I received a text yesterday morning at 1043 from my brother, Billy, and it was sent to Steve and I. And it said this, praise God through Jesus only. I am his and he is mine forever. My reply in the text was Luke 15, 10. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. I think most of you know, Billy, my younger brother, last March was telling me that what Jesus said in Matthew about separation of family was happening. He told me, don't ever mention me from the pulpit again. You have no right to mention me from the pulpit, do not mention me from the pulpit. Talked to him this morning, by the way, and told him just as I have not honored that request in the past, I'm not going to honor that request today. So he got a chuckle out of that. So after my meeting ended, my 10 o'clock meeting, I called him and he gave me his testimony. So Billy's been on a journey for a year or more. Five years. I don't know how long. And he was reading this book. It's called A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alene. And his testimony to me was this. At the end of this book, which is simply the gospel presented by Joseph Alene, a Puritan writer, the gospel presented in a very straightforward, real way. And kind of hard to read because it's written kind of Old English style, right? He read this book and has been reading it for the last month or two. At the end of this book is Joseph Alene's plea, and this is what Billy read to me and said this is his testimony. It says at the end of this, Father of spirits, take the heart in hand that is too hard for my weakness. Do not vow end, though I have done. A word from thy effectual power will do the work. O thou that hast the key of David, that openest, and no man shutteth, open thou this heart, as thou didst Lydia's. And let thy King of glory enter in, and make this soul thy captive. Let not the tempter harden him in delays. Let him not stir from this place nor take his eyes from these lines till he resolved to forego his sins and accept life on thy self-denying terms. In thy name, O Lord God, did I go forth to these labors. In thy name do I close them. Let not all the time they have cost be lost hours. Let not all the thoughts of the heart and all the pains that have been about them be lost labor. Lord, put thy hand upon the heart of this reader and send thy spirit as thou didst Philip to join himself to the chariot of the eunuch while he was reading the word. And though I should never know it while I live, yet I beseech thee, O Lord God, let it be found at the last day that some souls are converted by these labors and let some be able to stand forth and say that by these persuasions they were won into thee. Amen. Amen. Let him that read this say amen. And Billy said he fell on his face as he read that. He started to cry. So he went upstairs and talked to his wife for a few minutes. And then he went back down to his basement. He said for the next 20 minutes or so, he was weeping, sobbing as his sin was being revealed to him. And he got up after about 20 minutes of this. What do I do next? I don't know what to do. So he turned to his Bible and he was looking for fruits of the Spirit, he said. Shows how uneducated he is. And he turned to Ephesians. He opened his Bible, looking for fruits of the Spirit, and he went to Ephesians 5, verse 8, and here's what it said. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light. And he couldn't even read that to me as he was reading to me what he had seen. He went back upstairs and he talked, he called his wife and his daughters into the room and he told them he sought their forgiveness for his leadership of their family. And he vowed that it would be different by God's grace. As I was reflecting on this over the last day, and all that God has done in Billy's heart, I was reminded of some Scripture that I was very encouraged by throughout this time, and I hope it will encourage you all as well this morning. First, I thought of Romans 1.16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. The reason I'm so confident that Billy is good soil, that God has begun a work in him, that he is truly redeemed and regenerate, is because he has been exposed to the gospel. He has been exposed to the gospel from me, from my mother, from my brother Steve, from Paul Washer, From Votie Baucom? From Joseph Alene? He has been exposed to THE Gospel. And none of those people in his life were ashamed of the Gospel. No matter how angry he became at the Gospel. I want to encourage you, don't be ashamed of the Gospel. For it is the power of God to salvation. There's no other way to be saved than the gospel. Don't be ashamed of the gospel, beloved. I am so edified and encouraged to continue, and even in some cases, increase my presentation of the gospel into people's lives. Another passage that I was reminded of is Matthew 10, 37-39. Remember, Jesus had just said, don't think I came to bring peace. But a sword and then talk about familial separation. And then verses 37 to 39 was very encouraging to me throughout this time with Billy. