Christmas: It’s All About Giving
WHEN JESUS GAVE HIMSELF TO MAN
Philippians 2:5 - 8
One of the joys of being a parent is the opportunity to reflect on how much my parents gave to me. As a child I really did not understand the sacrifices they made in order that my brother, sisters and me could have a good life. There was no way I could fully appreciate it. But now, I cannot thank God enough for them. I cannot thank them enough for the sacrifices they made just to clothe and feed five children off of meager incomes much less see to it that we all went to college. I cannot thank them enough for the nights they stayed up when we were sick and then worked a full day the next day. I cannot thank them enough for the little extra things they did to my our lives more joyful even when they had to be sacrificing their our needs and wants. When I think about it, they simply gave themselves to us and never complained. They blessings came from meeting our needs.
In reality, as much as my parents gave unto me and as much as I will ever be able to give to my children, my Lord Jesus gave even more. As we approach Christmas, I want us to stop and reflect on what Jesus gave to us when He chose to make Himself man.
Before we can understand what Jesus gave up, we must first understand what he had before He to earth.
THE PRE-INCARNATE STATE OF OUR LORD JESUS (2:6)
Who, being in the form of God,thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
1) His Divine Person
"being in the form of God..."
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
John 1:1 3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God
Heb 1:3a Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
2) His Majestic Position
"...thought it not robbery to be equal with God."
-Sovereign King of Kings
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
(Isa 6:1 4) In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
(Isa 66:1) Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest
3) His Unlimited Power
(John 1: 3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
(Col 1:15 17) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
THE INCARNATE STATE OF OUR LORD JESUS (2:7-8)
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
"...made Himself of no reputation..."
(kenoþ: 1.. to empty, make empty:
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright 8 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.)
(kenow) to completely remove or eliminate elements of high status or rank by eliminating all privileges or prerogatives associated with such status or rank ’to empty oneself, to divest oneself of position.’ (Greek English Lexicon Based on Semantic Domain. Copyright (c) 1988 United Bible Societies, New York.)
**(Amplified Bible) But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity]
**(Living Bible) but laid aside his mighty power and glory,
When Jesus Gave Himself He gave up His
1) Position of Privilege and Pomp and Voluntarily took the Robe of a Lowly Servant
(Matt 8:20) And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
2) Position of Adoration and Voluntarily took the Seat of Ridicule
(Isa 53:3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
(Ps 22:6 8) But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
3) Rank of Authority and Voluntarily Placed Himself Under Authority
-Parents
-John the Baptist
-Caesar
Luke 20:25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
4) Incorruptible Body of Spirit and Voluntarily
Clothed Himself with a Body of Flesh
-A Body that was Uncomely
(Isa 53:2) For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
-A Body Limited to Time and Space
-A Body that Could be Tempted
(James 1:13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
(Heb 4:15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
-A Body that could Feel Pain
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
-A Body that could Taste Death
5) Joy of Living and Voluntary accepted the Sting of Death
(Mark 10:45) For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
(John 10:17 18) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I....
6) Sweet Fellowship with His Father to Voluntarily Taste the Bitterness of Forsakenness
Matt 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
7) Perfect Holiness and Voluntarily Took Upon Himself the Sin of Man
(1 Peter 2:24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
(Heb 9:28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
(2 Cor 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
CONCLUSION
Before we conclude we must ask ourselves, Why? Why did Jesus give so much for us?
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
