Wednesday after Trinity XIII - Devotion in semi-Exile
Lection for Wednesday after Trinity XIII
2 Kings 6:1-23 Philippians 1:21-2:11
Jesus humbled Himself, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. True God, took on human flesh. He took on the trappings of one of those He created, in order to serve the creatures. He humbled Himself, obedient to the point of death. In our text, God tells us through the pen of Paul, that your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
What kind of attitude is it in Jesus that God says you should adapt? The attitude of obedience. Do you have that attitude? Think about it.
Do you always do exactly as the boss, your teacher, or your parents tell you to do? You are given the task or assignment, and you do it immediately and with a smile? Do you always follow all the traffic laws? You know, 55 in the 55 zone? 65 in the 65 zone? And that 8-sided red sign never gets the old tap-n-go or the slow-n-roll treatment?
What about obedience to God and His laws? That is the obedience being spoken of here, Jesus’ obedience to His Father’s will. You are to have the same attitude. What is the Father’s will for you? Keep His name holy and that His kingdom would come.
You keep His name holy when you live holy lives according to His Word, and when you proclaim and use His name in holy manner. His kingdom comes when we proclaim His name and Word, and His Spirit moves others to believe and His Kingdom of Grace (His Church on earth) is built up in faith and truth.
Jesus’ did both, always. His love of the Father is His obedience unto death. Jesus love for His neighbor is His willingness to be obedient unto death to win for you and me eternal salvation.
What is your attitude? What is your attitude toward God and His will? Is it your joy to live your life in accordance to His Word? Or are you looking for the “grey area” to live your life, always flirting with that fine line of; that’s sinful, that is not.
More than anything else, our sinful flesh is flirting with disaster, falling into sins and then trying to lamely excuse them.
Why did He who made all flesh endure the beatings, the scourging, and abuse of His flesh at the hands of evil men? Why did He who set the course of the starry host allow Himself to be led out to the hill called Golgotha to be crucified between to thieves? Why did He who created all life, allow His life to be brutally snuffed out? Why did He who ruled in heaven take upon Himself the nature of the servant and be made in human likeness to suffer all this? Why did He humble Himself and become obedient, even to death upon the cross?
Did He do all this so that you might be forgiven? Yes! Did He do this so that you might go out and live your life with flagrant disregard to the Laws He gave to rule and reign in your life? No! If not, why not? Why do you and I not live in obedience to God?
Dear friends, your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Here is the great exchange. Jesus is in His very nature God. Yet, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. The second person of the Trinity made Himself nothing. He took on the very nature of a servant, He took on human flesh. It was the incarnate God who was obedient in all things.
The Word of God became flesh, He made His dwelling among mankind, He exchanged His divine power and glory for a body like yours and mine. As a man, Jesus didn’t succumb to temptation. He kept Himself pure, free all sin. Instead, during His life on earth, He exhibited the traits we all desire to emulate in our daily walk as a Christian. He never failed to be complete in all; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
God exchanged His place as king and ruler to place Himself as subject to the same laws and rules you and I must endure. As God, Christ is the One who demands the obedience of His subjects. He exchanges His dominion and rule and places Himself is subjugation to His Father, willfully obedient.
What is most amazing, as He was found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death; even death on a cross! This was the great exchange – His life for yours – His life of obedience for your life of self-gratification and selfish indulgence.
It is for this reason that the Father exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The great exchange means that glory of Christ’s name is yours. Christ’s obedience is yours. The reason Jesus took on the likeness of mankind is to be obedient in exchange for you. When you confess Jesus as Lord, faith takes a posture of humility, confessing that you need a Savior from sin and death. In that obedience, you receive the life of your King as your very own.
Your King came in humility – born in the poverty of a Bethlehem stable. He rode a foal of a donkey into Jerusalem for a purpose, to give His life unto death.
On the last day, when He returns in glory, He will be acknowledged as Lord. On that day, every knee will bow to Him. Some will bow to Him in their unending shame and to their eternal remorse.
