THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST (Part 7).
Philippians 2: 5-11. Verses 9-11 read:
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
As already discussed in this series, the supremacy of Christ did not come by mere conferment but through his disciplined, selfless, and sacrificial life. Yesterday, we looked at the condescension Christ went through; moving from divinity to humanity to slavery to humility and obedience to the shameful death on the cross. By this means, he fulfilled the requirements of supremacy. Based on the price Christ paid, God:
- Exalted him. His exaltation was God’s response to his life of humility, submission, and obedience. According to James 4 verse 6, God is a giver of abundant grace. This verse goes on to say that God resists the proud but extends grace to the humble. Jesus became a beneficiary of this grace by which he was exalted.
- Affirmed his name, Jesus, meaning Saviour. Jesus did not only receive his name through prophecy. He lived out the very meaning of his name through the atoning work of the cross. As a result, his name resonates conquest and victory in all realms of existence.
- Made his name superior to any other. The potency of his name causes every knee to bow, comprising things in heaven, things on earth, and things under the earth. This reflects absolute superiority. Bowing depicts surrender and honour to Christ. Any ailment that has a name falls in total surrender to the name of Jesus. Again, at the mention of his name, every tongue confesses or makes admission that Jesus Christ is Lord or Supreme, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus lived what he taught. In his teaching to his disciples, he established the fact that exaltation comes through service. It is, therefore, no wonder that he, through service and sacrifice, attained the matchless and all-surpassing name, Jesus.
SHALOM 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