The Servant Saviour

Devotional Reading: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5 ESV

In Philippians 2, Paul is building on his statement of having a conduct worthy of the gospel. He gives us the supreme Example by sharing the gospel and the character of Christ in a passage that was a doxology of the early church. Christ, being God Himself, was a Servant of God’s will, to God’s creation, and for God’s glory. Jesus, who is fully God and fully human, was also a servant. In these passages, we are able to see how Jesus exemplified servanthood.

Paul admonishes the Philippians to have the same mind as Christ because he knew that was where transformation began. Christ’s mindset is that of a servant, a selfless and humble one. Transformation starts in the mind, and we must look to Christ as our example. Jesus, who was Himself God, never even had it in His mind to grab deity from God. As the divine Son of the Father and who loved God, He chose to serve Him. Jesus served God by following His will. He is the Servant Saviour, our Example.

Jesus was also the Servant Saviour to God’s creation by taking the form of a bondservant, coming to Earth as a human being. Jesus limited His glory and ability so that He could be in our midst and we could identify with Him. He humbled Himself and voluntarily chose to be obedient to God, to the point of death, even death on a cross, and had us in mind the whole time.

Therefore, because Jesus made Himself a humble servant, obedient to the point of death, God highly exalted Him. He was the Servant Saviour for God’s glory. Not only did God exalt Him, but the Word says that God honored Jesus’ name above all others. Everyone will bow and confess to the Servant Saviour who bowed to the will of the Father on our behalf. This is done for the glory of God.

Jesus is our perfect Example. He is the main source to look up to when it comes to how we are living. Let me ask you two questions: How are you on the servant scale? Do you love God and others enough to be a servant?

Prayer and Confession
Jesus, help me to imitate you continually and to be humble enough to serve like you did. Amen

Further Reading: 1Corinthians 2:16
Reading through the Epistles: Galatians 5-6, James 3