MEMORY VERSE FOR JUNE 13-19 - Philippians 2:9

(Comments on this week’s memory verse at Ringwood Baptist Church)


Philippians 2:9 - Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Who is high on your “esteem list”? Who is it that you have a high regard for? Is it a music celebrity, a sports star, an actor, a preacher, or a good friend? Perhaps it’s a statesman, a family member, or a Christian friend.

Some of the people we have revered have really not done anything really worthy of our esteem. Some celebrities that we have held in high esteem have ended up doing nothing for us in a practical sense, and have actually disappointed us when we discovered some surly things about them.

Last week’s memory verse taught us that Jesus became “…obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” In doing so, God the Father has placed the Lord Jesus Christ in a place of high esteem. God has “highly exalted” our Lord Jesus, and rightly so. There is nobody more worthy of high esteem than the One who gave His life for sins as an act of obedience to His Father.

Note that God has given Jesus “a name which is above every name”. In doing so, God has placed the Lord Jesus above everyone in this world and the next. His name is superior because Jesus Christ is superior as God the Son. His name is superior because there is nobody who has been more obedient to His Father than Jesus was.

As we’ll see next time, all will bow at the name of Jesus. Nobody is esteemed more highly than God the Son.

Memory Verse for June 6-12 - Philippians 2:8

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Philippians 2:8 - And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

As a son growing up in my parents’ house I was obedient. That is I was obedient to a point. I mostly did what I was told, mostly didn’t cause trouble, and was mostly compliant.

However, there were times there were times when I frequented a sand pit that was “off limits”. There were other times when I had rebellious outbursts (to Mom, but not Dad – I knew better). I’m sure there were moments when I flat out disobeyed.

My Lord Jesus was not like that, and I am in told in Philippians 2:5-8 that I am to follow His example. Verse 8 tells us that Jesus as God the Son took on the form of a man. What a letdown that was from His position as God in Heaven.

After He came to earth we are told that He humbled Himself. If Jesus didn’t humble Himself, everyone He came in contact with would have been in trouble, especially those who told Him what He could and could not do.

This humility led to Jesus’ ultimate obedience to God the Father. He obeyed to the point of going to the cross to die for our sins.

To follow Jesus’ example we need to humble ourselves and be obedient to God, even if it means suffering death. Our rights must be surrendered if we are going to serve God well.

Memory Verse for May 30 - June 5 - Philippians 2:7

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Philippians 2:7 - But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

I believe in slavery! However, before you call your favorite civil rights group to censure me, read what I have to say.

I do not believe in the type of slavery that led to the Civil War. I believe in the equality of all men and women.

Philippians 2:5 tells us that we are to have the same mind or attitude as our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus made himself of no reputation. That means “he emptied himself”. Jesus as God the Son in Heaven emptied himself of many of the rights He had in Heaven in order to come to earth.

This verse further says that Jesus “took upon him the form of a servant”. The word here refers to a slave. Jesus came to earth “in the likeness of men” in total submission to God the Father, laying the privileges of deity aside. He came to serve by teaching, healing, and ultimately dying for the sins of the world.

As a Christian my attitude should be that of a slave to his master. As Jesus lived as a slave here on earth, I am to live as His slave now. When I do this, I show my love and appreciation for the forgiveness and eternal life which He has provided. It is something that I should be willing to do for Him.

Yes, I believe in slavery. I believe in loving, willing, unselfish slavery to the one who has given me eternal life.

MEMORY VERSE FOR MAY 23-29 - Philippians 2:6

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Comments on this week’s Ringwood Baptist Church memory verse

Philippians 2:6 - Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

There are times when people do unselfish things:

• A mother isn’t hungry for pie when there are 4 people and only 3 pieces left.

• A soldier risks his life to rescue a fallen buddy.

• A husband donates a kidney to one of his children.

• A fellow employee changes his vacation so you can go to a family wedding.

• A family makes sacrifices in order to give more money to missions.

No matter what we do that is unselfish, we can never match the unselfishness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that Jesus is our God and Creator (John 1:1-5). He was in the “form” of God because He is God. Jesus did not think that His place in Heaven was something to be “grasped” or selfishly hoarded.

The reason we can have eternal life is because the Lord Jesus set aside the use of some of His attributes and didn’t hold on to His Heavenly position. He temporarily left His position in Heaven and came to earth. That, my friend, is remarkable.

