Down before Up (Part One - A Pattern in Philippians)

I would have liked to have walked with Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus on Sunday afternoon three days after the crucifixion of Jesus. That morning they had heard the women’s report that the tomb was empty. They were confused.  Leaving Jerusalem, they headed to Emmaus, a small town seven to eight  miles away to the Northwest.

They were walking slowly; I could keep up.  

But it wasn’t the walk or their company that I would have wanted to experience. I would have loved to have been there  when Jesus showed up, walked with them, heard their disappointment and then explained “all that the prophets had spoken. . . that it was necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory.”  (Luke 24:26).

Suffering precedes glory. This was God’s plan from the beginning of time. The serpent would bruise the Messiah’s heel before the Messiah would crush the serpent. 

This pattern is also repeated in the book of Philippians. Let me show it to you. 

Philippians 2:5-11 is a deeply theological statement of the person and work of Jesus. 

He was in the form of God - eternal, pre-existent, deity.

He took on the form of a servant - incarnation

He humbled himself to die - atonement

God exalted him - glorification

Humiliation before Exaltation 

Paul’s life followed this pattern as well. Consider 3:4-11, 21:

He had much in his life others would call “gain.” Noble birth, orthodox belief, impeccable conduct. 

He counted all this as “loss.”

He humbled himself to share in Christ’s sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

He looked forward to the resurrection and his glorious body.

Service and suffering is the road to Glory. 

Paul calls us to imitate him as he imitates Christ. To have the same mindset. To be fully convinced of this pattern of “down before up” so that it regulates everything that we do. 

In my next blog, I hope to share with you how this mindset has changed me.  

Our church discipleship cohort just finished a study in the book of Philippians.

Here is my attempt to put the main themes into one (yes, kind of long) sentence:

Citizens of heaven treasure Christ above all else,

joyfully setting their minds to imitate his example

in their pursuit of humble service to others

and the peaceful acceptance of suffering in the path of obedience,

waiting for the day they will be raised like him into glory.