05.24.2020 – “1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:1-13
When we humbly acknowledge our rebellious behavior and look to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, the high King of heaven not only forgives our treachery, he also makes us his beloved children. He gives us all the rights and privileges of his kingdom. And what’s more, we who were once God’s enemies (see Romans 5:10) are now appointed to be his ambassadors (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). We have the authority – and the marching orders – to represent God in this “far-off” country called Earth. He wants us to offer terms of peace and heavenly citizenship to others. The only question is, are we carrying out our job description?