As Christians we are to have the same attitude as Christ (Philippians 2:5). Christ’s attitude was and is one that is unselfish. What areas of your life could you make less selfish as you try to imitate the unselfish attitude of Christ?

Memory Verse for May 16-22 - Philippians 2:5

Comments on this week’s memory verse at Ringwood Baptist Church:

Philippians 2:5 - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

As parents and grandparents, Dottie and I have been “counting noses” for years, making sure everyone is accounted for. We especially do this when we are in crowds or in situations where someone could easily get lost. I didn’t realize how much the mind of a parent was in me until this morning, after counting to make sure all 5 goslings that are growing up on our pond were accounted for.

We all have multiple minds or mindsets. We might have the mind of a husband, a parent, a grandparent, an employee, an employer, a sports fan, a landscaper, a church member, or a child, just to mention a few possibilities.

To us as Christians the most important mindset we should have is to have “the mind of Christ”. When we have the mind of Christ, we will think like He thinks. When we think like He thinks, we will act the way He would act.

Philippians 2:5 tells us to allow the mind of Christ to control us. The only way the mind of Christ will control us is when we allow the Holy Spirit to control us (Ephesians 5:18). When the Holy Spirit controls us, we will think like our Lord Jesus thinks.

We settle for less than the best when we do not yield our minds to the control of Almighty God. When we do this, we will see a big difference in our thoughts, attitudes, and behavior. Let the mind of Christ be your mind this week.

Memory Verse for May 7-13 - Philippians 2:4

COMMENTS ON THIS WEEK'S MEMORY VERSE

Philippians 2:4 - Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

God has given many of us a living example of this verse. Her name was, or is, “Mom”

• She was up with Dad to get him breakfast and to see him off to work. This was a lady who liked to “sleep in”.

• Each child was given breakfast and sent off to school in clean underwear, ironed shirts and dresses with lunch or lunch money in hand.

• Financial sacrifices were made for school field trips and other things that we children needed.

• She was the quiet mediator between Dad and us when he was being somewhat unreasonable.

• She campaigned so I could get my license at age 17. (Dad campaigned so I could actually drive the car!)

• She made us dry dishes and make our own lunches when we were not in school, giving us “one on one” time with her and teaching us how to fend for ourselves.

• She drove 2 ½ hours each way so I could be a witness in a court case.

• She and Dad were seen by us on their knees before going to bed each night.

• She lived Philippians 2:4 before her children.

THANKS MOM!

Memory Verse for May 2-6 - Philippians 2:3

(Comments on this week’s memory verses)

Philippians 2:3 - Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Motives are important. Good things often result from good motives. Bad things often result from bad motives.

When we, as Christians, are having difficulty getting along with others, we need to check our motives. One motive we need to beware of is strife, or “selfish ambition”. If my motive for wanting my way in a disagreement is selfishness, I’m wrong. I must avoid trying to accomplish my own agenda.

Another motive of which to be wary is vainglory or “conceit”. When I am conceited, I will always consider myself to be right. When I am conceited my attitude is often, “It’s my way or the highway!”

In dealing with others, wrong motives need to be changed into positive attitudes. We are to practice lowliness of mind or humility. If we take a honest look at our condition before salvation, we should have no trouble being humble. If we honestly consider our sinful tendencies now, we should have no trouble being humble.

Finally, in humility we should esteem others more important than ourselves. For Christ’s sake we should consider the other person’s needs more important than ourselves. We are not to consent to sinful practices, but we should be ready to yield to another when we can.

Memory Verses for April 18-May 2 - Philippians 2:1-2

(Comments on last week’s and this week’s memory verses)


Philippians 2:1-2 - If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Are there reasons for Christians to be agreeable with each other? Certainly there are! Besides being fellow members of the family of God, we also have some important things in common as Paul explains in Philippians 2:1. When Paul uses the word “if” here, he means “since”.

• There is consolation or encouragement when one is “in Christ”.

• There is the comfort of the love of Christ when we are “in Christ”.

• There is “fellowship” in the Holy Spirit when we are “in Christ”. That fellowship is a partnership between each believer and the Spirit of God. Fellowship with the Spirit will lead to fellowship with each other.

• Finally, when we are in Christ there are “bowels and mercies”, or as the NASB renders it, “affection and compassion”. We have fellowship and compassion for fellow believers.

