The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 2:5-8,
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as
Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality
with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made
himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in
human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled
himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!"
Merriam-Webster provides the following definitions for "mindset": "a
mental attitude or inclination, a fixed state of mind, a mental
inclination, tendency, or habit." Paul describes the mindset of Jesus
Christ in a moving reminder of his service to us in tremendous
humility, particularly when considering his station as God the Son.
Although he was God, Jesus Christ did not cling to what was his as God
in order to provide us a way into his family. He "made himself
nothing" by becoming a man with a body, entering into the human race
to sacrifice his body on our behalf. As sinners, all mankind faced
God's own judgment of an eternity in hell - every individual. To make
a way for us to not only avoid such an horrific fate, but also to be
enabled to join his own family with a place at his table, he
sacrificed his body as full payment for each one of my sins and each
one of your sins. This is what is meant by the prophetic proclamation
of God's servant, "Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by
his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each
of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the
iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:4-6. What humility! What servant-hood!
When here Jesus Christ provided us with the greatest expression of
love. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for
one's friends." John 15:13. As Paul portrays Jesus Christ in
Philippians 2:5-8, the stunning expression of the love of God's own
Son for us sinners is graphically portrayed in the cross of Jesus
Christ. A cross that we are told he looked forward to with joy, "For
the joy set before him [Jesus Christ] he endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Hebrews 12:2. What love!
All the Scriptures inevitably point to Jesus Christ, no matter the
part you find yourself in. Here in Philippians is a remarkable
statement of Paul that speaks of the mindset of Jesus Christ, a
mindset of humility, a mindset of servant-hood, a mindset of love, a
mindset energized by his own joy in what he pursued: wretched sinners
just like me!
Breathtaking, isn't it?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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