LETTER for MAY 1993

Dear Friends,

One of the things that the Apostle Paul tells us, in his description of Jesus and what he did, in Philippians chapter 2 and verses 6 to 11, is that Jesus humbled himself. This is found in verse 8. Paul says that "being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself", showing that this humiliation began the moment he was born. He goes on by saying that "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross", so telling us that this humiliation went on into his death. This humiliation encompassed the whole of Jesus’ life from the manger to the tomb. Paul emphasises that "he humbled himself" because this humbling was a voluntary act of the Saviour,

This humiliation was total. Earlier in these verses and in verse 7 the apostle says that Jesus "made himself nothing". The Authorised Version of the Bible translates this as "he made himself at no reputation", The emphasis is on the word ‘no’ and the word ‘nothing’, because these words describe the total completeness of this self humiliation. At the end Jesus had no shred of reputation left, either with God or man.

How greatly this helps us to understand more of the love and sacrifice of Jesus for us in order to save us from our sin.

When Jesus became a man, he became the substitute man for everyone, the new Adam to represent and take the place of the whole of fallen sinful humanity. His humbling himself totally was his act of taking upon himself and into himself all the degradation, pain and punishment which our sin deserves.

There was no one to stand by his side. He had to do it totally alone. No other human being could stand by him, because no one else was free from defilement from sin. In the end God, his Father, could not stand by him, because he was the just judge condemning sinful humanity in Jesus.

So the whole life of Jesus was this sacrifice of reputation. He gave up his reputation as God and became incarnate. He took the lowest place in human class, being born into a poor and humble family. He had no reputation at his birth, with no one caring, so that he was born in a stable, with a manger for a cradle,

His ministry commenced with him accepting baptism from the hands of John the Baptist so putting himself in the reputation of a sinner needing repentance, even though he was the Lord of Glory and stainless from sin.

He was then driven by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to suffer the consequence of the first Adam’s disobedience and experienced the power and dominion of Satan, but gloriously triumphing over the evil one.

He went into the synagogue when he started to preach and opened the scroll of the Scriptures at the place in Isaiah which spoke of the Messiah who would come to preach peace and salvation. He told them this prophecy was fulfilled in himself and so found himself pursued by the angry Jews bent on killing him.

Throughout his ministry though many flocked to him to hear him and be healed by him, he was still despised and rejected by the majority, and most who followed him did it for what they could get out of him, rather than for himself.

Then came his betrayal and trial. He was bound and delivered to Pilate as a common criminal, even though he had done nothing but good. He was betrayed by one of his own disciples. The rest of his disciples forsook him and fled. Pilate despised him, Herod mocked him, the Jaws vilified him, the soldiers laughed at him and used him to satisfy their cruel hearts. He was led to his death degraded as if he was the worst felon. He was crucified with two of the worst, arid so he was identified with the vilest of men.

During his trail the Jews vehemently accused him, but he remained silent, humbling himself by being ready to accept the responsibility of sins not his own, and bear their guilt in the place of the sinner.

On the cross he remained silent when mocked, and then alone entered the darkness when God also forsook him and heaped upon Jesus all his just wrath against sin,

If Barabbas had gone to the cross, there would have been someone who would have stood by him, bad though he was. No doubt the two thieves crucified beside Jesus had some who still loved them. Jesus was alone, with no one to support him. forsaken also by God. He trod the wine press of God’s wrath alone.

This and more is what was involved in his humbling himself and making himself of no reputation. And what was he doing. He was taking the place of sinful mankind, accepting the totality of rnankind’s sin and degradation, the humiliation which all the sin of the world deserved. He then bore it in our place, taking in himself all the just punishment due, and exhausting totally in himself the just wrath of God our sin, and the sin that the world deserved.

The height of his humiliation came when at the end he cried "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani" which was to say ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’. There he suffered the eternity of hell with alt its fierce pain and vile degradation.

And why did he do it? It was for love. And what was the heart of this love? It was infinite grace. And whom did he love and suffer for? It was for me and for you. And this is the wondrous truth that there is no humiliation our sin deserves that was not taken, and suffered and exhausted by Jesus, when he voluntarily humbled himself. As we mentally wend our way through his life and death as we read the Gospel story, we read of what he did for each one of us. There could be no greater story, and no greater lover of our souls than Jesus.

Such love reaches to the depth of our degradation and need. There is nothing we have done or can do that Jesus has not loved us enough to have already suffered for. Let the words "He humbled himself" and their meaning sink deep into our hearts and minds, so that the resurrection words of Jesus - Peace be with you - may find their resting place in our hearts and experience.

Your servant for Christ’s sake,