Empty

Empty

(Philippians 2:1-11)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Glorious”

Series Title:  “Beyond the Noise”

October 20^th, 2024

Something to think about:

Being empty is a scary thing indeed.  Who are we when we’re empty?  What defines us when those things we use to fill the void in our lives keep leaving us unfulfilled and hollow?  Am I my occupation?  Am I my gender, race, or ethnicity?  Who am I when all that seems to define me are the external things in life – the labels the world uses to describe me?  Why do I keep striving and searching for the perfect situation or thing to make me happy?

And what about the characters in the Bible?  Why does it seem that more often than not, that GOD calls people in the Bible to the desert places – the wilderness places – that are barren, dry, and empty?  Why does He call them to leave the things they know for the unknown?  Why does GOD call people to barren places?

As we continue our series today on “Solitude and Silence,” we will be exploring what it means to be empty, and why it is important sometimes to be empty in the presence of the LORD.

The passage of Scripture that best illustrates emptiness with a purpose is found in the New Testament letter of Paul to the church at Philippi.  He writes:

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?  Any comfort from his love?  Any fellowship together in the Spirit?  Are your hearts tender and compassionate?  ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

⁶ Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

⁸ he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus emptied Himself to find us.  Are we willing to empty ourselves to find Him?

Key Point:  “We must be empty in order to be filled.”

Let’s take a closer look at who Jesus was and what Jesus did:

• He was  .

Philippians 2:5-6 (NLT),  ⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  ⁶ Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

• He  himself.

Philippians 2:7a (NLT),  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges (other versions say, “he emptied himself);

• He was a  .

Philippians 2:7b-8 (NLT),  …He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Something to take home:

This emptiness, this God-shaped hole, can never truly be filled apart from surrendering to GOD in solitude and silence.  It’s in these moments of time spent with GOD that this empty space is filled with that which is truly freeing and satisfying for the soul.

Ruth Haley Barton writes, “While the experience of being empty is painful, emptiness is a prerequisite to being filled.  As it turns out, the presence of God is poured out most generously when there is space in our souls to receive him.  In the vast emptiness of the human soul, there is finally room for God.”[1]

Jesus emptied Himself to find us.  Are we willing to empty ourselves to find Him?

Key Point:  “We must be empty in order to be filled.”

[1] Ruth Haley Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, (InterVarsity Press:  Downers Grove, Illinois; 2010), 92.