Title: Philippians 02:5-11 Jesus emptied himself
Contents
You can think of the life of Jesus in three stages. It can be divided into the birth of Jesus, the life of Jesus, and the death of Jesus. The event that Jesus was born into this world is of great significance. And if you look closely at how Jesus lived after his birth, there is a consistent attitude toward life. It also shows us the ultimate purpose of Jesus' death.
In this way, when we distinguish the life of Jesus, if we distinguish the essential parts of his life and birth, we see humility in the birth of Jesus. Through the life of Jesus, we see his service. We see how Jesus sacrificed himself through his final death. So, if we could describe the life of Jesus in one word, we could say that it was a life of humility, a life of service, and a life of sacrifice. So, what we must learn throughout life through the life of Jesus is humility, service, and a spirit of sacrifice.
The Bible speaks of the basis of this life. “But he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (verse 7).
How did Jesus achieve a life of humility, service, and sacrifice? It was accomplished by emptying oneself. The word 'empty yourself' here refers to a state in which water or grain in a bowl has been poured out. If you say this in another way, you can say that you have emptied your mind.
Jesus is God. He is equal to God. Nevertheless, he did not take on the same rights or glory as God, but gave up all of them and became completely human. When he became a human being, he became like a servant and achieved a life of humility, service, and sacrifice. May it be a time for all of us to learn humility, service, and sacrifice from Jesus.
It is important for us to believe in Jesus and achieve success throughout our lives, but more important than that is to learn the humility, service, and sacrifice of Jesus.
First we see the humility of Jesus in his birth. When Jesus was born, he gave up all the authority of God and was born in a humble manger. So we see Jesus' humility in his birth life. You can also see humility in his family. He was born the son of a carpenter despite being the glorious son of God. He was born poor, even though he could have had rich glory. He was born in a manger, and while he was alive, he said, "The birds in the air have nests, and the foxes have dens, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He was born of a carpenter's son, moreover a Nazarene in Galilee, although he had many great powers and a glorious family at the time. He gave up the pride of birth and was born in a poor, marginalized area.
When Jesus was born, his appearance was not respectful. The Bible says so, even though it was possible to be born with the power that created heaven and earth. "Without appearance, without appearance..." He did not conform to his appearance. Although Jesus had the power to create the heavens and the earth and to calm the seas, he always said that he lived according to the power that God gave him. Jesus confessed that he did not learn from a prestigious school or a rabbi, and that he was just doing the will of God the Father thoroughly.
Jesus did not associate with powerful or popular people at the time, nor did he associate with the most unpopular publicans and sinners, and he did not dwell on popularity. You were completely humble.
We need to be sober and humbly view our existence before we go to sleep. This is grace. Always see your existence before God from before the foundation of the world.
“And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of a cross” (verse 8).
The 'shape of man' means that, despite being God, he took on the form of a human being. He was brought low to take on the form of a man. Although he has the power of Almighty God, he wears a completely human body and is subject to the same physical and spatial limitations as humans. He confesses that he has the form of a servant like this. This is the expression of the lower being.
We have to humble ourselves before God with a humble heart, and humility is the image of receiving God's grace. Just like what fills an empty vessel, when you humble yourself, you realize that everything is by the grace of God.
I have published a book this time, and the title of the book is I Die Every Day.” This book is about God's plan for sending me into this world even before the foundation of the world. As I wrote this and read it afterward, I thought that life itself was a mystery. The more we live, the more we realize the secret of life is that God's grace is at work in every twist and turn of a person who is born and raised by parents, forms a family, and receives a calling in this world. It's not that I'm just living in a vague way, it's that God's grace is at work. No matter how small an incident, even a common thing that can be overlooked is not a coincidence, it is being grasped by the providence of God. When we think about the fact that God planned and foreordained one insignificant human being as dazzlingly precious before the foundation of the world, we come to realize that each and every journey of our life is the footsteps of God's walk. So, as I look back on my life's footsteps, tears flow when I confess that this was led by God's hand, and that it is God's work.
As I read this book, I discovered that I had no choice but to cry over and over again because I was moved by God's relentless love. It is no coincidence that the providence that God raised up when we were born, raised, and succumbed to countless crises and falls is no coincidence. . So, while confessing that mistakes are glory, failure is glory, sickness is glory, and all things are the grace of God, we feel that human beings have no choice but to humble themselves before God because it is all a miracle and God’s grace. . Even if I make money, it's not mine. The life time given to me is not mine. So, in the end, the only confession I can make is that everything is the grace of God.
If you think about it, to be born into a poor family is to know the incarnation of Christ, to know Jesus who was born in poverty and to shed tears when you were born on this earth to see Jesus who saved us with tears. It was God's plan to become a filial son of God. To live is indeed a mystery.
When we suffer, it is only when we meet Jesus who suffered, that suffering is worthwhile. What is the meaning if it ends in suffering?
A few days ago, a lecturer came to testify and saw that life was very difficult and difficult. From a human point of view, it can be said that it was unfortunate. When it was over, one of our church deacons said, "Lecturer, you've worked so hard." That's why I said, "Why do you say that? You've received a lot of grace during that time. That's it." and said. I'm not talking about suffering, I'm talking about grace. So, don't think about your hardships and receive grace.
Those who think they are going through hardships in life are pitiful people, and they must receive grace through those sufferings. If you lament that you are being beaten by your husband, you are a person who will be beaten, and if you are suffering from the cross while being beaten, you are receiving the grace of a martyr. If you starve and cry because you run out of food, then you are a person with a strong heart. If you realize that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by the grace of God” while starving, he embraces heaven. Knowing and living the mystery of Jesus is a blessing in life. I cannot have the same personality as Jesus, but the great grace of the Lord comes through my humbleness and my mistakes, and the great significance of the cross of Jesus comes through my transgressions, so Jesus is with me.
This humbleness of the Lord is because of me, and the reason Jesus was born in a lowly manger came to save me as a stranger and me as an animal. When we lose everything at some point and suffer, we must groan and receive God's grace. A mother who weeps while waiting for her child who has left home misses only her child and ends, but when I receive grace while thinking of the Lord who is waiting for me who has become like the prodigal son, that is God's providence to me. May the Lord's humility, sacrifice, and service of life be realized in our hearts.
The pulse that flows clearly in the life of Jesus Christ is self-abandonment. So that kind of humility and sacrifice came out. If you look at the life of Jesus, Jesus is completely fulfilling his life by serving him.
The person of Jesus is “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” The Lord's heart is humility, service, and sacrifice. When this happens, there are blessings promised to us. “Therefore God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (verses 9-10).
Those who are in heaven are angels, those who are on earth are us, and those under the earth are the saints who are dead and are in the tombs. They all kneel down to Jesus, in other words, bow down.
“Every tongue has confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (verse 11).
The result is to the glory of our Heavenly Father. It is an honor to be bowed down. To be bowed down is not to boast of oneself, but to be bowed down, so it is to the glory of God. His name is to glorify God by shining. Because he is exalted, it is to the glory of God. This is a concrete event in life that glorifies God.
Now, wherever we are, the life that is exalted after we empty ourselves, the name that shines after we empty ourselves, and the respect that appears after we empty ourselves, it is the fact that all of these are revealed to the glory of God.
The mystery of Christmas is that the Lord has come to us so that we can fulfill the deep glory of life that He showed us through humility, service, and sacrifice for all of us. May this grace come to you.
Firm: double-headed pastor