Philippians 2:8 "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--- even death on a cross!"
Such was the humility of Christ that he did not even count his life his own but submitted to death. This wasn't a glorified death nor was it a quick death. No, it was a slow and humiliating death on a cross. He was beaten and mocked, a crown of thorns was scoffingly placed on his head. His broken and bruised body was not able to bear the weight of his cross as he stumbled up the hill to Calvary where nails pounded though hands and feet to the wooden beams and he was left, stripped of dignity to suffocate to his death. He was able to humble himself in this way because of his hope of exaltation by God. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scoring it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of God." And Philippians 2:9 tells that Jesus humbled himself, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place..."
Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) As Jesus suffered so are we. Denying, acting as if it does not exist. Picking up my cross and carrying it to the place where I put to death the flesh. But even as it screams in pain, protest, and humiliation, I must leave it there to die. Why would I want to put myself through this painful act of removing, killing the very thing that once controlled my life? The only reason is for the joy that is set before me. The freedom that dying to self and living for Christ carries, the hope of God commending me, the joy of eternity. Jim Elliot said that, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose." Paul said in Philippians 3, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whose sake i have lost all things."Right after Jesus' command to take up our cross he says, "For whoever wants to save his life will loose it, but whoever looses his life for me will find it."
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Philippians 2:7 "but made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Instead of grasping his position as God, Christ made himself nothing, took on a servant's nature, became like man. In this way he connected with man. He disregarded his position, comfort, rights and reputation in order to serve and to relate to men. For Christ to have refused to put on one hundred percent of man, he would not have been able to completely relate to the people he came to save. Without experiencing the struggles of man, he could not be an intercessor for them. Without making himself nothing, disregarding himself and his own rights to serve , he would not have been able to show the unconditional and selfless love that drew men to himself. It was in this way that Christ and his salvation plan connected with mankind.
Likewise, I will not be able to effectivly influence fellow humans for Christ without making myself nothing, disregarding position, rights, comfort, and reputation in order to relate to the people that I am trying to serve. I must make my self nothing, dying to the flesh, so that Christ can be all of my strength, so that he can work through me. I must seek to relate, to listen and learn, to understand a person and who they are in order to relate to them on the deepest level and be able to effectively serve them.
When I go to Cambodia in a few months it will be necessary to adopt this strategy in order to effectivly communicate the gospel. As Paul did, I will need to "become all things to all men." But now I am in Guatemala and I have this same opportunity surrounding me everyday. I can seek to relate to those around me whether it be Guatemalan people at Kids club or in town or my own team. To connect with and relate to these people requires sacrafice of myself but it is worth it. I must take time to listen and understand in order to relate and be able to effectivly serve. My goal to apply this is to learn more Spanish and also, when in conversation, to seek more to listen to understand rather than just to listen to respond.
Instead of grasping his position as God, Christ made himself nothing, took on a servant's nature, became like man. In this way he connected with man. He disregarded his position, comfort, rights and reputation in order to serve and to relate to men. For Christ to have refused to put on one hundred percent of man, he would not have been able to completely relate to the people he came to save. Without experiencing the struggles of man, he could not be an intercessor for them. Without making himself nothing, disregarding himself and his own rights to serve , he would not have been able to show the unconditional and selfless love that drew men to himself. It was in this way that Christ and his salvation plan connected with mankind.
Likewise, I will not be able to effectivly influence fellow humans for Christ without making myself nothing, disregarding position, rights, comfort, and reputation in order to relate to the people that I am trying to serve. I must make my self nothing, dying to the flesh, so that Christ can be all of my strength, so that he can work through me. I must seek to relate, to listen and learn, to understand a person and who they are in order to relate to them on the deepest level and be able to effectively serve them.
