Servant King

Philippians 2:5-11New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
    he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
    and gave him the name
    that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

So maybe I might actually go more than two days with chapter 2 from Philippians.  As I read through this chapter again, it strikes me how rich it is in terms of how we see and talk about God.

These verses are some of the most famous of Paul's writings. Except, as I learned it, this part of the passage isn't really Paul's writings.  Instead, Paul is quoting a hymn from his day: a hymn that has much to say theologically speaking.

What does it mean for us that Jesus emptied himself?

That he took the form of a slave?

That he humbled himself?

And that it is in THAT humility and obedience that he is exalted.  It is in that servanthood that he is worthy of our bended knees?

Is that how we tend to think of him?

Is it his servanthood we lift up?

Is it his emptying himself of all the glory he is due to be put to death in way that is both horrifying and humiliating?

As we approach Holy Week, it strikes me that we miss out on a lot when we skip ahead to Easter without using both Lent and the passion of Holy Week to prepare us.  We tend to revel in the glory of resurrection before we see the humbling of the death that led us there.  

Because it is that humility; that obedience; that servanthood; that suffering that gives full meaning to the glory of Easter Day.

It isn't until we go through Friday that we get the full impact of what it means that Sunday's coming.

Sunday's comin' - but we've got to live through Friday first. Click this link - Sunday's comin' 

I encourage you, as Holy Week comes, to make the most of this season.  Live through the Passion this week with Jesus as Servant King without skipping ahead to Sunday.

Lord you came not to be served, but to serve. May the same mind be in me.  Amen.