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it. And he who loses his life for my sake will find it. I was reminded as I think back on this relationship with Billy and what God's done in his life is that I am extremely close to my brothers, always have been. We have a very close family. And the thought of not having my brothers in my life has always been scary to me. And one of the things that God enabled me to do by his grace is not love Billy more than I love God. And that if separation was going to happen, even though that isn't what I desired, I could be okay with that. Mom was willing to not go to church with Billy at a church that was deceiving him when she went over to visit. And that's not easy for a mother, especially with the reaction that she got. Be encouraged. Have a willingness to lose our lives for His sake. Not a desire. A willingness. So if we have that, we will stay strong in the Gospel. If we don't, we will not. If we fear separation from man, we will not stay strong in the Gospel. Another passage that came to my mind. Second Corinthians 520. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. I can't I can't remember the number of times I pled with Billy. I pled with him many times that he would be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. And I took lots of strength from this passage in that relationship. As we would have discussions and they would lead to where they would lead, I would remember, plead with him. Another verse that gave me strength as I was in relationship with Billy, 2 Timothy 2, 24 through 26, and a servant of the Lord must not quarrel. But be gentle to all, able to teach, patient in humility, correcting those who are in opposition. If God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth. And that they may. And they come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will by God's grace alone, Billy has been granted repentance. He knows the truth. He's escaped the devil's snare. As I was talking to Billy yesterday, he said, Mike, I can't even describe to you the freedom in not being in bondage any longer. The freedom I have in not being in bondage to my sin any longer. And throughout our relationship, I've been encouraging in my life and in our lives. Beloved, I want us to be encouraged. To correct those who are in opposition with humility. Perhaps that God would grant them repentance and they could be taken away from the snares of the devil. I. I am hopeful that you are all as encouraged and edified as I am. I realize Billy's not your biological brother and you haven't spent the kind of time with him that I have, but you all have had some exposure to that situation. I hope you can be encouraged because as I look out at you, all of you are facing similar relationship issues. People in your life who you are very connected to, that are at enmity with God. They hate God and God hates them. And all we can do is plead with them and all we can do is correct them in hopes that God would grant them repentance. So I hope that you all are very encouraged and edified. At the end of our discussion yesterday and today, but at the end of our discussion yesterday, Billy said, I love you, brother. And he started weeping and saying, It's actually real. You actually are my brother. God saves via the gospel. Let's keep preaching it. Amen? Amen. Everyone turn to Philippians 2. We're in verses 9 through 11 today. as you're turning, and I would encourage everyone to be turning there, if you're not. So remember where we are. This is Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. These brothers and sisters in Christ were very close to Paul. They ministered lots to Paul. They had sent Epaphroditus to Paul. They had sent money with him. So they ministered to him with resources. They ministered to him with prayer. They were very close to him. So Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and he's writing this epistle, this letter, back to the church at Philippi to encourage them while they're apart from one another. And he encourages them by saying, while I'm not there, just know this, the gospel is being preached in my situation. That's all I care about. I'm full of joy. And then in the most recent passage we've been looking at, he's stressing how they must have spiritual unity, how they must be of one mind, of one spirit, striving together with unity, with one voice, striving together for the Gospel. And he went on to say that requires great humility. In order to have like-mindedness, to be of one spirit, of one mind, we have to take on a great level of humility. We have got to lower ourselves. And then he gives us an example of Jesus Christ and the humility in Christ's life. Verses five through eight, which you went over last week, say this. Remember, he's called him this unity, this oneness, this like mindedness, and he said you can't do anything out of selfish ambition, you've got to be humble. Let this mind be in you, which also is in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, who was God himself. Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, he did not consider something to be held on to. To be equal to God. He didn't grasp and hold on to his divine rights. He made himself of no reputation. Taking the form of a slave. And coming in the likeness of men. Christ lowered himself from the deity that he had, from the glory he had in heaven, to become a man. And not just any man, he became a very lowly man. A carpenter's son, born into a very poor family. With no wealth at all. He had to borrow a donkey. You know, he had to borrow everything he had. He had nothing. That's how low he made himself on this descent. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. He lived a perfect life. Nothing he had ever done deserving of death, and yet he became obedient and he was obedient to death. He made an effort. He agreed with God. He made a choice to be obedient to death. He didn't have to die. He was God. He hadn't sinned. But he became obedient to death, even death on a cross, the most humiliating, painful, gruesome form of death there was. That's the humility Christ had. He went all the way from God himself to live as a lonely man, killed for no reason, in the worst way possible to be killed. Then in today's passage, where we're going to see exaltation exemplified, we saw the humility exemplified, and now we're going to see exaltation. Exemplified verse nine, therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name, which is above every name, that the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the father. It's kind of interesting, verses six through 11 were actually thought to be a hymn in the early church. Most commentators you read would say that these verses were a hymn that was sung in the early church. And this hymn sums up the Christian faith, humility and exaltation. The example of Christ's life, the humility of Christ and then the exaltation of Christ. Let's get into the text, beginning in verse nine, therefore, God highly exalted him. Therefore, God highly exalted him. Verse nine starts out, therefore, when we see the word, therefore, we got to ask, what's it there for? And the word for therefore is deal. Actually, the idea that means therefore, for this reason, on account of. For this reason, on account of for this, so this could read for this reason, God also highly exalted him on account of this one kind of what? Back to Philippians 2, verses six through eight, who being in the form of God did not consider robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of bond sermon and coming in the likeness of men and being found appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So what we see is Paul says because of his humiliation. On account of his humiliation, God then exalted him. Exaltation is connected to humiliation. Christ's exaltation is connected to his humiliation. That's what Paul is wanting us to see, God is wanting us to see. Therefore, on account of this humiliation, he was highly exalted. This is a truism that we can't miss. Because it's pertinent to our lives. Remember, Paul is encouraging them to have spiritual unity through humility. And then through this humility, there will be exaltation. And the truth is the truism we can't miss is exaltation is connected to humiliation. There's lots of people that expect to be raised or be with God, to be exalted someday, and yet they don't humble themselves. They pridefully continue to live the way they live. Hebrews 12, 2, and 3, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endures such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged for your souls. For us too, our exaltation is linked to humiliation. This connection we have to get. Our exaltation is connected to our humiliation. There will be no exaltation for the proud. If we have never humbled ourselves before God, we cannot and will not be exalted. Back to verse 9. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him. God is highly exalted him. The Greek word for highly exalted comes from two words, two root words, Huper, which is over, and Hupseo, which is to lift up or raise up. There are two words that go together. So the word Huper Hupseo is to exalt to the highest rank and power, raise to supreme majesty. Elder Nick, would you go see? There's people that walk in the back to see if you can help them. So, to exalt to the highest rank and power, raise to supreme majesty. So, huper upsao, highly exalted is what God did to his son, his beloved son. And he did this in multiple ways. Mark 16, 6. But he said to them, Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him. So when they came to see Jesus in the tomb, he was gone. So the first way that God highly exalted the son was that he raised him from the dead. His resurrection. God raised up Jesus, who the Jews had put to death by hanging on a cross. God raised him for the dead. Next, he exalted Jesus via the ascension. Acts 1.9, Jesus had assembled the apostles and told them that they would receive the power from the Holy Spirit to go be his messengers, witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and all ends of the earth. Now, when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. Another way God exalted the Son was via his ascension that was actually witnessed by the apostles before their very eyes. Christ was taken up. Acts 5.31 Him God has exalted to his right hand to be the Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Here we see Jesus exalted as the King to reign and to grant repentance to his people, forgiveness of their sins. Ephesians 1, 21 and 22, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age which is to come. And he put all things under his Jesus feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church. Jesus was highly exalted by God, the Father, to reign forever from heaven. So he resurrected him. He was ascended and he was given reign forever and ever. Revelation 5, 11 and 12. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. In Revelation 11, 15, it says the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. So you've got this highly, this exaltation of the son by the father in the form of his resurrection, his ascension and then his kingdom, his reign. Hebrews 7, 25 and 26, therefore, he is also able to save the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens. So he also is the high priest. God, the Father, exalted, highly exalted the Son and made him the high priest, who is constantly intercessing for his people. Also, Jesus was made the final judge, John 5, 22 and 23. For the Father judges no one. But it's committed all judgment to the son that all should honor the son, just as they honor the father. He who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent him. So what we see is Jesus was highly exalted and what was what was inside of that exaltation of Christ was his resurrection, his ascension, being made king of all and being the high priest and then being the ultimate judge of the eternity of men. We, too, beloved, will be exalted if we humble ourselves. This is so Paul is encouraging the Philippians to say, remember, spiritual unity, the humility that will lead to exaltation and the example is Christ. So we, too, will be exalted if we humble ourselves, Jesus said in Matthew 23, 12, and whoever exalts himself will be humbled. And he who humbles himself will be exalted. Just as Christ modeled, we, if we're humble, we will be exalted. James 4.10, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. Remember James 4.7-10, it's a wonderful call to salvation. I would encourage you to send people there who are not saved, that are not knowing why, send them to James 4.7-10. But in 10 he says, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. Remember, humility is linked to exaltation. We will be exalted, first Peter five, six, therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. Philippians two, nine is a great reminder of this principle that humiliation is linked to exaltation. For us, just as it was for Christ. OK, the difference is we will not be highly exalted. We will be exalted. The word for exalted in the three verses we just looked at. Is who saw member force who who bear who saw this is just who saw. Not super exalted, not highly exalted, but we will be exalted, it means to lift up, exalt. Jesus will be highly exalted. We will be exalted. We will ascend to heaven, but we won't be the high priest and we won't be the judge and we won't be the king. But we will be exalted if we humble ourselves. John 17, 22, and the glory which you gave me, I have given them that they may be one just as we are one, just as Christ was exalted because of his humiliation. So, too, we will be glorified. We will be exalted. If we are humbled. I'm thinking about this morning. I'm so thankful for the humility that I see in my brother, Billy. A humility that was never there before. That he might be exalted. He's been humbled before the Lord. Let's go on to see more about the Father's exaltation of the Son. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him. and given him the name which is above every name. The name above all names. The name above all names, the Greek word for name, name is a Nama, a Nama, and this is what it means. The name is used for everything which the name covers everything, the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing or remembering the name. For one's rank, authority, interest, pleasure, command, excellences, or deeds. The name that was given to the Son incorporates all that he is. The name is all that he is. Not just his divine nature, but also his supreme authority over all. Just like we just saw when he was highly exalted. So the name, above all names, isn't just the name. It is something that encompasses all that he is. Paul doesn't reveal the name here, he does down at the bottom of verse 11 when he says, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Lord is the name that encompasses all that the Son is. All that the Son is, the title of majesty and authority and honor and power is wrapped up in the name Lord. And we'll get to that a little bit more in a while. But this title, Revelation 19, 16, and he, Jesus, has on his robe and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This this name, it's above all names. We, too, will share in his names. This is another reality that is really hard to even consider, but the name, all that God is, all that Christ is, all that the Son is, Lord, all that encompasses. We will share in that, beloved. Revelation 3, 12. He who overcomes. Who's the overcomer? Every believer. I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of my God. and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and I will write on him my new name, my new name of Lord. All believers, when we are glorified, we'll be branded. We'll be branded with the name of God the Father, the name of heaven, and Christ's supreme title of Lord. The name above all names has been given to his son. Now, let's look at the result of the supreme name versus 10, 11, the result of the supreme name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the father. So remember, the response won't be to the name Jesus. or Joshua or Yeshua, that was a very common name. Yeshua was a very common name at that time. So the name of Jesus carries nothing special to it in and of that name itself, Yeshua. It's not unique or supreme, it's not a name that has a title. That exaltation is not found in the name of Yeshua. The name, remember in verse 11, that Jesus Christ is Lord. The name Jesus Christ is Lord. Yeshua, the Messiah, the Lord. The Lord, Kurios. Kurios. And there's three ways that word gets used in the New Testament. First way is as Lord, supernatural, master over all. It can be used as a ruler, a master, a lord, one who exercises authority over. Or it can be Sir, a title of respect. The title of Kurios, again, used throughout the New Testament. It's obvious here that by the context that it is number one that we're looking at, Lord, supernatural master. You remember how in the Old Testament the Jews would not say Yahweh? They wouldn't say the name of the Lord, Yahweh. They would say Adonai, but they would not say Yahweh. It was too holy to be said. So they wouldn't even say that name. Well, similar here, the word Lord can be used many different ways. People were calling Jesus Lord who weren't even saved, as we've seen in the book of Matthew. But what he's referring to here is Jesus' deity, His sovereignty, His exalted authority in the highest sense. So what are the results of this name, this above all names? Lord, Kurios. What are the results of that? Verse 10, that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Every knee will bow. Every. Knee will bow. Every. Every knee will bow, bow compto to bend or bow, to bend or bow the knee in honor of one. It was very common as a sign of respect. in these times that one would bow the knee when they came before someone. If they came before a king or someone who was an authority, they would go down on the knee as a sign of honor. Where over in Zambia, the women will actually greet you and they will hold out their hand and they will dip. They will bow as a sign of respect and honor. So it still happens in some part of the world. It doesn't really happen here. But there, they very much understood what it meant that knees would bow as a sign of honor and respect. Just as Isaiah had predicted 700 years earlier in Isaiah 45, look to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other. I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return. That to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Jesus Christ, the Lord, the supreme authority, every knee will bow and acknowledge that. Everyone is going to acknowledge Christ's lordship. There's going to be three groups that submit to Christ's supreme authority, that acknowledge Christ's supremacy. First, those in heaven. Those in heaven that will include the holy angels, as well as all the redeemed believers of all ages. Hebrews 12, 22 and 23, but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. To an innumerable company of angels. To the General Assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God, the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect. In heaven, you have angels, you have the church of the firstborn, and you have men who have been glorified along with God. More description of who's going to be in heaven that will bow to the Lord, Revelation 5, 8 through 14. Now, when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb. Each having a heart and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and have made us kings and priests to our God. And we shall reign on the earth. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders. And the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands. So you have angels, you have living creatures and you have the elders. or the Saints. Thousands, ten thousands upon ten thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb who is slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such are in the sea and all that are in them, I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb forever and ever. Then the four living creatures said Amen, and the twenty four elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever. So the first group of people that will bow their knee are all those in heaven. The angels, the created creatures, all the redeemed saints will all bow to Christ's supremacy. To Him being the ultimate authority. To confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. The next group that will bow their knees are those on earth. Those on earth. That includes both the unredeemed and the redeemed. That includes the unregenerate and the regenerate. When we, everybody in this room, some saved, some unsaved, some regenerate, some unregenerate, some regenerate, we will all bow our knee and we will all acknowledge the supremacy of Christ. All of us. Second Thessalonians 1 8 through 10, when Christ returns in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who don't obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, these shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. When he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. The unregenerate will bow their knee as the wrath of God is being poured out upon them. As the wrath of God is being poured out upon the unregenerate, they will bow the knee and they will confess that Christ is Lord. They will go down in submission to His authority. And the saints who admire Him, they'll continue to worship Him. Imagine if Christ would come back right now. Imagine when we stand before Him in judgment. Everyone in this room, some of us will be on our knee, bowing our knee, because He is our Lord. And what else could we do? And others in here will be bowing their knee as His vengeance and His wrath is being poured out upon you. And you will bow your knee to Him. Jesus tells his disciples in John 13, 13, says 3, 