly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

so that 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.

As we go through this passage,

I want you to think,

grasp hold of this idea.

The path of Jesus,

that was the path of Joseph,

and it's the path of you and me as Christians.

Paul wants us to see that.

He wants us to see in this.

So he's writing to a church.

There's some problems with unity in the church.

He's trying to help them to see,

humble yourself,

love one another,

serve one another.

Don't just look out for yourself.

And he points to Jesus.

Have this attitude.

But then,

in verse 9,

he's pointing out,

if you humble yourself,

one day God will make it worthwhile.

For just as he raised up his son,

lifted him from that lowly position,

one day he will lift you up.

The Bible makes it clear,

this is God's normal way.

I want you to look at what is said in Romans 8,

Romans 8:16

verses 16 and 17.

Paul writes,

the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit

that we're children of God,

and if children,

then heirs.

Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,

provided we suffer with Him,

in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

Think about what he's saying there.

He's talking about how God calls us to be

sacrificially faithful,

even suffer.

But that's not the end of the story.

There's a time coming,

it may be in heaven only for most of us,

but that'll be for eternity.

But the time is coming

when we,

you and me,

will be glorified with Jesus.

Peter says it like this,

humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

so that at the proper time,

He may exalt you.

What we're going to look at this morning

is not some isolated thought

about Christians being honored,

exalted,

lifted up,

elevated,

blessed by God.

It's found throughout the New Testament

as an incentive to you and me.

Live the Christian life

as a faithful follower of Jesus,

and it may cost you.

You may suffer physically.

You may not make all the money

that you have the ability to make

if you follow the path

that God lays out for you.

You may not be as popular

as you would like to be

and maybe could be

if you took the wrong direction.

The Christian life,

regardless of what Joel Osteen

and other positive thinkers say,

the Christian life is not

your best life now.

Most,

I have to watch myself.

The most utterly ridiculous

book title by a Christian

that I can think of,

everything that the Bible says

is contrary to the idea.

This life and this world

is our best life.

The best is yet to come.

And what we're looking at this morning

is a guarantee

that just as God raised Jesus up

from his lowly position

that he chose

to serve God's purpose,

he will raise us up

one day.

Let's do a quick review.

I mean a quick review

of what we looked at last week.

Number one,

we looked last week

we need to look at Jesus

as the ultimate model

for what it means

to be unselfish.

He is the ultimate model.

And it begins by developing

an unselfish attitude.

It all begins with our mind,

our thinking,

our attitude.

If you haven't read it,

look in this week's newsletter.

A great article

by Chuck Swindoll

on the importance of attitude,

the power of attitude,

and the fact that we choose

our attitude.

Last week we looked also

at number B.

We must not hold tightly

to all of our rights.

And I emphasized last week,

we're talking about

we can't hold on to our rights

as brothers and sisters

living and working together

in this church.

We can't hold on

to all of our rights at home.

and have a healthy family.

We're not talking about

never using your rights

as an American citizen

or at your company

or in other settings.

The Apostle Paul

insisted upon his rights

as a Roman citizen

on several occasions

recorded in the book of Acts

to save himself

from beatings,

from imprisonment,

and what would have been death.

We don't have to give up

all of our rights

and just be a doormat

to the world.

That's not what this passage

is talking about.

That's not what Jesus did.

But we are called

to humble ourselves

in this family of faith

and serve one another.

Don't think of anybody

better than you.

Don't think of yourself

being better than anyone.

And certainly not in the home.

You know,

I've talked about,

you know,

we can't think of ourselves

as kings and queens at home.

But here's the thought.

So I've had more feedback

about that than anything.

If you,

as a husband,

if you want

to think of your wife

and treat her like a queen,

good for you.

Ladies,

you can't demand it.

If a husband,

love your wife

as Jesus loved the church,

Paul says.

If you want to think of her

as a queen,

treat her that way.

Ladies,

if you want to think

of your husband

as a king

and treat him like that,

good for you.

When I said that

in the first service,

I looked at Jesus,

I looked at Lisa

and she said,

uh-uh,

just like that.

She wasn't going to do it.

It's a thought,

but it's not going to happen.

We can't demand

our own rights,

but consider yourself

blessed

if there are people

in your life

who sacrificially

show their love

to you.

Number three,

we looked at last week,

we must humble ourselves

and obey God

sacrificially.

As Christians,

we can never,

think about it this way,

we can never look at God

and say to Him,

I won't go that far.

I'll do certain things,

but I won't go that far.

We don't tell God that.

Whatever sacrifice

He calls you

or me to make,

we've got to be

obedient children

and say,

yes, Lord.

We can also say,

and we need to say,

help me, Lord.

He'll give us the grace

to do whatever

He calls us to do.

Now,

the Lord's attitude

of unselfishness

and humility,

that of Jesus,

it is radical.

