🙏 Family Worship
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 · Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 7 — Christ the Mediator
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to us — not as a distant king, but as one of us. Open our eyes and our hearts this morning to see Jesus more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly. Amen.
Scripture Reading — Philippians 2:5–11 (ESV)
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5–11, ESV
Reflection
Think about the most powerful person you've ever heard of — a king, a president, someone who could have anything they wanted. Now imagine that person choosing, on purpose, to give up all of that. Not because they had to — but because they loved someone that much. That's what Jesus did, except far greater. Jesus didn't just give up a throne. He stepped down from being God in glory, and became a tiny baby, a working man, a servant.
Paul tells us that Jesus "emptied himself." That doesn't mean Jesus stopped being God — He never stopped being God. It means He laid aside the privileges of heaven to put on human skin, human hunger, human tiredness. He wept at a friend's grave. He got splinters in His hands as a carpenter. He did all of this willingly, all the way down to dying the most shameful death anyone could die in that day — on a cross. He went as low as it was possible to go.
And then — what a turn! — God raised Him up. Not just back to where He started, but higher than any name in heaven or earth. One day, every knee — from the greatest king to the proudest enemy — will bow before Jesus and say: He is Lord. This is our Jesus. Fully human, fully God, and fully worthy of our worship this morning.
Discussion Questions
- For the little ones: Jesus left heaven to be born as a baby — why do you think He did that? What does that tell you about how much He loves us?
- For everyone: Paul says to "have this mind" — to think the way Jesus thinks. What's one thing at home or school where you could choose to serve instead of be served this week?
- Going deeper: Verse 11 says one day every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord. How does knowing that change the way you face hard things today?
Closing Prayer
Have someone in the family pray, or use this as a guide:
Lord Jesus, thank You for coming down for us. Thank You that You didn't stay far away, but stepped into our world — into our mess — because You love us. Help us to think the way You think today: putting others first, serving quietly, and trusting that You lift up those who humble themselves. We confess with our whole hearts: Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.