Idolatry

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is 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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. 2:5-11, NIV)

The known quantity of “power” in Paul’s day was Caesar Augustus. Powerful. Strong with an army. Vanquish your foes.

Paul comes in with the model we truly need as believers, at it runs completely counter to the image in his readers’ minds.

We have created a idol and called it “Christ” today. We need once again this vision of the true Christ. We need our lives humbled. In this season as we enter Passion Week, may we once again capture the true vision of Christ and repent of our nationalistic idolatry.