emptied himself

Good morning friends,

Yesterday we saw how the Roman rulers and religious authorities used power. To protect their interests they nailed Jesus to a cross because they felt threatened by him. In direct contrast, today’s reading shows how Jesus sees and uses power. Jesus had all the power in the universe but instead of clinging to it he gave it up for us.

Many scholars believe the core of this passage may have been an early hymn of praise. It is certainly beautiful and memorable poetry as well as powerful truth. I pray Christ’s love would fill your heart today and every day.

God bless,
Sam

Philippians 2:4-11

⁴Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, ⁸he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.