Since these qualities are true in us as believers, we are to be “likeminded”. We are to be agreeable, especially as we allow the Holy Spirit to unify us. We will also have a mutual love for each other, practicing the love qualities found in 1 Corinthians 13. We will also be unified in our goals being of “one accord, of one mind.”

Memory Verse for April 4-10 - John 11:25

(Comments on this week’s memory verse)


John 11:25 - Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

In my almost 35 years of being a pastor, I have come to at least one conclusion; I don’t like death. By the grace of God I have been with many a dying saint, and by the grace of God I will be with many more dying saints as they transition from one world to the next. However, I don’t like seeing people suffer, and I don’t like the pain that those who have lost a loved one go through.

Although I don’t like death, I do like the hope that I have for resurrection and eternal life. I do like the hope that I can share with those who are passing away and with family members who have lost a loved one. That hope is found in this week’s memory verse.

When Jesus made this statement to Martha the time of his own death was near. He told Martha that He was the “resurrection and the life”. Jesus could make this statement because through Him those who believe on Him will be resurrected with bodies that will never die.

Christians who die have bodies that are dead and decaying. Their spirits, however, are very much alive (2 Corinthians 5:8-9). One day Jesus will resurrect the bodies of those who have trusted Him as Savior. Though their bodies are dead now, they will one day be alive again.

Memory Verse for March 28 - April 3 - Philippians 3:14

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Philippians 3:14 - I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

One of the most determined people I know is Dr. Mark Peters, Associate Professor in Music at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. Yes, he’s our son. That’s how I know how determined he is.

When in grade school he determined that he was going to ride his bike for a fund raiser. The distance he said he was going to ride made me nervous. I thought it was too far for a person his age. He was determined. He did it.

While in college Mark decided that he was going to pursue a Ph. D in classic musicology. It was a long road that took many years of classes, research, and writing. Much of this he did as a married man and father. He was determined. He did it.

The Apostle Paul was also a determined man. In Philippians 3:7-14, which we have been memorizing, Paul has stressed his commitment to the goal of one day being just like Christ (Romans 8:29). That was the prize that he was pressing towards. Along the way he was determined to be more like Christ each day. Nothing else mattered more to Paul.

Paul was determined to do all that was necessary to be like Christ. Are you?

MEMORY VERSE FOR MARCH 21-27 - Philippians 3:13

March 21 - Philippians 3:13 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I tend to forget the things that I should remember, and remember the things I should forget. I can easily forget to run an errand for my wife. I can just as easily remember a sad event from my past that would be best forgotten.

In this verse Paul is still referring to what God has apprehended him for, conformity to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29, 1 John 3:2-3). Because he would one day be like Christ when he saw Him face to face, Paul strove to be more like Him every day. This should be our desire as well.

In striving for Christ-likeness Paul realized that he could not hold on to the past. He had to forget the failures and hurts of the past. He had to simply confess the sins of the past and move on. He also had to forgive those who had hurt him in the past and move on.

Not only did Paul need to forget the failures of the past, he had to forget the successes too. Dwelling too much on past victories would distract him from moving forward towards more Christ-likeness.

In forgetting the past, Paul reached forward towards what was in front of him, being more like Christ each day. He didn’t hang on to the past but reached for the future! May we do the same!

Memory Verse for March 14-20 - Philippians 3:12

February 21 - Philippians 3:12 - Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

You have probably met people who think they have “arrived” or are “perfect”. We picture a person like this saying, “I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.” Such people annoy us, but let’s make sure that we do not act the same way they do, thinking that we have arrived or are perfect spiritually.

The Apostle Paul was a very humble man. He realized that although God had done a great work in him (1 Timothy 1:15-16), he still wasn’t perfect. You might think that Paul would have been satisfied with what he had already achieved spiritually, but that wasn’t so. Paul knew that he wasn’t perfect yet.

Paul kept moving forward spiritually, not satisfied with what he had already accomplished. He did this so he could “…apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” As we have seen in Romans 8:29 and 1 John 3:2-3, Paul was apprehended or saved for the purpose of being Christ-like when he saw Jesus face to face. Paul kept striving to be more Christ-like each day.

Like Paul, let’s realize that we haven’t “arrived” yet. Let’s follow his example by striving to be more Christ-like until we really do arrive.