Colossians 1:15-17 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Here was someone, son of the almighty God, who used to have all of the universe at his immediate senses, now restricted to two hands, ten fingers with which to feel His world. Here was someone who used to enjoy the splendor of all of space and time, who was now thirsty and hungry, and in need of a bathroom on occasion. Here was someone who used to put the sun in the sky and the stars in their place, and He would now carry around pieces of wood, following His earthly father’s footsteps. He would eventually carry a wooden cross which was probably full of splinters and not very well polished. And he would know, he was a carpenter by trade.
Philipians 2:6-8 (Jesus) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
I flew around a bunch this year and I just moan when I get into one of those seats. They're the reason I can’t sleep on planes or buses, etc. As soon as I sat down in one of those seats I can immediately foresee the misery ahead, whether it's a one hour bus ride or that crazy 14 hour flight to Hong Kong. So imagine uncomfortable, how restrictive, how demeaning, how insulting must it have been for Jesus, being born in the likeness of men, humbling himself to such a treatment for 33 years.
He could have said, screw this finiteness, they’re going to betray me anyways, I’m just going to take my rightful place as God over these people. But he didn’t Lord himself over us, knowing that the Father did not want to scare us into being with Him.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Even his displays of power, his miracles here on earth would be done quietly on the down low, and they were really for our sake,
John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."
Yet frequently He was mocked for that restraint. Satan tempted him after fasting 40 days in the desert when He was hungry and thirsty.
Matthew 4:3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
People mocked him about it as they looked at Him hanging, dying on the cross.
Luke 23:34-40 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." I wonder how many times daily Jesus would have to say that for us if He blood didn’t wipe us clean once and for all.
At any point in His 33 years on Earth, ending with his crucifixion on the cross, Jesus had every right to say you don’t deserve what I’m doing. He had every right to say I’m not enduring humanness, frailty and suffering for you people anymore. But he didn’t. He wished to save us, so he embraced being human, and submitted to the cross because he shared the Father’s love for us. He endured his entire, what must have been comparatively abysmal, human life, which started in a dirty animal stall and ended on a cross separated from His Father, whose wrath for us for all time rested against Him. He embraced that for us.
I’ve heard some people say that Christianity is really about Easter, and certainly without the resurrection there wouldn’t be hope of life, this one or the next, for any of us. But this Christmas, and right now before communion, let’s not just think about Christ’s birth as just a cute nativity scene with fluffy lambs and old wise men. The Son of God gave up His splendor, submitted Himself to being a man, so He could wash us clean by His blood. The price He paid began long before the cross, Christmas was truly the beginning of our salvation.
