It is February 15, 1921. In the operating room of the Kane Summit Hospital, Dr. Evan O'Neil Kane is performing an appendectomy, but this is no ordinary appendectomy. First, it marked the first use of local anaesthesia in major surgery. Dr. Kane believed local anaesthetic was much safer than general anaesthetic, and while many colleagues and patients agreed with him, no one was willing to be the first person to have an appendectomy under local anaesthesia. Because he wasn't able to find a volunteer for the procedure, he operated on himself!
Dr. Kane put his own well-being at risk to gain his patients' trust and show his care for them. Jesus did the same thing. He humbled himself by taking on human form and subjecting himself to a cruel, human death.
The readings we heard earlier this morning from Isaiah 50:4-9 and Philippians 2:5-11 talk about how we are live like Christ, including suffering for our faith. The reading from Luke's Gospel talks about how Christ suffered for us so we can have a renewed relationship in faith with Jesus. Isaiah talks about the servant who submits to the father's will. Paul tells us in Philippians to be like Christ. Christ was the suffering servant Isaiah referred to-the servant who submits himself to the father's will and a cruel, painful death to save us.
Suffering tests our faith and our relationship with God. When we suffer, we often ask ourselves why God is allowing us to suffer. In cases of accident or sickness, we don't have any choice in the matter. The suffering servant is suffering because he or she is God's servant. Somehow the suffering servant has heard that his or her suffering is for the cause of right and therefore he or she believes that God will not abandon the one trying to be faithful.
Christ humbled himself and emptied himself of his deity to obey his father's will. He emptied himself of his glory. He emptied himself of independent authority. He released the voluntary exercise of his divine attributes. He gave up eternal riches. He gave up his intimate relationship with God the Father
Obeying God's will for his life also meant that Christ had to submit to the voluntary humiliation of the cruellest form of torture known at that time-crucifixion. Crucifixion was not simply a convenient way to execute criminals. It was the ultimate indignity, a public statement by the Romans that the crucified person was beyond contempt. The unbearable pain was magnified by the degradation and humiliation. No other form of death could match crucifixion as an absolute destruction of the person. It was the ultimate contrast to Christ's divine majesty and therefore it was the ultimate expression of his obedience to God.
By lowering himself, he was exalted by God. We must also submit ourselves to God's will. Paul used Christ's example to teach us how to live the Christian life. Because Christ was an obedient servant, he serves as a good example for us to follow. When we become servants, we give up the right to be in charge of who and what we serve. When we do, we will be free, but we will also be vulnerable.
Christ calls us to service for three main reasons. First, he wants to rid us of our human pride and selfishness so we can focus our lives on him. Second, by serving others in humility we show our love for Christ. Third, God tests and purifies our hearts through service.
Christ is the ultimate example of selfless humility. He submitted himself to God's will like a servant submits to the will of his or her master. Jesus calls on us to deny ourselves and follow him through sacrificial service to others. Jesus believed in the Law, taught the Law and lived the Law on the cross. In other words, he didn't just "talk the talk". He also "walked the walk". Just like Jesus submitted himself to God's will, we are called to submit ourselves to God's will by worshipping him in true faith and by serving others just like Jesus served others.
The way we act reflects our faith. If we claim to be Christians, people around us will equate our actions with Jesus. In other words we are to act like Jesus would act. We are to follow the Golden Rule. When we lead lives of humble servanthood, when we follow God's plan and direction, and when we bow down before him we become the disciples that he wants us to be. Only then can we be exalted by God. Only then can we build God's kingdom here on earth.
In order to be like Jesus, we have to spend time with Jesus. The more time we spend him by reading and studying his word and talking with him through regular, earnest prayer, the more we begin to think like him. We also become more like Jesus by studying what has been written by other Christian leaders. For example, when I prepare homilies I always consult commentaries and other articles written by pastors such as Dr. Charles Stanley, John MacArthur, Rick Warren, Billy Graham, Charles H. Spurgeon and others. Finally, we can be like Jesus by studying the Bible with other Christians. In my own life, I attend Trinity's Monday night Bible study, and I get a copy of the notes from the Wednesday morning Bible study thanks to Sandra, our hard-working church secretary.
