Written by Kara Benson, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Alabama
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Is. 53:7 NIV)
Knowing His betrayal and arrest were imminent, Jesus was in anguish. His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. The time had come. Death was no longer in the distance; it had arrived at His doorstep. How could He go through with it? How could Jesus suffer not only abandonment, humiliation, torture, and crucifixion, but bear the sins and sorrows of humanity? Christ was able to be committed unto death because of His humility, trust in God, and love for us.
Humility.
[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Php. 2:6-8)
Jesus wanted the cup to pass from Him and prayed that it would, but He humbled Himself and accepted God’s plan (Mt. 26:39). The divine Son of God willingly assumed the lowest social status, served, sacrificed, and suffered so He could sympathize with us and secure a means of salvation. According to the previous verse in Philippians 2, we are called to have the same Christlike mindset and attitude of humility (v. 5)!
Trust in God.
Because Christ humbled Himself and submitted to death,
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Php. 2:9-11)
Jesus trusted that God would take care of Him and glorify Him at the appropriate time. His faith was greater than His turmoil. “Being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly…” (Lk. 22:44). Jesus poured out His heart in prayer. He didn’t hold back His emotions or His pain. He also didn’t hold back Himself; He fully obeyed His Father and laid down His life (Jn. 10:17-18). Christ’s deep trust in the Father enabled Him to commit to death.
Love for us.
While someone might possibly dare to die for a righteous person, dying for an unrighteous person would be generally considered preposterous. However, Christ died for us while we were still sinners: “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (Ro. 5:6). In addition to creating us, giving us the very breath in our lungs, and holding all things together in the Son, Romans 5:8 identifies how God demonstrates His love for us: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Truly Christ is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (Jn. 10:14-15).
Christ’s commitment to death was more than a commitment to His own death; it was a commitment to our death as well.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Co. 5:14-15)
As disciples of Christ, we should follow His example. We should be willing to die for our Lord.
Rather than one monumental sacrifice we might make in the future, our focus should be on daily devotion: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it” (Lk. 9:23-24). That calling comes with a promise: “…be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
We are called—committed—to die to ourselves and to live in Christ, for Christ, because of Christ, and with Christ in us.
For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal. 2:19-20)
In light of Christ’s commitment to death and our calling to follow in His steps, “let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).
Like our Lord, let us practice humility, trust in God, and love. How can you excel still more in each of these areas?