Week 7 – Saturday – Knees and Tongues

Go read Philippians 2:1-11

<> Considering the humility of vs. 1-8, what is the tone of vs. 9-11?
<> What word does vs. 9 start with?
<> What is the connection between vs. 1-8 and vs. 9-11?

Important Body Parts
The two most important body parts you have are your tongue and your knees. No offense to the rest of you, but your knees and tongue are the most important because they are the quickest indicators of your heart. Knees that bow and tongues that confess reveal hearts that trust and hope in loving God. Stiff knees and silent tongues reveal hearts with no trust and no hope.

<> Based solely on your knees and your tongue as indicators, what is the condition of your heart?

Here’s why knees matter so much. If you are anything like me, you are tempted to overanalyze and turn spiritual truth into a mental issue. On the other hand, you can never logically reason your way out of whether or not your knees are willing to bow in surrender to God. At the end of the day knees that won’t bow reveal a heart that doesn’t trust, REGARDLESS of how smart you think you are. Who cares if you know the right answer, but you are unwilling to submit to God? All the answers in the world cannot make you live a life surrendered to Jesus.

<> Take a minute to analyze your knees.
<> How often do you hit them to pray?
<> Regardless of whether circumstances are good or not, how often do you humble yourself on your knees as a picture of surrender?
<> Have you become content with knowing the right answers while you refuse to submit to and obey your Savior and Lord?

Here’s why tongues matter so much. In the mental-cognitive spiritual game we like to play, I often let an issue float around in my brain with no answer acting like I am trying to seek God, but in reality I’m just lazily NOT DEALING with the issue. When I force ideas out of my brain and into real words through my tongue, they become real. I can’t hide in the mental maze when I put stuff into words. A confessing tongue is important in three contexts: 1.) Our personal relationship with God (Romans 10:9-13); 2.) Our relational interactions with other believers (James 5:16) and 3.) Our relationships with nonbelievers (Romans 10:13-15).

<> Take a minute to analyze your tongue.
<> What is the confession of your tongue to nonbelievers? Could friends of yours who don’t know Jesus answer clearly what you believe to be true based on your words?
<> Do you take time to encourage and build up believers?
<> Are you honest with God? Do you talk to Him about what’s really going on in your brain?

The Worship of Knees and Tongues
At the end of the day and as a result of His humility and death on the cross, God the Father will lift up Jesus as the rightful name above all names. We will watch and our knees and our tongues will know what to do. The important question is going to be whether our knees and tongues are well-practiced or not. At the moment when our knees have no other option other than to bow, will they be used to the idea and eager to continue – or will they be stiff and awkward and confused at the thought of humble submission? When our tongues have no other option other than to sing out in praise and confess that Jesus is Lord, will it be a continuation of what our tongues have been doing throughout our whole lives?

A hard thought is the fact that this day will not be joyful for everyone. EVERY knee will bow. EVERY tongue will confess. But for some, it will be a horrifically unexpected confession. So, that begs the question – “and how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” – Rom. 10:14.

<> Are your knees and tongue surrendered to as many possible being ready for the day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess?