Advent Day 26: Philippians 2:5-11

Read & Journal

Read Philippians 2:5-11 and let any (or all) of these questions guide you as you meditate on God’s Word.

• What do these verses teach you about Jesus and His character?

• What does this passage help you to understand about why Jesus came to “make his home among us”?

• In His death, Jesus paid the penalty of your sin. He died to set you free from the bondage of sin and made peace between you and God the Father. Dwell on that today and thank Him for what He has done.

Ponder

Two days before Christmas, and we’re reading in Philippians? Well, yes. Yesterday, we touched on the doctrine of the incarnation and today, through these verses in Philippians, we’re exploring what that means a little more deeply.

At Christmas, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the beauty and warmth of the season. We love the story of Jesus’ incarnation—and set up beautiful manger scenes in our homes and churches—but we often don’t recognize the full power and truth of what God was doing through Jesus in His incarnation. Philippians 2:5-11 can help us to better understand these truths.

1. Jesus is God, and He humbly submitted to God’s plan for salvation (v. 6)

2. Jesus set aside His rights and privileges to make a way for your salvation (v. 7). The One who deserves all glory stepped out of glory so that YOU could be a child of God and experience every right and privilege He has as the Son of God. Praise be to God!

3. Jesus didn’t just have the appearance of being human; He was fully human (v. 8). Jesus knows what your life is like. He knows about temptation, fear, anxiety, frustration, grief and everything you can and will experience. He became like us so that He could save us and show us what it means to truly live in relationship with the Father.

4. Jesus died in your place, for your sins (v. 8). When we were still sinners, unaware of our need for salvation, Jesus died for us (Rom. 5:8), ending the hostility and separation sin created between us and God.

5. Jesus is worthy of your praise and worship (vv. 9-11). Jesus acted selflessly to accomplish God’s will. As part of God’s divine plan, He died so that we might be saved. This calls for our worship and our praise. When we give glory to Jesus, we give glory to our Father.

Today, take the time to worship Jesus, to praise Him. Confess Him as Lord and honor Him. Jesus humbled Himself so that you can have a relationship with God the Father. He has come near so that you may known, forgiven and freed.