+I. One school in which we learn the lesson of unselfishness is the
home circle.+
+II. Another way in which God teaches us the same lesson is through
the experience we gain in the intercourse of daily work.+--We divide
men into the selfish and the unselfish--those who work for self and
think of self, and those whose labours are for other men.
+III. We are taught to consider other men by the perplexities and
confusion which arise when we think only of ourselves.+--The modern
philosophy is true so far when it says that man is nothing in
himself, but only a bundle of relations, the meeting-point of many
influences. Those who fix their attention upon the meeting-point
forget what makes the man. Probably there is no more confused or
miserable man than the self-analyst.--_A. R. MacEwen._
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 5-8.
_The Humiliation of Christ a Pattern of Supreme Unselfishness._
+I. The humiliation of Christ was no violation of His Divine
essence.+--"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God" (ver. 6). Thought it not a prey to be seized upon.
As He was in Himself truly and properly God, it could be no object of
desire or ambition to claim equality with God. Being God He could not
undeify Himself. His Divinity remained with Him through the whole
course of His self-imposed humiliation. It was this that constituted
both the mystery and the greatness of the humiliation.
+II. The humiliation of Christ was a voluntary incarnation in human
form.+--"But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (ver. 7). He
emptied Himself, not of His Divinity--that was impossible--but of the
outward and self-manifesting glories of the Godhead. He took the form
of a servant by being made in the likeness of man. He remained full
of Divinity, yet He bore Himself as if He were empty. A native
preacher among the Oneidas, addressing his fellow-converts, said:
"What are the views you form of the character of Jesus? You will
answer, perhaps, that He was a man of singular benevolence. You will
tell me that He proved this to be His character by the nature of the
miracles He wrought. He created bread to feed thousands who were
ready to perish. He raised to life the son of a poor woman who was a
widow, and to whom his labours were necessary for her support in old
age. Are these then your only views of the Saviour? I will tell you
they are lame. When Jesus came into the world He threw His blanket
around Him, but the God was within."
+III. The humiliation of Christ reached its climax in a career of
obedience even unto death.+--"He humbled Himself, and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross" (ver. 8). He fulfilled all
the demands of law and of God. He shrank not from death--death in its
most shameful and ignoble form, the death of the cross. He was
numbered with the transgressors--not an honourable death, but like
the degrading execution of criminals. He went to the realm of the
dead and revolutionised it. Hitherto death had reigned supreme, an
unbroken power. The prison-house of the dead was fast locked. None
returned. Now One comes there who has the keys of Hades and of death.
He opens the door and sets the captives free. "Meekness in suffering,
prayer for His murderers, a faithful resignation of His soul into the
hands of His heavenly Father, the sun eclipsed, the heavens darkened,
and earth trembling, the graves open, the rocks rent, the veil of the
Temple torn--who could say less than this, 'Truly, this was the Son
of God'? He suffers patiently; this is through the power of grace;
many good men have done so through His enabling. The frame of nature
suffers with Him; this is proper to the God of Nature, the Son of
God" (_Bishop Hall_).
+IV. The humiliation of Christ is an example of unselfishness to all
His followers.+--"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus" (ver. 5). The apostle does not put forth himself as an
example, but Christ. Christ gave His all for us, and we should give
our all to Him, and our best service for the good of others. No one
can follow Christ until he has first found Christ. Some try to
imitate Christ before they have savingly found Him. To look at Christ
as our Example only, and not as our Redeemer, is not to see Him as He
is. Without faith in Christ as our Redeemer we cannot really follow
His example. Without the grace of Christ there can be no imitation of
Christ. A little girl once presented to a celebrated statesman a
small bouquet of ordinary flowers, the only one she could procure at
the season. He inquired why she gave him the bouquet. "Because I love
you," the child answered. "Do you bring any little gifts to Jesus?"
he asked. "Oh," said the child, "I give myself to Him."
+Lessons.+--1. _The unselfish are always humble._ 2. _The humble are
patient in doing and suffering._ 3. _Humility is the pathway to
exaltation._
_GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES._