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Text: Philippians 2:6-11

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1. Respecting vital Gospel humility in the life of the church, Paul's just urged us to have the mind of Christ. This 'hymn' unfolds that mind. It displays Christ's voluntary or willful humiliation for the sake of our salvation. In verse 6a, how does Paul set us up to be amazed at the level of Christ's humiliation? Asked another way, what does it mean for Christ to have been in 'the form of God'? Might it have something to do with 'equality with God' (so 2:6b)?
2. In 2:6b, the ESV reads that, though Christ was in the form of God, He didn't 'count equality with God a thing to be grasped.' I think that's a good rendering, but what might that mean? That Christ decided equality with God was something He couldn't attain to? Or that the equality He had with God, He didn't count as something to be exploited for His own advantage—it wasn't something to be grasped but given for others? How does it's immediate context help us? For instance, we were just told that Christ WAS in the form of God and, just after, we're given the explanatory contract, that Christ (in not counting equality with God a thing to be grasped) made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. How might *the incarnation help us to understand Christ's pre-incarnate 'counting'? How does that relate to our 'counting' in verse 3?
3. In 2:7, Paul speaks to Christ's incarnation as part of His humiliation. Is it humbling to consider that it was an infinite condescension just for Christ to become like us? How does that address any pride in us? Further, in 2:8, what is the depth of Christ's humiliation? Is it just death? Is it death on a cross? Is it death on HIS cross? What's the difference?
4. In 2:9-11, in response to Christ's saving work, accomplished by way of His inexpressibly humble mind, God super-exalts Him. How high does God exalt Jesus? What does God bestow on Him? What is that Name? Will all bow and confess Jesus is Lord? Does that mean that all, Satan included, will be saved (universalism)? If not, is there a difference in how we will do this and how the unbelieving being will do this? What was the chief goal of Christ in all His work?
5. How might the Christ Hymn address our hymnody? What elements marked ancient hymns that, as a part of Scripture, should mark our music for corporate worship? How does this passage develop humility in us? What sights do we see? What motives to it? What's the ultimate goal? How should we respond this minute?