Who do you say that Jesus of Nazareth is? This is the question that divides those who belong their faithful Savior Jesus Christ and those who do not. Here we read that Jesus Christ is God the Son, but that he did something very remarkable. He gave up the divine majesty and power. He did not give up his divine nature, but he gave up the status, privilege and power. He who was everything, made himself nothing. He took the nature of a servant and became human.

He became one of us but not in grandeur. Jesus was not born in a palace, but in a stable. His life was not heralded with human fanfare, but relative obscurity. He was born to poor, humble folk in a small town with people questioning his parentage. When Jesus came to be one of us, he identified with the least of us.

Even more, the Scripture says that he humbled himself and became obedient even unto death on a cross. He who was very God laid aside his privilege and power to seek and save lost creatures. Can you imagine? Here is the Creator of all humbling himself in order to rescue his creatures. Here is the Creator of all becoming the servant who is obedient even unto death. When we consider it, it is hard to imagine.

It is one thing to think that Christ would lay aside his glory in order to become human. It is quite unfathomable to think that he would be obedient, even unto death on a cross. Why do I say that? Because we have trouble with obedience. We may admit that someone else is above us in office or ability or honor. They have earned their spurs and we will tip our hat. But for us to humble ourselves in obedience to them is another thing.

This is why, when we read that Christ, the Lord of Glory, the mighty Maker, became obedient even unto death on a cross, our collective jaw hits the ground. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit made the covenant of redemption where God the Son would lay aside his glory and die in order to rescue sinners. The night Jesus was betrayed, he agonized over this assignment. Three times he prayed, "If there is some other way, please take this cup away from me. But not my will, but yours be done." Christ went to the cross out of sheer obedience.

Verse 9 begins with the word therefore. Because of what Christ has done: his humility in laying aside his glory, his obedience, we are even more dazzled by his glory. Christ is received back to heaven. There he is seated at the right hand of power and glory. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. For us the way of the cross means salvation. For Christ, the way of the cross means glory, that he would receive the name above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That means that those in heaven, those on earth and those in the grave will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

Christ in you, dear Christian, is the hope of Glory. And his mind and humility is to be in you as well. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will be changed by his Spirit. We understand who Jesus is and who we are in Christ so we are able to look to the interests of others. Do we need to be so concerned about our reputation, or our advancement, or getting our way? Will not God take care of us? Look at what Jesus did. He gave all into the hands of his Heavenly Father. What was the end result? Christ was given the Name above all names. He has promised us that he will give us what we need, if we trust him. He will take care of us if we submit to him and his care. The path may be bumpy. Don’t worry. Think of the path Jesus went through. But the end is glory. If Christ humbled himself in obedience and was given the name above all names, why are we so slow to humble ourselves before the Lord?

Jesus is given the name above all names. All knees will bow before him. Everyone will call him Lord to the glory of God the Father. There does not seem to be an option about this. When he comes again in glory or when we meet our maker at our death, we will be confronted with Jesus, who is Lord. If he is our Lord now, this will be a time of Joy. If he is not our Savior, it will be a time of judgment. But either way, we will acknowledge Jesus as Lord because he has been given the name above every name.

The early church’s response to Christ’s return was Maranatha: "Our Lord, come." As Christians, we look forward to the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord because that is what our knees and tongues are doing now. What about you?