Sunday, December 18, 2005

Sunday Sermon Summary - December 18

It’s been a busy day – Sunday School Christmas program, caroling after and company coming tonight. I preached on Philippians 2:9-11 on the exaltation of Christ. I refer you to a much better preacher, C.H. Spurgeon, and the story attending his message on these verses. Taken together they are very moving (thanks to Phil Johnson for the Spurgeon Archive).

Here’s a little teaser:

Now, just pause over this thought—that Christ did not crown himself, but that his Father crowned him; that he did not elevate himself to the throne of majesty, but that his Father lifted him there, and placed him on his throne. Why, reflect thus: Man never highly exalted Christ. Put this then in opposition to it—"God also hath highly exalted him." Man hissed him, mocked him, hooted him. Words were not hard enough—they would use stones. "They took up stones again to stone him." And stones failed; nails must be used, and he must be crucified. And then there comes the taunt, the jeer, the mockery, whilst he hangs languishing on the death-cross. Man did not exalt him. Set the black picture there. Now put this, with this glorious, this bright scene, side by side with it, and one shall be a foil to the other. Man dishonoured him; "God also exalted him." Believer, if all men speak ill of thee, lift up thy head, and say, "Man exalted not my Master; I thank him that he exalts not me. The servant should not be above his master, nor the servant above his lord, nor he that is sent greater than he that sent him."

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