It is costly.

But the next verses,

9 through 11,

Paul makes it clear

it is worth

the sacrifice.

Number two,

we need to look to Jesus

as the ultimate model

for how God exalts

the unselfish.

unselfish.

Paul wastes no time

in making it clear

God exalts the humble.

He exalts those

who humble themselves.

Look again now,

first part of verse 9.

Therefore,

God has highly exalted Him.

I want you to think

about what happened

to Jesus

after He was crucified

and buried.

Now,

think about it.

Jesus died on the cross,

paid the penalty

for our sins.

He cried out,

it is finished.

The penalty

has been paid.

The wrath of God

has been fully satisfied.

He was buried.

First thing,

He arose from the grave.

God raised Him

from the dead.

We're very familiar

with the idea

of the resurrection,

the New Testament teaching

about the resurrection.

That's what our faith

is built upon.

If there is no resurrection,

there is no Christian faith.

If there is no resurrection,

we are absolute fools

fools

to be followers of Jesus,

Paul said.

So we don't need to really

dwell on the resurrection.

As Christians,

we're convinced of that,

surely.

So let's look secondly.

Jesus ascended into heaven

after making numerous

appearances

to His disciples

for 40 days

following His resurrection.

You can find that

at the end of the Gospels,

Matthew, Mark, and John,

and at the first of Acts.

Now I want you to notice

what happened

after Jesus had done

whatever it is

He needed to do

with His disciples,

teaching them,

preparing them

for what was going to happen.

He ascended into heaven.

Look at it.

It's in Acts,

the first chapter.

And when He had said

these things,

as they were looking on,

He was lifted up,

and a cloud took Him

out of their sight,

and while they were

gazing into heaven,

He went behind,

He went.

Behold,

two men stood by them

in white robes

and said,

Men of Galilee,

why do you stand

looking into the heaven?

This Jesus

who was taken up

from you into heaven

will come in the same way

as you saw Him

go into heaven.

Jesus died,

was buried.

He arose.

He was seen.

Forty days,

it was real.

Then He ascended

into heaven.

He left this earth

and vanished.

He didn't go to a,

you know,

place like you could go

on a rocket ship.

I don't know.

I've never been there,

neither have you,

but sort of like He

went behind a cloud,

He entered another dimension

of time

or of no time.

And then what happened next?

After He disappeared,

well, God exalted Him,

elevated Him,

raised Him,

and seated Him

at His right hand.

What we've read

in Philippians 2,

9 through 11

is all about

what happened.

Jesus was exalted,

raised,

elevated to this

supreme place

of power and authority

and glory in heaven.

But there's many passages

like this

in Acts 2, 33

where it talks about

how Jesus was

therefore exalted

to the right hand

of God,

the position of power

and authority.

Now I want you to think

about what we're talking about.

Here's the point.

Jesus humbled Himself

to the point of submitting

to death on the cross

to fulfill God's eternal plan

to save sinful people

like you and me.

Then God acts

to raise Jesus

from the dead,

bring Him back into heaven,

place Him

in the most powerful,

prominent,

glorious position

that exists,

the right hand of God.

Paul wants us

to understand this

but to show how

God will exalt

all of us

one day

if we are faithful

to do like Jesus

and humble ourselves

and unselfishly serve God

and other people

that God wants us to serve

even to the point

of sacrificing.

Now,

Jesus also assures us

of this

in a statement

that you consider

it's a warning

and a comfort.

Look at this.

He said,

for whoever exalts himself

will be humbled.

That's important.

You might be thinking

to yourself,

you won't say it out loud

sitting in church

but you might think

to yourself,

I just can't go

but so low.

Say it this way,

I can't go

but so low

on my own.

God has a way

to humble us,

put our face

in the dirt

if necessary.

Jesus said,

for whoever exalts himself

will be humbled

and whoever

humbles himself

will be exalted.

See,

this is just

an idea,

a promise

you might say.

It's found throughout

the New Testament.

God

exalts

his humble people

and

this principle,

that's this idea

we're talking about.

Somebody described it

like this,

in God's economy

the way up

is down.

The way for Jesus,

the way for him

to be up

in heaven

exalted

where every knee

will bow

and tongue confess

that he's Lord.

it happened

by going

into this world

humbling himself

as a servant,

slave,

prisoner,

being executed.

We humble ourselves

and God lifts us up.

That's the way it works.

Now,

let's look at the next thing.

God determines

the extent

of the exaltation.

Here's where

we want us to understand.

What we're going

to read now

is unique

because Jesus

is the unique

Son of God.

I don't want

to carry this idea

to any extreme

because the Bible

doesn't.

Certainly,

God

will exalt us

if we're faithful

as we've been

looking at it.

But we will never

be exalted

like Jesus.

None of us

have ever started out

like Jesus,

the divine

Son of God

in heaven.

None of us

have truly

humbled ourselves

to the point

that Jesus did.

And none of us

will ever be raised

to such a supreme

place of honor

and glory

and power

like Jesus.

So don't think

that for a minute.

Let's look now

at the unique

exaltation

of Jesus.

Jesus received

the name

that is above

every name.

Look at it,

verse 9.

And bestowed

on him

the name

that's above

every name.

But Paul

doesn't say

what that name

is exactly.

But it most

likely,

in all probability,

in most every

commentator I've

ever read,

the name

is Lord.

We can think

that because

the first time

it's used

in this section

and he's

talking about

Jesus,

is in verse 11.

After he is

exalted,

it says,

and every tongue

will confess

that Jesus

Christ is Lord.

And also the name

Lord here

in this New Testament,

it refers to

God's most

sacred name

in the Old Testament,

Yahweh

or Jehovah.

And the idea

is God

the Father

bestowed upon

his obedient

son,

the highest,

most holy

name

he could give.

His own

name.

Here's what

I want us to

understand.

When Jesus

returns to this

world one day,

I might need

to say it this way.

The Bible

is a

supernatural

book.

The Christian

faith is a

supernatural

faith.

You know,

we live our

days,

seven days a week,

24-7.

We live in the

here and now.

We see,

we think,

we hear,

we feel.

But there is

more to

life

than what we

see and

think and

feel and

touch.

There's a

supernatural

dimension.

If you're a

Christian,

you have to

believe in the

supernatural,

that Jesus

is the Son of

God who came

from heaven,

that he died

on the cross

as a

substitute for

sinners,

that he

died,

the spiritual

as well as

physical death,

that he arose

from the grave,

went back in

heaven.

That's

supernatural.

We don't

see that.

We can't

reproduce that.

We have to

accept that by

faith.

And likewise,

we have to

really believe,

just as sure as

we're here in

person right now,

one day,

Jesus Christ

will come back

to this world

in great

power and

authority.

Here's my

point here.

He's the

King of

King and

Lord of

Lords now.

When Jesus

comes back,

he is not

going to come

back as a

little powerless

baby in a

stable.

He's not going

to come back

into this world

as the

suffering

servant

man

that he was

the first time.

when Jesus

comes back

in this world,

he's going to

come in great

awesome power

and authority

and glory.

And if we're

alive and we

see him,

there's going to

be cold chills

going up and

down us.

We may just

pass out in

awe of what

we see because

then it won't

be by faith.

It'll be by

sight.

That's how he's

going to come

back into

this world.

Now,

Jesus received

the name that

every created

being in the

universe will

bow before on

judgment day

and confess he

really is Lord.

Look at this

in verses 10

and 11.

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.

I want to make

this simple.

I think what

Paul is saying

there is

is that every

intelligent,

rationally

thinking,

created being

in the

universe is

going to bow

before Jesus

and going to

confess he

is the

sovereign Lord

of the

universe.

Now,

when that

happens,

or think about

it this way,

if we're alive

when Jesus

comes back,

or if you die

and go and

stand before

him,

it's going to

be a great

day for

everyone who

has a

relationship with

Jesus during

their earthly

lives.

You see,

we who are

Christians today,

if we know

Jesus through

faith,

trusting him,

loving him,

talking to him

in prayer,

truly seeking

to follow him,

if that's

our life

here on

earth,

then when

he comes

back,

and we sort

of come to

from the

awe and

wonder and

being just

struck,

you know,

speechless,

we're going

to smile.

Because that's

our Lord that

we know and

love,

and he's

promised to

take care of

us for all

eternity.

we're going

to want to

confess him

as our Lord.

We're going

to jump

down on our

knees,

fall on our

knees to

honor him.

Now don't

worry if you're

not able to

bow now.

Sometimes your

knees wear out

in this life.

Some of you

have had yours

replaced.

Well, when

that day comes,

we'll have a

new body.

So we'll be

able to have

good knees,

we'll have

good knees

and be able

to do this

without any

effort.

Now, for

those who do

not trust Jesus

during their

earthly life,

when he comes

back or when

they die and

go stand before

Jesus, this is

going to be a

day of nothing

but horror.

Every unbeliever

is going to be

forced to bow

before Jesus

and confess

that he is

truly the

Lord of all.

They're going

to do that

just before

they're ushered

away from

him, spend

eternity in

hell.

On that day

when Jesus

comes back,

even the

devil and

all his

demons are

going to be

forced to

confess that

Jesus Christ

really is

Lord before

they wind up

in the lake

of fire.

God's

coming back to

God's

God's

coming back to

him.

The day

will come

when everybody

you know

will know

the truth,

believe the

truth that

Jesus is the

eternal Son of

God.