When I go to Cambodia in a few months it will be necessary to adopt this strategy in order to effectivly communicate the gospel. As Paul did, I will need to "become all things to all men." But now I am in Guatemala and I have this same opportunity surrounding me everyday. I can seek to relate to those around me whether it be Guatemalan people at Kids club or in town or my own team. To connect with and relate to these people requires sacrafice of myself but it is worth it. I must take time to listen and understand in order to relate and be able to effectivly serve. My goal to apply this is to learn more Spanish and also, when in conversation, to seek more to listen to understand rather than just to listen to respond.
Philippians 2:5-6 "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature with God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,"
The creator stooping below the creation. The humility of Christ was so great that in love he did not cling to his position of being God, but stooped to serve man so that they could benefit. Christ came to earth and lived a human life. In order to relate to our weaknesses and become the perfect sacrafice for our sins, he had to become one of us. He cloaked himself in our weak and imperfect human nature in order to be able to intercede for our sin that separated us from God.
But in pride and defiance, we rebelled against him and clung to our lives of sin. Despite this, he humbled himself to our position and served us. He took on the position of man to save us. Yet he was "despised and rejected" by the people he sacrafided his position to serve.
Christ did not grasp his position of God, but in humility and love became a man in order to relate to my weaknesses and intercede on my behalf. He took on my nature to become the perfect sacrafice for sin. In light of this, where do I have room to exalt myself before a brother. He even humbled himself to serve me, in my pride, knowing that I would never realize to the fullest extent what he actually sacraficed. He humbled himself to someone far below himself.
He has asked me to do the same. In John 14, Christ stooped to the position of the lowest servant by washing each of the disciples feet. After performing this act of humility he told his disciples, "...Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a mess anger greater than the one who sent him." (John 13:13-16)
As humans, we tend to look to wealth, or education, or age, or social status to determine our position. While it is not neccasarily wrong to have a position, Christ still had his position as God, we are not to grasp it, cling to it, or take pride in it. In light of the position that Christ, my Master took to exalt us, I have no place to claim position before my brothers, but ought to humble myself as Christ, who is greater than me, did before me. God himself, in humility, stooped below his position to save me and set me free, how much more ought I to take that place of humiltiy before him and others. This shows how detestable pride is. That i should think myself worthy to claim a position and not humbly serve my brothers after all that Christ let go of to serve an unworthy, unholy creature such as me.
The creator stooping below the creation. The humility of Christ was so great that in love he did not cling to his position of being God, but stooped to serve man so that they could benefit. Christ came to earth and lived a human life. In order to relate to our weaknesses and become the perfect sacrafice for our sins, he had to become one of us. He cloaked himself in our weak and imperfect human nature in order to be able to intercede for our sin that separated us from God.
But in pride and defiance, we rebelled against him and clung to our lives of sin. Despite this, he humbled himself to our position and served us. He took on the position of man to save us. Yet he was "despised and rejected" by the people he sacrafided his position to serve.
Christ did not grasp his position of God, but in humility and love became a man in order to relate to my weaknesses and intercede on my behalf. He took on my nature to become the perfect sacrafice for sin. In light of this, where do I have room to exalt myself before a brother. He even humbled himself to serve me, in my pride, knowing that I would never realize to the fullest extent what he actually sacraficed. He humbled himself to someone far below himself.
He has asked me to do the same. In John 14, Christ stooped to the position of the lowest servant by washing each of the disciples feet. After performing this act of humility he told his disciples, "...Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a mess anger greater than the one who sent him." (John 13:13-16)
As humans, we tend to look to wealth, or education, or age, or social status to determine our position. While it is not neccasarily wrong to have a position, Christ still had his position as God, we are not to grasp it, cling to it, or take pride in it. In light of the position that Christ, my Master took to exalt us, I have no place to claim position before my brothers, but ought to humble myself as Christ, who is greater than me, did before me. God himself, in humility, stooped below his position to save me and set me free, how much more ought I to take that place of humiltiy before him and others. This shows how detestable pride is. That i should think myself worthy to claim a position and not humbly serve my brothers after all that Christ let go of to serve an unworthy, unholy creature such as me.
