Though He was God,
He did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
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,
He humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
(Philippians 02: 06 - 08 NLT)
For some people, He is Christ Jesus the Saviour; for others, He is Christ Jesus the Man. For those of us who have put our trust in Him, He is both! An identifiable and sensible 'both'. Jesus lived amongst us, served amidst all of our chaos, spoke of the way, and He was that way. We find both a Saviour and a Man in the incredible presence that the world once witnessed and continues to witness in the name of Jesus.
Pause for a moment and realise. From being the Creator, He humbled Himself, all the way, to becoming the very creation of His own hands. God became Man, and this amazes us to the core. As we trace the life and ministry of Christ Jesus, we trace the path of the Son of God, obedient to His calling and to the gruesome death on the cross. He was found in human flesh and blood, fragile and vulnerable to the conditions of humans, yet He lived without sin! However, despite the Godliness and power that He carried within Himself, Christ Jesus expressed humility and obedience.
As believers, we are called to imitate Christ's humility. In the book of Philippians, chapter 2, we find Apostle Paul encouraging the church in Philippi to imitate Christ's humility in their relationships with one another. Paul says,
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? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2: 1-4).This was a tremendous spiritual encouragement indeed. It was a calling to be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and mind, nothing out of selfishness but in humility, valuing others above yourself, and looking to the interests of others rather than your own. It is from these roots that Paul identifies Christ's humility. In Philippians 2: 6-8, we find Paul reminding us that Christ Jesus, though He was God, did not cling to the equal status that He had with God. Instead of upholding the place He had in the Holy Trinity, Jesus gave up all His divine privileges and was ready to take up the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. Paul further insists on the learning that even when Jesus appeared in human form, He was ready to humble himself further by accepting the cross and dying a criminal's death. Christ was ready to become the lowest of the lowest, in heaven and on earth!
I find Paul to be highlighting two words which are also the reasons behind this sacrificial love of Christ. One is humility and the other, obedience. At one point, Paul writes, "He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being" (2:7), and then, he again insists by saying, "He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross" (2:8). We are led by the scripture to observe and realise how these two characteristics of Christ paved the way for Him to become the Saviour whom we worship and adore. Christ Jesus was humble and obedient to the core, and today the calling is very clear. As we continue to serve God as individuals and as a church, let us carry with us the precious characteristics of 'God the Man' whose life and ministry of example our eyes witnessed. Let us be servants of God who are humble and obedient as we continue to serve.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us, now and forever more. Amen.
May God bless you.
Above All Powers, Above All Kingdom
by Michael W. Smith
