What opinion do you have of yourself? Because of the lofty position you hold, at least in your own eyes, what service do you think is degrading and “beneath” you? Washing dishes? Baby-sitting children? Visiting prisoners?
The apostle Paul, writing from a Roman prison cell, exhorted you and me to have the same attitude of Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8, NIV) How repulsive and prideful to think anything-any job, any person, any position, any service, any task, any place-is beneath you and me when Jesus, Lord of glory, Creator of the universe, left heaven’s throne and took upon Himself the form of a servant! The way up is down!
In our increasingly secularized society, spiritual suffering is often ignored. It seems to get categorized under all sorts of psychosomatic labels. We may try to drug it, drown it, or lock it up, but it doesn’t go away because it is very real. The spiritual suffering Jesus endured on the cross is not as easily recognizable as His physical and emotional suffering, but it was by far the worst suffering of all. We first glimpse it when Jesus was stripped of His robe and left to hang virtually naked before the world. The emotional shame and humiliation would have been acute for any dignified Jewish rabbi. Yet it wouldn’t even have warranted an honorable mention alongside the spiritual humiliation He endured as He was spiritually stripped of His robe of righteousness in God’s eyes.
Christ didn’t just take our sins upon Himself, He became those sins for us. Imagine how dirty and vile and evil and guilty and ashamed Jesus must have felt as He hung there before a holy God with our sins exposed as though they were His! Would you thank Him for bearing your sin – so that you can wear His righteousness?
Hymn writers and artists have conveyed to us a picture of Jesus hanging on a Cross on a hill far away. In fact, the place of execution was just outside the city gate, beside the main road leading into Jerusalem. And those to be crucified were only raised two to eighteen inches above the ground. That meant all the dignity and modesty and purity of Jesus’ physical person was stripped away and He was left naked to die in searing, scorching heat, writhing and groaning in agony, at virtually eye level with those who passed by on their way to and from the city.
In their rush to get to the temple area in time to purchase a lamb for sacrifice, did the pilgrims preparing for Passover even notice the Lamb that God was sacrificing for their sin? As Jesus poured out His life, people must have passed by without a glance.
In a small way, are you pouring out your life for those who don’t notice? Jesus understands.
What is your reaction to that verse? Jesus is the One Who died for you and me! Surely He’s not saying you and I must die for Him! Death is a pretty big stretch from your daily prayer, “God, bless me indeed,” isn’t it? And it’s not nearly as full of wonder and excitement, and if we’re honest, personal profit. God wants to bless you and me even more than we could think to ask, but the power that produces the blessing comes through brokenness and death. And not just any death, but death by crucifixion.
I will tell you honestly from experience that crucifixion is a slow, painful death to your self. It is impossible for victims to crucify themselves. Crucifixion is the result of our decision to yield ourselves to God as He allows various pressures and problems and pain into our lives. They are used to put us to death that we might be raised to an abundant . . . victorious . . . blessed . . . fruitful . . . powerful . . . Christlike . . . Spirit-filled life. And remember-after the Cross comes the resurrection and the glory!
