Honor Jesus, Be Like Jesus, Honor Jesus by Being Like Jesus

When I read Philippians 2: 1-13, I usually speed through the prose introduction and then focus on the Poem/Hymn that follows it.

Today I want to hurry through the poem and then focus on the introduction, which just might give us a better idea about what God is calling us to do.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient

to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly

exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the

name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under

the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the

glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-8)

This is what we normally think of when we hear this scripture, and it is right and appropriate to honor and respect Jesus. Paul is showing us Jesus as our role model: praising him, extolling him, showing us his humanity, and how Jesus gave of himself to serve others. He truly is worthy of our bowing done, of our “taking a knee” in worship and respect of Him. In the Church, in our Nation and in our families we show respect and honor and where appropriate, worship by kneeling or standing.

The Comedian, Robin Williams, himself an Episcopalian, gives a list of ten reasons to be Episcopalian: my three favorites are “no snake handling,” “no matter what you believe there is at least one other Episcopalian who believes the same thing,” and one of my favorites, “Pew Aerobics.”

“Pew Aerobics?” In the Episcopal Church, we make the sign of the cross, with or without Holy Water, we bow when the cross passes, we sometimes lift our hands up in praise. Traditionally, we sat to be instructed, we stood to sing and praise and we knelt to pray, including at the altar as we received communion. Over time, our understanding of prayer and praise has evolved and blended so that some now stand to pray as well as kneel to pray, again including receiving communion at the altar.

Having said all this, I want to now focus on why I believe Paul wrote this poem in the first place. I believe that while Paul was concerned about tradition and order, he was more concerned that we worship Jesus by how we live and how we see and talk about and think about and serve our fellow human beings.

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)

This is truly a foundation for “honoring Jesus by being like Jesus.” It is important to remember that being of the same mind does not mean that we all agree on exactly how we understand scripture, or politics or the kind of car we drive, or even our preference for Auburn or Alabama football. No. It means that we agree on the essence of the poem, that we agree on serving the world as Jesus served the world. That we approach God and all of God’s people, not with selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, regarding ourselves not as better or worse than others, but equal to one another in the eyes of God.

As we strive to see the interests of others as equal to and as important as our own interests, several examples come to mind: the 2010 and 2011 Tornados in Alabama, and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria which have struck our nation over the past several weeks. We these disasters occurred: friends, neighbors, the Red Cross, the State and Federal Governments, churches and other organizations joined in to care for those affected, to care for one another.

Those who look to the interests of others include all who write laws for safety and protection, all who protest peacefully for the safety and protection of others, and yes, even those who like Jesus, sometimes turn over tables and run the “Money Changers out of the Temple” for the protection and safety of others.

Again, Philippians 2:1-4:

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)

Honor Jesus, be Like Jesus, honor Jesus by being like Jesus!