As I mentioned earlier, when we become servants of God, we will be free, but we will also be vulnerable. We can't please God if we don't have faith. That involves taking risks. Peter took a risk when Jesus told him to get out of the boat and walk to him on the water. He took a risk, and was able to do amazing things. There is an old adage "No risk, no reward". If we are willing to take risks, God can do amazing things for us, to us and with us.
When we have a sense of Christ's love, we will be humbled. That doesn't mean that we are weak. Jesus showed us that humility in fact requires great strength and courage, both of which come from an unshakeable faith in God. When we are determined to follow Christ's example, Satan becomes more determined to stop us. He will use every trick he knows to divert us from godly pursuits. We must be careful not to let interruptions keep us from our time with God.
Even when we follow Christ, we can become discouraged when life deals us challenges. When this happens, it can be easy for us to forget all the good things God has done for us. The only way to correct this attitude of defeat is to do something else Jesus did regularly-pray.
By humbling himself, Jesus was exalted by God. Those who humble themselves before God will be exalted by God. One day we will also exalt him by bowing down before him, but right now we can exalt him by serving others in humility like he did. We suffer and serve with Christ so that we may share Christ's glory. Those who face the greatest struggles in life hold on to God with all their heart and have the greatest confidence in sharing Christ's glory.
Nothing is beneath us since Jesus humbled himself and served others. Christ taught us this valuable lesson, so we would be well-advised to listen to him. We need to have humble hearts. Christ valued humility and service, and this should be our model for daily living.
Those of you who are sports fans have seen how some players celebrate great plays. They dance around in the end zone of a football field or get slapped on the back by their fellow hockey players. Others simply toss the puck or the football back to the referee and return to the bench or the sidelines without any fuss. Some Christians are like that. They hope that the few big plays they make in their walk of faith will earn them a spot on Jesus' team.
When it comes to serving in the church, people rarely ask for positions where they will go unnoticed. If they want to serve in the church, they usually ask for positions of leadership. Now there is nothing wrong with serving in a leadership capacity if that's what God calls you to do, but God calls us to have a servant's heart. He wants us to glorify him and not ourselves. God places us where he wants us to serve, and we must give our all in everything he asks us to do. God wants our obedience and our best effort.
Our congregation here at Trinity Anglican Church is full of examples of people who serve in humility and to the best of their ability in the areas where God has placed them to be. Our Sunday School teachers have been given the job of teaching our young people how to walk in faith. Our organist and choir serve faithfully by leading us in our singing. Shirley and Marion serve the sick and shut-ins by visiting them and taking food to them. Pam serves God faithfully by being our Primate's World Relief and Development Fund representative-a position she has held for many years. In fact, when she was recently made an Honorary Director of the National PWRDF, she gave the credit not to her own efforts, but to the people of this parish. Our Altar Guild members such as Barbara are the unsung heroes who make sure that our hangings, silverware and altar are in tip-top shape for weekly worship services.
Even ordinary people can be humble servants for God in their daily lives, and there is no greater example than mothers and fathers. The best example I can think is my own mother. Many times she sacrificed her own ambitions and goals to serve the needs of her own children and grandchildren. Now that she is elderly and enjoying her golden years, her children and grandchildren are returning the favour. I have been spending a lot of time lately helping her as she recovers from her recent knee replacement surgery, and for me it is a labour of love and humility.
Eventually, every knee will bow before Jesus and confess him as their Lord and Saviour, as Paul mentions in Philippians 2:10-11. At that time, people who have already humbled themselves before him as a part of their daily lives will not hesitate to bow down before him and give him praise. It will be like they have always been there, and there will be no penalty for excessive celebration.