Everybody not

only know that,

but everyone

will bow before

him.

everyone will

confess that.

As surely as

I'm standing

here and

you're sitting

there, that's

going to happen

one day.

That's what the

Bible teaches.

We'll all be

there.

We'll probably

be able to

remember, we'll

have perfect minds

then, we'll be

able to remember,

we talked about

this today.

You'll be there,

you'll see Jesus,

you will bow and

confess that he is

the Lord of this

universe.

But let me ask

you, will you do

that willingly,

wholeheartedly,

enthusiastically,

because you know

Jesus is your

Savior and Lord

right now?

Or, let's be real

honest, just think,

you know who you

are, how you think,

how you believe, or

if you die today

and stand before

him or he comes

back, will you

actually be forced

to bow before him

and confess him

because you never

do that now?

If Jesus is not

your Lord, I want

to encourage you,

wake up now

before it's eternally

too late.

If you're not

already, truly,

by faith,

bowing before him

in true, humble

submission,

confessing him

as your Lord,

your Savior,

your friend,

that you love,

that you want to

be like,

just admit that

to God.

Admit that your

faith is not,

what you've been

calling faith is not

real.

humble yourself,

repent of your

sin, change your

mind,

trust Jesus

that he paid the

penalty for your

sins when he died

on the cross and

call upon him to

save you, forgive

you, make you a

child of God right

now.

It may be that

right now, for the

first time truly in

your life, you need

to do this and bow

before Jesus as your

Lord, your King.

We need to all make

sure that we stand

before Jesus on

judgment day.

Our confession

will be a willing

one and a one of

joy and not a

forced confession

of regret.

One final point,

quickly.

God receives the

glory of exaltation.

It's all to the

glory of God the

Father at the end

of verse 11.

It's important for

us to understand

that whatever

glory we will

receive, and we

will one day, you

and me as

Christians, it is

not God's payment

for your good

efforts, for your

acts of service.

Don't let that

taint a correct

view of what's

going to happen

on that day.

We're going to

see next week

that our best

desires and

effort to serve

God come as

a result of God

graciously working

in us to

motivate us.

Look at this

from Philippians

2.13.

For it is God

who works in you

both to will and

to work for his

good pleasure.

God exalts us to a

position of glory in

heaven or even to a

place of prominence in

this world.

And God sometimes

does that.

Joseph, he didn't

just get to a

position of glory and

honor in heaven.

He received it on

earth.

Some people do.

Most of us won't.

Some will.

But whether the

glory we have or

receive in heaven or

even some in this

world, we've always

got to be quick to

give all the glory to

God, the praise, the

credit for graciously

working in us so that

we might experience that

glory, that honor.

Now, last week and

this week, we've

looked at how Jesus is

our model in two

ways, verses 5-11.

First, the Lord shows

us how to live

unselfishly and

humbly.

Do you have that

attitude?

Do you have the

attitude to humble

yourself, to be

unselfish, to serve

your brothers and

sisters in Christ in

this church, to serve

the people you live

with at home?

If you have that

attitude, point out

some of the signs of

progress that you can

see in your life that

you are making as you

relate to people in

this church and at

home.

But if you don't see

any signs of progress,

ask God to help you to

change your attitude

now.

And not only to

change your attitude,

but to start changing

your behavior.

Second thing, the Lord

shows us that our

Heavenly Father will

more than make it

worthwhile to

sacrificially obey

Him.

Do you believe that?

Do you believe it's

worth the price?

Some of you delayed

working to get an

education.

You were a poor

student.

You just put on hold

making money.

Some of you have done

other things in your

life where you

sacrificed, you waited

because you anticipated

the reward would be

worthwhile.

That's how we are to

live our lives in this

world, serving the

Lord.

Trusting that no

matter what we do,

no matter how much it

may cost us, He really

will make it worthwhile.

Do you believe that?

And does your life back

it up?

If it doesn't, if you

know you're not a

Christian, ask God to

save you now.

Or if you are a

Christian but you think

to yourself, in light of

what we've been looking

at in Philippians, I'm not

really ready to see Jesus

face to face.

Admit that.

Talk to the Lord about

it.

Confess your sin.

Draw back close to Him.

Paul, Jesus, Peter, God

through His Word promises

us if we will serve Him

faithfully, sacrificially,

pay whatever price He

requires, one day we will

find an experience for all

eternity.

It was worth it.

Let's pray together.

Dear God,

dear God, help us to see

now what our response

should be.

And help us to make it.

And let's just in

attitude of prayer listen

to the Lord and do what

He's telling us to do.

Let's just bow together,

pray, and respond to the

Lord.

Let You

Yeah.

We're going so forward

you

That's what we calls you

to do the comfort of

the Lord and that it is

that If your heart

that leads us to

the Lord and dear

Lord, the Korina

lesia you are mulit of