Exalted Above Every Name

Minister:
Date: PM (Ascension Day)
Text: Philippians 2:9-11
Psalters: 130, 58, 303, 183
  1. A glorious exaltation.
    1. “Highly exalted” is not relative, but superlative: the highest possible position.
    2. Along with the exaltation God gave Jesus “a name which is above every name.”
      1. This is not a personal name, but a title reflecting rank or position – which name indicated He was at the pinnacle of all things
      2. The title of the highest position in the universe is “Lord” (cf. Romans 10:12; I Tim. 6:15; Eph. 1:21,22).
    3. When did this exaltation take place?
      1. First, when God raised Jesus from the dead, and then when God exalted Jesus’ to heaven at His ascension.
      2. Third, God seated Jesus at His own right hand, a position second only to the King Himself.
  2. God had a purpose for exalting Jesus: “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue confess…”
    1. Every knee and every tongue includes all rational creatures on earth and in heaven: all men and all angels.
    2. God’s purpose is that “every knee should bow,…and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
      1. “At the name of Jesus” is to acknowledge the name or position of Lord which God had given to Jesus.
      2. To bow the knee is to worship, to acknowledge Jesus’ position as Lord by giving worship, honor and reverence.
      3. When every tongue confesses, then God will have all men and every angel verbally acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.
    3. This is all “to the glory of God the Father.”
    4. This giving of glory will be realized in the great day of judgment when Jesus will appear in all His glory as judge of all.
  3. The basis of Jesus’ exaltation to highest glory is His obedience. This is indicated in “therefore.”
    1. God sent His Son to serve as the Mediator of His elect church, to bring them the salvation eternal ordained for them.
    2. The glory to which God exalted Jesus was a glory was promised Jesus for His perfectly obedient suffering.
    3. We must also have the mind of Christ – a readiness to render total self-denial in obedience to our Father.