… rather, he made himself nothing…
Summary: Paul’s description of Jesus gives us something to think about: Who is Jesus really?
When Paul writes that Jesus “made himself nothing,” he is not exaggerating.
Jesus could have made a grand entrance when he arrived for his visit to Earth. He could have revealed his glory and majesty for all to see. He could have made certain that no one dared question his authority.
All he had to do was to show up as himself.
In case you are wondering what that might look like, let’s turn to the Book of Revelation, Chapter One. John sees Jesus in his glorified form. He is like “a son of man” but different. His eyes are like “blazing fire,” and his feet like “bronze glowing in a furnace.” His voice is like “the sound of rushing waters” (vs 14-15).
Chapter nineteen describes Jesus sitting on a white horse, ready for war. “His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns” (v 12). Behind him are the “armies of heaven,” all riding white horses. The title he carries is KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS (v 16).
John describes his reaction to the sight of Jesus this way: “I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17).
Raw glory and power are like that. If Jesus had come to earth as John saw him in heaven, the entire world would have done the same.
Instead, “he made himself nothing.”
What does that look like?
About seven hundred years before Jesus was born, God, speaking through Isaiah the prophet, described Jesus this way:
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Isaiah 53:2-3)
Plain, unattractive, and ordinary are the adjectives that come to mind. Like the downtrodden on the street or sitting near us on a bus, someone we might turn away from.
That was our Jesus…
Application: Jesus did not come to impress the arrogant and prideful. He came to the humble and meek.
Food for Thought: How does Jesus’ example change how we think of ourselves?
How does Jesus’ example change how we think of ourselves?
Jesus came as a servant. Although He came as God incarnate, He served mankind in humility. In serving Him we should think of ourselves as a servant as well.
Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
Our service is receiving others in the name of Christ. But unlike serving a cause or a distant master, in serving Him we grow close to Him, and in serving others we grow closer to others.
Luke 9:48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
Our service to Him, for others, is something that is between us and the Lord, it is not meant for us to build ourselves up. We don’t need to seek the praise of our neighbor. Our boasting is in the Lord, who makes all things possible, including the transformation of our lives to be more like Him. Our joy is in knowing that our lives are pleasing to God.
Galatians 6:3-5 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.
Chris,
Thank you! I appreciate the Galatians 6:3-5 passage. Compared to God, we are all “nothing!” 🙂
Since He is humble and gentle, we should be too. We are called to reflect His image to the world and we are being transformed more and more into His image (2 Corinthians 3: 18). So we should resemble Him in some way. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11: 1: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Jesus said He was gentle and humble in heart. Matthew 11: 29: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
The child should be like the parent. He is gentle and humble, that should be our desire as well.
Thanks, Rich!
I love the “child and parent” example! Well said!
Jeff, Thanks for sending this every day. Something happens on Tuesday at our church, but I won’t mention it. Oh, it feels so good to do something nice. Thanks again
Paul
Hi Paul!
LOL! You are awesome!! Thank you for checking in here.