Medals and Honour
In our lounge we have a photo of the graduation ceremonies of three of our four sons. We were so proud of them on that day!
In the world of human honours and titles, few people are prepared to let them go. Most of us want others to know we did this or accomplished that - or went there or came from them.
But as we make our way through the First Christian Hymn found in Philippians 2, we come across Someone who was prepared to let all former honours go.
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death –
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
Translators try and capture the Greek meaning in different ways. Jesus Christ did not think equality with God....
"...something to be grasped"
"...something to be used for his own advantage"
"...something to cling to"
The Son of God gave up the "trappings" of Divinity
The babe of Bethlehem was, just a moment before the incarnation, worshipped by clouds of angels. As the second Person of the Godhead he enjoyed - and utterly deserved - all the glorious names that can be given to God.
But then one day his Father sent him on a rescue mission. And in order to accomplish that mission he would have to give up all his glory - or shall we say, more accurately, all that divine glory would have to be veiled.
The Queen of England would have to take off her crown, find an outfit from Primark and take the 512 Wolverhampton bus to run down Whitmoreans.
There was no other way to identify with the wretches whom Jesus came to save. He would have to come down and enter their beggardly world.
You and I have never come across a monarch or lettered or decorated person willing to give up their crown for their subjects.
Can you imagine what would have happened if Jesus had said "no?" to this aspect of his mission? If he had come to earth dressed in the powerful glory of divinity? No-one in Bethlehem would have been able to stand the sight. Mere mortals would have fled in fear of the Majesty divine.
No Pharisee would have dared to mock him, no Roman soldiers could have arrested him.
So there would have been no cross, no atonement, no death, no resurrection and no salvation.
Summing it All Up
Why did Jesus let all the glorious trappings of divinity pass him by? Because he loved us so.
And says, Paul, if we want to love people the way Jesus loved, we too must come off every high and mighty throne, put on a towel and be prepared to wash feet.
This first hymn was written to encourage Christians to authentic Christian community. And, teaches Paul, that starts by laying aside all our supposed greatness or achievements and being prepared to serve one another lowly, as Jesus did.
A SONG FOR THE DAY
Here is a wonderful children's hymn that has come to mind as I have been writing this blog. We used to sing it with our kids many a moon ago - because its words were deep - and I am so glad someone on YouTube has brought it up to date. Sing along with it HERE and if you have children, sing along with them too. It is Saturday after all.
1 It is a thing most wonderful,
almost too wonderful to be,
that God's own Son should come from heav'n,
and die to save a child like me.
2 And yet I know that it is true:
He chose a poor and humble lot,
and wept and toiled and mourned and died
for love of those who loved Him not.
3 I cannot tell how He could love
a child so weak and full of sin;
His love must be most wonderful
if He could die my love to win.
4 I sometimes think about the cross,
and shut my eyes, and try to see
the cruel nails and crown of thorns,
and Jesus crucified for me.
5 But even could I see Him die,
I could but see a little part
of that great love which, like a fire,
is always burning in His heart.
6 It is most wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
but 'tis more wonderful to see
my love for him so faint and poor.
7 And yet I want to love Thee, Lord;
O light the flame within my heart,
and I will love Thee more and more,
until I see Thee as Thou art.
William Walsham How
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our ever-loving Father in Heaven,
We thank you for this beautiful day. We worship you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Today we thank you for the humbling of your Son. How could he, we wonder, love us, so weak and full of sin? We say with our hymn writer, "His love must be most wonderful if He could die my love to win."
We pray that you would help us always to be humble, to lay aside all foolish mirages of greatness and learn what it means to serve our brothers and sisters in these days.
And may we serve our world too.
For Christ's sake we pray these things,
Amen.
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