13 in your outline is John 13, 13. You call me teacher and Lord. And you say, well, for so I am. I think I've lost the page. Oh, well, we'll go on. You call me teacher and Lord and you say, well, for so I am. Bear with me for just a minute here. Yep, so I'll go through that, I guess I can have it so we can talk about every time we'll confess. Every tongue will confess. To confess. And I don't know the blanks, so we're going to fill in the blanks later. I don't have a sheet, so I'm lost. No, not that. Well, there you go. Confess out or forth, to profess and acknowledge openly. The key to this is the word ex homologeo. It's an outward confession to profession. We've heard the word homologeo before. And we talk about if we confess Christ or deny Christ, the word homiligal, that is to be in agreement with, but the confession, the out loud confession of ex homiligal, that is, everyone will confess outwardly and out loud, Christ is Lord. Luke 2.11, when Christ came, When Christ came incarnate, when he came in the flesh, we see this. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. The angel said, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And there are many people who want a Savior. Many people at this time of what we call Christmas, what people celebrate, they say, Jesus the Savior has come. And they will look at this verse and they will say, praise God, Jesus came in the form of a man as a Savior. And indeed He did. But Jesus also came as Lord. Jesus is Lord. John 13.13 Jesus told His disciples, You call me teacher and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. Confess Jesus as Lord. His disciples confessed him as Lord. Many people will confess Jesus as their Savior. But not as their Lord. Every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Is He your Lord? Do you confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord? Or do you hope you have a Savior that you listen to if you want to and don't listen to if you don't want to? There will be, because of Christ's exaltation, we will all, every single one of us, will bow our knee and confess that He is Lord. And if you confess Him as your Savior and not your Lord, then you're not right with Him. X 236. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God had made this Jesus. Whom you crucify both Lord and Christ, both Lord and Christ, both a supreme authority over every eternal creature, every eternal creature is Christ is the Messiah of every eternal creature and the Lord. Jesus is called Lord 747 times in the New Testament. He's called Savior 25 times. In the book of Acts, Jesus is called Lord 92 times, and twice He is called Savior. It is true that Jesus Christ is the Savior of His people. It is true that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Whether we acknowledge that or don't acknowledge that while we're on this earth, we will acknowledge that when we bow our knee and confess Him as Lord when we meet Him for judgment. Every tongue will confess that He is Lord. Think about your own life. Think about people you know. You may confess, or people you know may confess Him as their Savior. Are you going to heaven? Yep. Why? Jesus died for my sins. How are you living? However I want. No, He's your Lord. He is the supreme authority. He is your Master. He is supreme over all created beings. That will be confessed. Now. Or it will be confessed later. When you have breathed your last, you will confess Lord Jesus Christ as Lord. as you're judged to hell. You will confess him as Lord, and you will join those that are under the earth. And that's all the fallen angels. And that's Satan himself. And that's all those that have died and have not been redeemed. Let's go back and pick that up. It's back in the other section, those under the earth, Revelation 20, 11 through 13. These people will all confess Jesus as Lord. These created beings, not just people. Chapter 20, verse 11, Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God and books were open. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which are written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death in Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. All those that are under the earth, all those that are in Hades now, will confess Jesus Christ as Lord, as the supreme being over all. They haven't yet. That's why they are where they are. They will. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is the supreme being. The authority over all. Every knee should bow. Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. To the glory of God the Father. The purpose of the exaltation of Christ. The purpose of the exaltation of Christ is the purpose of all things to bring glory to God. Christ's humiliation, which is then Then he becomes exalted, highly exalted, to be the name above all names, supreme over all created beings, all eternal created creatures. Everything is created eternally. He is over all. And the reason for that is to the glory of God the Father. That's the purpose of Christ's exaltation. John 5.23, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Hugh does not understand is not on the father who sent him. We do not worship God through Jesus. We worship Jesus as God. Jesus is God. Jesus God and His exaltation is to the glory of God the Father, whose plan it was, this redemptive plan was His plan. And it culminates in Christ's being raised up or exalted to this supreme place. The