APR 3

Philippians 2:5-8
Memorise Philippians 2:8
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"

IS CHRIST YOUR EXAMPLE IN HUMILITY?

As we desire to take Christ as our perfect example, we need to know Him better. The best way then, is to put on the mind of Christ, or as Paul put it, to ‘let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus’. But what does that mean? The passage before us elaborates on this thought, and zooms in on the idea of the great humility of Christ as He came to this world. This was God becoming man. Jesus put aside heaven’s glories and became like you and me, limited by time and space. He was ‘in the form of God’, meaning that he was fully God in heaven, with all the divine glory and power that is associated with being God. He was all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present, perfect in all His being. Yet when He came to earth, Jesus willingly emptied himself of his divine glory and was made in the likeness of man. He ‘thought it not robbery to be equal with God’ meaning he did not think the idea of ‘being God’ was something to grab hold of, or something too difficult to give up. He was willing to set aside some aspects of his divinity for a season, in order that He may come this world to save man. That is what it means by ‘made himself of no reputation’ - he emptied himself of the divine glory of being God, of the rights and privileges of being in heaven, and instead subjected himself to become weak, helpless, mortal man. What an amazing thought this is.

But not only that, verse 8 tells us of this purpose for which he came to the world – to die! The description of his extreme humility continues, as it describes how he, being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself even further, and submitted himself to become obedient unto death! Realize that it was not because Judas outsmarted him, or that the Roman soldiers were too strong. Jesus knew what was coming, and he willingly submitted himself to the hands of wicked men, to be put to death in the most humiliating way possible – being crucified as a common criminal on the cross. There, he faced the penalty not for his own sins, for he was perfect, but for the sin of the world, for the sin of mankind.

When we realize the magnitude of what Christ has done for us, our petty accomplishments and pride really count for nothing! Instead, let us take the example of Christ’s humility, and pattern our lives after Him. We must realize that nothing we suffer can ever compare to the great sacrifice that He has made for us.

Thought: Am I willing to suffer for the Lord?
Prayer: Lord, help me to see Jesus as my example for humility.