Philippians 2:4 "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
As a body, we are dependant on on another. "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!'...But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that their should be no division in the body, but that it's parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12:21, 24b-26)
How selfish it would be for me to disconnect myself from the body, thinking, in pride, that i have no need of it. I would surely shrivel up and die. No, the body gives life but it means death to self. Because now, as part of the body, I cannot act on my own. As a body we have one spirit and one purpose and of course we have the responsibility to look out not only for our own interests, but the other member's interests as well because as a unit, their well being is important to the function of the body as a unit. If I think that that i have no need of the body, it won't be important for me to look after their interests. I then will only strive after selfish gain and will in that way disconnect myself from the life that the body gives.
But since, as the Body of Christ, we have one spirit and one purpose. When they suffer, I am to suffer, when they rejoice, I am to rejoice. "Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law if Christ." (Galatians 6:2) "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)
If we are striving toward the same goal with one mind, there will not be opportunity for selfish ambition or envy within the body because we will be one in spirit and in purpose. We truly will suffer with those who are suffering and rejoice with those who are rejoicing, because their interests are my interests as we seek together towards our goal which is Christ. My application for today is to look for ways to praise God with those who are rejoicing and to bear the burdens of those who are mourning.
As a body, we are dependant on on another. "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!'...But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that their should be no division in the body, but that it's parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12:21, 24b-26)
How selfish it would be for me to disconnect myself from the body, thinking, in pride, that i have no need of it. I would surely shrivel up and die. No, the body gives life but it means death to self. Because now, as part of the body, I cannot act on my own. As a body we have one spirit and one purpose and of course we have the responsibility to look out not only for our own interests, but the other member's interests as well because as a unit, their well being is important to the function of the body as a unit. If I think that that i have no need of the body, it won't be important for me to look after their interests. I then will only strive after selfish gain and will in that way disconnect myself from the life that the body gives.
But since, as the Body of Christ, we have one spirit and one purpose. When they suffer, I am to suffer, when they rejoice, I am to rejoice. "Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law if Christ." (Galatians 6:2) "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)
If we are striving toward the same goal with one mind, there will not be opportunity for selfish ambition or envy within the body because we will be one in spirit and in purpose. We truly will suffer with those who are suffering and rejoice with those who are rejoicing, because their interests are my interests as we seek together towards our goal which is Christ. My application for today is to look for ways to praise God with those who are rejoicing and to bear the burdens of those who are mourning.
Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
I cannot help but think of how CS Lewis said it, "In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that---and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison--- you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you." (CS Lewis, "Mere Christianity" p.96)
That is in essence what pride is. When we have distorted and exalted our place. And if we refuse to humble ourselves before man, we cannot be humble before God. Just as it happened it Eden, man, in their pride, sought to overrule God. They took the fruit in disobedience because it promised exaltation, that they would be like God. Their lack of humility showed, not only in their relationship to God, but also in their relationship to each other. Neither of them took ownership of the sin, but blamed the other, attempting to in some way exalt themselves while tearing down the other.
The world screams every man for himself, creating chaos and disunity. But we are called to something higher. When we put God in his proper place and realize our undeservedness of his goodness and grace, we will be compelled to extend the same grace to others, considering then as better than ourselves. In realizing that before God we have no rights, neither will we have any to claim before man.
The verse right before this one sets stage for the humble attitude I am to wear. Philippians 2:2 reads, "...make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." As the body in Christ, we have one purpose, one hope. Our mission is to build the body, not exalt ourselves. That is why there is no room for selfish ambition or vain conceit. Because a body is dependant. A body works together to grow. One part of the body is weak where another part is strong. It is a unit. In pride, I tend to isolate myself from the body, seeking to build myself up through my selfish ambitions and conceit, disconnecting myself from the body and adopting an 'every man for himself' attitude. When I refuse to humble myself, and think of myself to highly, I am forgetting the common purpose with the body of Christ that i am called to work together to fulfill.
This past week the Lord has been revealing to me walls that I have built up in my heart that have been preventing me from greater unity with the body of Christ. In selfishness I have built them. Their purposes of these walls vary, but they are all rooted in one thing: pride. My application is to go before God and meditate on his grace that he has given me although I have nothing to offer and then to bring before him some of these walls that I have built, asking him to remove them.
I cannot help but think of how CS Lewis said it, "In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that---and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison--- you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you." (CS Lewis, "Mere Christianity" p.96)
That is in essence what pride is. When we have distorted and exalted our place. And if we refuse to humble ourselves before man, we cannot be humble before God. Just as it happened it Eden, man, in their pride, sought to overrule God. They took the fruit in disobedience because it promised exaltation, that they would be like God. Their lack of humility showed, not only in their relationship to God, but also in their relationship to each other. Neither of them took ownership of the sin, but blamed the other, attempting to in some way exalt themselves while tearing down the other.
The world screams every man for himself, creating chaos and disunity. But we are called to something higher. When we put God in his proper place and realize our undeservedness of his goodness and grace, we will be compelled to extend the same grace to others, considering then as better than ourselves. In realizing that before God we have no rights, neither will we have any to claim before man.
The verse right before this one sets stage for the humble attitude I am to wear. Philippians 2:2 reads, "...make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." As the body in Christ, we have one purpose, one hope. Our mission is to build the body, not exalt ourselves. That is why there is no room for selfish ambition or vain conceit. Because a body is dependant. A body works together to grow. One part of the body is weak where another part is strong. It is a unit. In pride, I tend to isolate myself from the body, seeking to build myself up through my selfish ambitions and conceit, disconnecting myself from the body and adopting an 'every man for himself' attitude. When I refuse to humble myself, and think of myself to highly, I am forgetting the common purpose with the body of Christ that i am called to work together to fulfill.
This past week the Lord has been revealing to me walls that I have built up in my heart that have been preventing me from greater unity with the body of Christ. In selfishness I have built them. Their purposes of these walls vary, but they are all rooted in one thing: pride. My application is to go before God and meditate on his grace that he has given me although I have nothing to offer and then to bring before him some of these walls that I have built, asking him to remove them.
Friday, August 21, 2015
John 14:19 "Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live."
Christ lives. He died, but he has defeated death and now he lives. Because of this, he has given me power also to live to live a new life.
"If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin may be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--- because anyone who died has been free from sin." (Romans 6:5-7)
"For if, by the trespass of one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
The power of the resurrection to live a new life exceeds the power of sin and death that once reigned over me. Because Christ lives, I also can live through sharing in his death. The battle of sin can be won. It is to easy to live like it's not true. To easy to give up battling the flesh and think, 'it can't be won,' then succumb, living in defeat. For too long, I have not claimed the power that is mine to live a victorious life. Because of the resurrection, I do not have to live in the shackles of slavery anymore.
This is the power we have: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart my be enlightened in order that you may know...his incomparably great power for us who beleive. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:18-21)
This same power is mine, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. In sharing with his death, I also can live. I must not succumb to sin in defeat, believing that there is not victory. Although it will be painful and hard, there is victory. "He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (Ephesians 1:4) This is a difficult task to accomplish on my own, in fact it is impossible. But he has called me go it and has not left me without the power to live in victory over sin.
Christ lives. He died, but he has defeated death and now he lives. Because of this, he has given me power also to live to live a new life.
"If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin may be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--- because anyone who died has been free from sin." (Romans 6:5-7)
"For if, by the trespass of one man [Adam], death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
The power of the resurrection to live a new life exceeds the power of sin and death that once reigned over me. Because Christ lives, I also can live through sharing in his death. The battle of sin can be won. It is to easy to live like it's not true. To easy to give up battling the flesh and think, 'it can't be won,' then succumb, living in defeat. For too long, I have not claimed the power that is mine to live a victorious life. Because of the resurrection, I do not have to live in the shackles of slavery anymore.
