Western Meadows Baptist Church

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY GUIDE

SUGGESTED VERSES FOR MEMORIZATION & MEDITATION

Philippians 2:5 | Have this mind among yourselves, which is your in Christ Jesus

Philippians 2:6-11 | who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

OPENING THOUGHT

Writing from prison, Paul sent his letter to the church of Philippi in response to a gift that they sent him through Epaphroditus. Even though Paul was imprisoned for the gospel and the Philippians were likely beginning to experience persecution for their faith, the apostles repeated message to them throughout the epistle is to rejoice.

So far in the letter, Paul has expressed his prayer and thanksgiving for the Philippians, while also assuring them of God’s providential hand guiding his imprisonment. The first actual command of the letter only came at the end of chapter one, where Paul urged the Philippians to live in a manner worthy of the gospel. Last week, at the beginning of chapter two, the apostle then emphasized the importance of being unity together in humility for living worthy of the gospel.

Having made his urging for unity of mind and humility heart known to the Philippians in the first four verses, Paul now turns his attention to the greatest example of humble servitude: our Lord Jesus, Himself. As such, verse 5 serves as the bridge into the next six verses, which present one of the most beautiful pictures of Christology in the entire New Testament.

GROUP DISCUSSION

Read Philippians 2:5-11 and discuss the following.

1. Which verses stood out most to you as you read Philippians 2:5-11 this week? Why? What do these verses teach you about who God is?
2. What is the significance of verses 6-8 describing the humiliation of Christ? What major doctrines are presented in these verses?
3. What is the significance of verses 9-11 describing the exaltation of Christ? What major doctrines are presented in these verses?
4. Is Christ your ultimate example of humility? How does the gospel cause us to grow in humility?

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Because all Scripture profits us through teaching, reproving, correcting, and training us, reflect upon the studied text, and ask yourself the following questions about the present text.

• What has God taught you about Himself?
• What sin is God convicting or reproving you of?
• How is God correcting you?
• How is God training and equipping you for righteousness?