HE TOOK ON THE STATUS OF A SLAVE (Philippians 2:1-11~ The Message)

Philippians 2:1-11 (The Message)

1-4 If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made
any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means
anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor: Agree
with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your
way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside,
and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage.
Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status
with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the
advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set
aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!
Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He
didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and
then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that - a
crucifixion.

9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond
anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth -
even those long ago dead and buried - will bow in worship before this Jesus
Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious
honor of God the Father.