This is the power we have: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart my be enlightened in order that you may know...his incomparably great power for us who beleive. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Ephesians 1:18-21)
This same power is mine, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. In sharing with his death, I also can live. I must not succumb to sin in defeat, believing that there is not victory. Although it will be painful and hard, there is victory. "He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." (Ephesians 1:4) This is a difficult task to accomplish on my own, in fact it is impossible. But he has called me go it and has not left me without the power to live in victory over sin.
John 14:18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
Humans were in a state of hopelessness. They failed. Their choices separated them from God and brought the world into bondage to sin. Our sinful nature put a gap between us and God in his holiness and perfection that we could never try to cross on our own. God came to us. "For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son..." (John 3:16)
I was dead in my transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1), I was shrouded in darkness, enslaved to sin, apart from God. I could never make myself alive by any power that i have, because, being dead, i had none. But God came to me. "But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions..." (Ephesians 2:4-5)
In this passage in John, we see again, man in a helpless position---Jesus, who had just completed this great redemptive work in the history of man, and who would leave the disciples with an enormous mission---to reach every tribe, tongue, people, and nation with this good news, was about to leave the earth. But he promised that he would not leave them alone, he said, "I will come to you." Although not physically, the Holy Spirit would be sent to give them power to complete the mission at hand.
He does not leave us as orphans, left alone, without a Father, he does not look at our helpless state without compassion. He sent his Son to provide a way to be reconciled us to God and drew us out of that dominions of darkness, making us alive in Christ. Now he has sent his Spirit as our Counselor, guiding us into truth, giving us the power to complete the task at hand.
I haven't done anything to provide means to be reconciled to God, neither have done anything to be made alive in Christ. Likewise, I have no power to be "holy and blameless and in his sight" (Ephesians 1:4) which is what I have been chosen for, neither do I have the power to spread the love of God or the gospel. No, he has come and has given me power. He has not meant for me to accomplish this things on my own. James 4:2 says "...You do not have, because you do not ask God." Today i desire to rely more on the Spirit's power but asking him in specific ways for strength for the day instead of going through the day on my own power.
Humans were in a state of hopelessness. They failed. Their choices separated them from God and brought the world into bondage to sin. Our sinful nature put a gap between us and God in his holiness and perfection that we could never try to cross on our own. God came to us. "For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son..." (John 3:16)
I was dead in my transgressions and sins (Ephesians 2:1), I was shrouded in darkness, enslaved to sin, apart from God. I could never make myself alive by any power that i have, because, being dead, i had none. But God came to me. "But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions..." (Ephesians 2:4-5)
In this passage in John, we see again, man in a helpless position---Jesus, who had just completed this great redemptive work in the history of man, and who would leave the disciples with an enormous mission---to reach every tribe, tongue, people, and nation with this good news, was about to leave the earth. But he promised that he would not leave them alone, he said, "I will come to you." Although not physically, the Holy Spirit would be sent to give them power to complete the mission at hand.
He does not leave us as orphans, left alone, without a Father, he does not look at our helpless state without compassion. He sent his Son to provide a way to be reconciled us to God and drew us out of that dominions of darkness, making us alive in Christ. Now he has sent his Spirit as our Counselor, guiding us into truth, giving us the power to complete the task at hand.
I haven't done anything to provide means to be reconciled to God, neither have done anything to be made alive in Christ. Likewise, I have no power to be "holy and blameless and in his sight" (Ephesians 1:4) which is what I have been chosen for, neither do I have the power to spread the love of God or the gospel. No, he has come and has given me power. He has not meant for me to accomplish this things on my own. James 4:2 says "...You do not have, because you do not ask God." Today i desire to rely more on the Spirit's power but asking him in specific ways for strength for the day instead of going through the day on my own power.
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