name above all names. All that He is above all that there is. All for the purpose of bringing glory to God the Father. John 17 1. Jesus spoke these words, lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son, that your son also may glorify you. Down to verse four. I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. And now, Father, glorify me together with yourself, with the glory which I had with you before the world was. The son will be glorified. The father will be glorified. God will be glorified. God the Father's plan will be glorified. That is the whole purpose of Christ's exaltation. The whole purpose of His humiliation. The whole purpose of His coming to this earth and taking the form of a man and dying that gruesome death. And then His exaltation. All of that was for the glory of God the Father. We too will be glorified. We, too, will be glorified in this passage. Remember, Paul is trying to show the Philippian church that this humiliation is tied to exaltation, just like it is for you and I. And we, too, will be glorified just as the father and son. First, John three, two beloved. Now we are children of God and has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. We shall be like Him. God will be glorified. Christ's exaltation brings glory to God. Our exaltation will bring glory to God. We will be glorified like Him to His glory. Look at Philippians 2, 9-11 again. Therefore, and what's the therefore? Because of God also, because of Christ's humiliation, because he came in this lowly form as a man, because he was humble, God has also highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. Lord, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Every knee should bow of those in heaven, of those on earth and of those under the earth. Every person, every angel, every holy angel, every dead person that was regenerate, every saint that has died, will bow their knee and confess Him as Lord. Everyone on the earth, every single person sitting in here, will confess Jesus Christ as Lord. You'll either do that now, in repentance and humble yourselves unto salvation or you will do it as you're being judged to damnation. But you will bow your knee and confess that he is Lord. That every the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven, of those on earth and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the Father. Closing thought. God's people are to have spiritual unity, which is accomplished via great humility. Our example of the level of humility needed is Christ himself. Christ's humility had him be highly exalted by the father. We, too, will be exalted as we follow his great example. Beloved, be encouraged. What a wonderful inheritance we possess. Sinners, repent and confess Christ's Lordship now, willingly, instead of later at your judgment. Two things I want us to walk away with, I want us to walk away with an encouragement, just like the Philippians had encouragement, that as we humble ourselves, we will be exalted. That's a promise. We will be exalted. We will be raised up to be with Christ and the Son and the Father in heaven. So we will be exalted. The other thing that I want us to understand today is you will confess Him as Lord, not just Savior. And you will do that. You have either done that now, and He is the Lord of your life, and you live consistent with that statement, that He is the Lord of my life. Therefore, the Lord of my life says, do this, I do this. The Lord of my life says, don't do this, I don't do this. Either you have confessed him as Lord and he is Lord of your life. Therefore, he is your savior or you will confess him as Lord. You will join. The demons, the fallen angels, you will join all those who have died unregenerate in confessing him as the supreme authority overall, as you are judged to an eternity in hell. Because of Christ's humiliation, he has been highly exalted. He is it. He is the name above all names and everything about his is supreme. That reality you will acknowledge. Some of you in here have not acknowledged that. And you will acknowledge that you will be on your knee and you'll be confessing him as Lord as you are sent For an eternity separated from him, an eternity of torment where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. For God's people, beloved, we are to be like minded, have spiritual unity, we are to humble ourselves and we too will be exalted. Father. Your perfect plan of redemption. was for your glory, your plan of redemption that included the ascension, the resurrection, the ascension, the kingship, the priesthood, the judgment of your son, Jesus. Father, that plan of redemption that as we would humble ourselves, as we would fall on the work, the finished work of your son Jesus on the cross, as we would confess Your son, Jesus, as our Lord and our Savior. Father, as we would humble ourselves, as we would humble ourselves that we could be unified in spirit, we could have one mind, one voice sharing the gospel. Father, and that as we humble ourselves, as we live in that way, we will be exalted. We will be exalted. if we've been humiliated. And if we're proud, we will be humbled. Father, I pray that this encourages us this day. It encourages us to continue in our humiliation as we think like you, which caused us to think like one another, which gives us a surrendered life for the spreading of the gospel, for your profit, for Christ's sake. Amen. you