Think About this Like Jesus Did (Part 3 of 3)

Jesus, the God-Man, born as a baby, came to die for all people's sins.  He is both God who can forgive sin and the perfect Man who can die for the sins of the world!

December 31, 2020

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Philippians 2:5-8

Part 3

Yesterday:  Jesus the servant-man!

“But made himself of no reputation.”
Jesus did not come to earth for His own benefit.  He was not here to make a name for Himself but to honor His Father.

“And took upon him the form of a servant.”
He had always been in the “form of God.”  Now He adds the “form of a servant” to His deity.

“And was made in the likeness of men.”
He was made like a man so that men could see Him and relate to Him.  In this “form,” he will be able to die for the sins of mankind.

 

Today: His Humility, Obedience, and Death

“And being found in fashion as a man.”
Jesus has added humanity to His deity.  People can now recognize Him as a man.  Imagine His enormous transition from King of Heaven down to become a man!  This helps us understand how He “emptied” Himself.  What humility is His!

 

“He humbled himself.”
To say the least!

 

“And became obedient.”
Jesus humbled Himself, and He became obedient.  As a child under Joseph and Mary’s leadership, Jesus learned to obey.  We need to understand that He learned to obey as one who always did right.  We had to learn obedience as sinners who disobeyed and ever lived for themselves.

“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Jesus learned His obedience through suffering.  Please notice that believers are obedient to Him.  Those who live disobedient lifestyles cannot claim to be saved!

 

“Unto death.”
He obeyed His Father all the way to death.  He only did His Father’s will.

 

“Even the death of the cross.”
There was no more shameful death in the Roman world than dying on a cross.  To be hanged on a cross naked.  In front of the world and allowed to slowly die was shameful indeed.  The Old Testament law taught,

“And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).

God cursed His own Son when He was on the “tree” paying for our sin!

“And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree” (Acts 10:39).

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

Jesus became a curse for our sakes.  He did this to redeem us.  Yes, our salvation is “free,” but it was extremely costly to Jesus!

“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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Because of Jesus’ obedience, He receives the glory for What He has done for us!

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9).

Believers, we need to glorify Him in this lost world!  Let’s pray that each of us will be strong and effective witnesses for Jesus Christ.

 

Quote:  “The Christian community is a community of the cross, for it has been brought into being by the cross, and the focus of its worship is the Lamb once slain, now glorified.  So the community of the cross is a community of celebration, a eucharistic community, ceaselessly offering to God through Christ the sacrifice of our praise and thanksgiving.  The Christian life is an unending festival.  And the festival we keep, now that our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed for us, is a joyful celebration of his sacrifice, together with a spiritual feasting upon it”[1] (John Stott).

 

May our Lord give you His best in this New Year!

 

 

 

[1] Stott’s quote Downloaded: Wednesday, December 30, 2020. From: https://www.christianquotes.info/top-quotes/19-important-quotes-about-the-cross/.