Jesus, thank you!

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

The Attitude of Christ

Phil. 2:5-11
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Even though Jesus was literally GOD in the flesh, He did not come down to earth in great power, and take a high position. With all of the power He had, he could have taken any position he desired, and lived absolutely any kind of lifestyle he wanted. But, what did he do? He emptied Himself. What did he empty himself of? He chose to put off His exalted position. Christ went from one extreme to the other. He went from powerful Creator, to servant of the poor. He chose to take on our human form, so that there was nothing in Him that would appeal to the world.

For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. Is. 53:2

To the eyes of the world Christ was a nobody, he had nothing that the people of the world would be envious of. It says he humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death on the cross. Christ could not have been brought any lower than dying the death of a criminal. Because of this humility, God raised Him up above everyone and everything.

This is the attitude Paul tells us to have.

Posted by Jeremy Turner :: 7:01 AM :: 5 comments