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Bethany Lutheran Church,
Springdale, Arkansas
Midweek Lenten Service
7 PM Central Daylight Time
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Psalmody Psalm 22
The Lection The Passion History
The Sermon Hymn #151 Christ the Life of All the Living
The Lection The Passion History
The Sermon Hymn #151 Christ the Life of All the Living
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
To Be More Like the Good Shepherd
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
The Apostle Paul, above all notions and attitudes, was the worst kind of antagonist and purist one could imagine. He was going to rid the world of those who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He participated in getting rid of St. Stephen, and it took the risen Christ to confront him and convert him.
So Paul realized he was the worst of the worst and not the best at all. This passage is concise and clear about how our minds or thoughts should be the mirror of Jesus' mind and thoughts. Jesus was and is equal to God but did not count Himself as glorious and all-powerful, though that was also part of being the Son of God. Jesus' equality with God did not set aside His humility, His humanity, or His role as a servant/slave.
The lowest Jesus could have been is bearing the cross - demeaning, slugged in the face, whipped, suffering in every possible way and insulted. That was all predicted in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. Somehow, a silver or gold cross from C. M. Almy, costing thousands of dollars, is not quite the same. And what do the thousand dollar robes suggest? Each one a different color.
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
That means - whenever we have the opportunity, not waiting to try, but taking care of those concerns of others, worries, hardships, and pains. We know from history that the greatest expansions of the Christian Faith have come from suffering, persecution, imprisonment, loss of everything that mattered.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Our concept of the Holy Trinity features what we grasp best of all - Jesus the Son of God and Son of Man. He knows us and cares for each and every one of us. Best of all, His human nature teaches us about God 100%. We can depend on Him to work any miracle in His time and we can understand our tiny perspectives in light of His glory and future in the glories of heaven. I said to someone yesterday, "We are on one side of the Gates of Heaven or the other, as believers. It all depends on Him."
Prayers and Announcements
- Prayers - BibleJohn and his wife Pat, Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Sarah Buck.
- Pray for our country as major trials continue. They even hate Francis Scott Key. "Before the Lord We Bow."