Your knees will bow at the glad recognition that your King exchanged His glory for shame, that He might be the source of your unending joy. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Kings 6:1-23 Philippians 1:21-2:11
Jesus humbled Himself, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. True God, took on human flesh. He took on the trappings of one of those He created, in order to serve the creatures. He humbled Himself, obedient to the point of death. In our text, God tells us through the pen of Paul, that your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
What kind of attitude is it in Jesus that God says you should adapt? The attitude of obedience. Do you have that attitude? Think about it.
Do you always do exactly as the boss, your teacher, or your parents tell you to do? You are given the task or assignment, and you do it immediately and with a smile? Do you always follow all the traffic laws? You know, 55 in the 55 zone? 65 in the 65 zone? And that 8-sided red sign never gets the old tap-n-go or the slow-n-roll treatment?
What about obedience to God and His laws? That is the obedience being spoken of here, Jesus’ obedience to His Father’s will. You are to have the same attitude. What is the Father’s will for you? Keep His name holy and that His kingdom would come.
You keep His name holy when you live holy lives according to His Word, and when you proclaim and use His name in holy manner. His kingdom comes when we proclaim His name and Word, and His Spirit moves others to believe and His Kingdom of Grace (His Church on earth) is built up in faith and truth.
Jesus’ did both, always. His love of the Father is His obedience unto death. Jesus love for His neighbor is His willingness to be obedient unto death to win for you and me eternal salvation.
What is your attitude? What is your attitude toward God and His will? Is it your joy to live your life in accordance to His Word? Or are you looking for the “grey area” to live your life, always flirting with that fine line of; that’s sinful, that is not.
More than anything else, our sinful flesh is flirting with disaster, falling into sins and then trying to lamely excuse them.
Why did He who made all flesh endure the beatings, the scourging, and abuse of His flesh at the hands of evil men? Why did He who set the course of the starry host allow Himself to be led out to the hill called Golgotha to be crucified between to thieves? Why did He who created all life, allow His life to be brutally snuffed out? Why did He who ruled in heaven take upon Himself the nature of the servant and be made in human likeness to suffer all this? Why did He humble Himself and become obedient, even to death upon the cross?
Did He do all this so that you might be forgiven? Yes! Did He do this so that you might go out and live your life with flagrant disregard to the Laws He gave to rule and reign in your life? No! If not, why not? Why do you and I not live in obedience to God?
Dear friends, your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Here is the great exchange. Jesus is in His very nature God. Yet, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. The second person of the Trinity made Himself nothing. He took on the very nature of a servant, He took on human flesh. It was the incarnate God who was obedient in all things.
The Word of God became flesh, He made His dwelling among mankind, He exchanged His divine power and glory for a body like yours and mine. As a man, Jesus didn’t succumb to temptation. He kept Himself pure, free all sin. Instead, during His life on earth, He exhibited the traits we all desire to emulate in our daily walk as a Christian. He never failed to be complete in all; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
God exchanged His place as king and ruler to place Himself as subject to the same laws and rules you and I must endure. As God, Christ is the One who demands the obedience of His subjects. He exchanges His dominion and rule and places Himself is subjugation to His Father, willfully obedient.
What is most amazing, as He was found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death; even death on a cross! This was the great exchange – His life for yours – His life of obedience for your life of self-gratification and selfish indulgence.
It is for this reason that the Father exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The great exchange means that glory of Christ’s name is yours. Christ’s obedience is yours. The reason Jesus took on the likeness of mankind is to be obedient in exchange for you. When you confess Jesus as Lord, faith takes a posture of humility, confessing that you need a Savior from sin and death. In that obedience, you receive the life of your King as your very own.
Your King came in humility – born in the poverty of a Bethlehem stable. He rode a foal of a donkey into Jerusalem for a purpose, to give His life unto death.
On the last day, when He returns in glory, He will be acknowledged as Lord. On that day, every knee will bow to Him. Some will bow to Him in their unending shame and to their eternal remorse.
Your knees will bow at the glad recognition that your King exchanged His glory for shame, that He might be the source of your unending joy. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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