Now let’s consider Philippians 2:6-8:
[Jesus] “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:6-8 (NIV)
Here we see Jesus, the Lord of Glory, and His way of making us right with God. Look how far down Jesus kept going, look how low He continued to go, step after step after step, downward he went. The almighty God became a man; the perfect man became a servant, the servant humbled Himself to die as a criminal on a cross. Why? He died to raise you to a new life in Him. He came to earth to bring you to heaven; He died on a cross to make you righteous before God. He came down to lift you up.
It’s interesting in Genesis 11, the people wanted to make a name for themselves, by going higher and higher. But Jesus, by going lower and lower, was given “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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)
So, what can we learn from this contrast? First of all, we see the amazing length to which Jesus went. He just couldn't seem to go low enough for us: from heaven to earth, from God to man, from man to a servant, from a servant to being treated as a criminal. Jesus went from heaven to hell. He kept going lower for us. He couldn't go any lower than He went taking your sin upon Himself, wrapping it around himself like a garment.
He went to the cross, was stripped naked except for the garment of our sins, nails were pounded into His hands and feet, a crown of thorns was placed upon His head, and a soldier stabbed his heart and out came blood and water, and there He hung His head and died.
Jesus went to the lowest depths to raise you and me up to the highest heights of heaven, to save us from sin's penalty, to rescue us from sin's power, to redeem us from the curse of the law, and to make us righteous.
We could not do it; therefore, God did it for us. He made us righteous; He made it so that we who live by the Spirit are considered as if we have kept the full law (Romans 8:3). Why? Because Jesus was treated as a lawbreaker. Jesus was treated like a criminal that we might be counted righteous. What a Savior!
When we contrast the people in Genesis 11 with Jesus in Philippians 2, we can see the tremendous difference between man's ways and God's. Man focuses on working the steps, trying to climb higher, and God's way was to send His Son ever lower to the point of going to Sheol for you and me, to raise us up, to take us out of the pit, to release us from the chains, to break our iron chains, to open our prison doors, and to set us free.
I encourage you today (if you haven’t already) to turn away from all of man’s methods, from working your way anywhere, from working programs, and instead receive the glorious gifts of God through Christ. Receive the grace of the cross and the power of the Spirit that raises us and takes us out of sin and brings us to heaven where we worship the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus.
Thank you so much, Jesus, for how You lowered Yourself, for how far down You went to rescue us, for the lengths that You went like a waterfall going lower and lower. And now, Lord, help us to have Your mind, going lower and lower, seeking to humble ourselves into servanthood. Make us to give of ourselves, to give our lives away even as You did. Thank You, Jesus, Amen.
Question 1. Please contrast man’s way vs. God’s way, using Genesis 11:1-4 and Philippians 2:6-11 as reference points and share any thoughts you have about this contrast.
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Peter writes, "As men we do our utmost to rise up, to step up, to pull ourselves up, to make ourselves look grand, to hope others will see how significant we are, how valuable we are, how essential we are. This is just a form of idolatry. Self-worship and aggrandizement. What an astounding observation of the work of Christ in redemption. Hallelujah!"