Focus: For Others' Sake

Text: Phil.2:5-8

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

The Apostle Paul gives us seven levels of Christ's sacrificial condescension to the cross.

Christ condescended from the lofty height of being in the FORM of God to making Himself of NO REPUTATION to taking upon Himself the FORM of a servant to being made in the LIKENESS of men to being found in the FASHION as a man to HUMBLING Himself to becoming OBEDIENT to the death of the cross. 

He came from heaven to earth and from the cross to the grave. He went from being God to becoming a man. He made Himself the servant of God and men, and He died in a most painful way - death by the cross. He was rich, but became poor for man's sake.

This seven-fold condescension of Christ was absolutely for the good of mankind. He didn't have to, but He did. He sacrificed His life for all men. He allowed Himself to be born of a woman in order to save us. He went from being in the form of God to being in the form of a servant. He got to the lowest place for us. He went all the way and gave His all for us. Everything He did was for our good. There was no element or iota of selfishness in His decisions and actions. His decisions and actions were entirely glorifying to God and beneficial to man. 

He loved us Lavishly, Openly, Verily, and Extremely. Christ did everything for love; absolutely nothing for vainglory.

Paul tells us to cultivate Christ's mental disposition, His heavenly culture and His excellent attitude. Looking at the extent Christ went for us, we would understand that the law of self-preservation is not for the citizens of Christ's kingdom. We are saved by Christ to serve and help others. 

The question now is: how low can you go for others? How much can you sacrifice for the good of others? How far can you go for another person? Jesus Christ was God, but for our sake He became a man, He emptied divested Himself of the privileges of deity, He became a servant, He took up our human appearance, humbled Himself, and died the most of agonizing deaths. 

Peter says that we are to follow in His steps. Do you know why it is possible to follow in His steps? It's because, as Peter says, we are partakers of God's divine nature. We are born of the Spirit. The Spirit of Christ indwells us, and in Christ we are a new creation and a brand new humanity. 

We are created for good works and redeemed to showcase God's glory. In all you do, think of others. Don't just be or do good for yourself; be and do good for the sake of others!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter