Sunday September 20
Jesus’ Self-Sacrificing Love
The apostle Paul encourages us to “let” or “allow” or “permit” the mind of Christ to dwell in us. This leads us to some fascinating questions. What was the mind of Christ like? What governed His thought patterns? What was the essence of His thinking?
Read Philippians 2:5-11.
2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
2:11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
How do these verses reveal the heart of Christ’s thinking and the pattern that governed His entire life?
When Satan sinned, God had a problem. As we see, Satan infected not only heaven, but this Earth also. God put into motion a plan that would not only transform all who would accept His plan on this Earth, but would protect the universe for eternity from another Satan. He would put an end to sin while leaving all creation with free will. In order to do this, it would require Him taking a great risk. He allowed His innocent Son to step inbetween Adam and death, to take upon Himself the fallen nature of man and to come to this dark spot in the universe a helpless baby to fight the battle of life as we must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss. Herein is love. Wonder O heavens and be astonished O Earth!!
When Adam sinned, Jesus went to the Father and asked Him if He could then pay the price for the sins of the world as they had agreed before the foundation of the Earth was laid. Three times He went to His Father before He agreed. It was not easy for our heavenly Father to let His Son become our Savior, but He did. For you and for me. Such love that God has for humanity!!
From all eternity Jesus was equal with God. Paul declares this eternal truth in these words, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God” (Phil. 2:6, NKJV). The word translated “form” is the Greek word morphe. It means the very essence of a thing. It links two things that are of equal value. The SDA Bible Commentary puts it this way: “This places Christ on an equality with the Father, and sets Him far above every other power. Paul stresses this in order to portray more vividly the depths of Christ’s voluntary humiliation”. — Volume 7, p. 154. Speaking of His eternal nature, Ellen G. White adds, “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived”. — The Desire of Ages, p. 530.
Jesus, who was equal with God from all eternity, “made Himself of no reputation” (Phil. 2:7, NKJV). This also is a fascinating Greek expression. It literally can be translated “emptied”. Jesus voluntarily “emptied Himself” of His privileges and prerogatives as God’s equal to take on the form of a man and become a humble servant of humanity. As a servant, He revealed heaven’s law of love to the entire universe and, eventually, performed the ultimate act of love on the cross. He gave His life to save ours, eternally.
The essence of Jesus’ thinking was self-sacrificial love. To follow Jesus means that we love as He loved, serve as He served, and minister as He ministered. Allowing Jesus through His Holy Spirit to empty us of selfish ambition will cost us something. It cost Jesus everything. But Scripture says of Jesus, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9, NKJV).
Heaven will be worth any sacrifice we make on earth. There will be sacrifices along the way, but the joys of service will outweigh them today, and the eternal joy of living with Christ throughout all eternity will make any sacrifice we make here seem insignificant.
When was the last time you truly had to die to self for Christ’s sake? What does your answer say to you about your Christian walk?
We do not believe in once saved always saved. We must die to self daily. We must maintain our connection with Christ moment by moment. If we allow our minds to wander away from Jesus, we have no power to resist the smallest temptation. We shall face trials daily, they are for our good and God's glory if we will abide in Jesus and He in us. God wants us to grow in our character. While our motives are pure and holy at conversion, we may possess a greater abundance of love, joy, and peace as we overcome self daily.