Outer Rim Territories

Lent 3 Oculi Midweek "The Lowly Lamb of God" - Philippians 2:5-11

Vicar Christopher Gillespie Immanuel Lutheran Church of Frankentrost Saginaw, Michigan Lent 3 Oculi Midweek (February 27, 2008) Philippians 2:5-11 Title: “The Lowly Lamb of God” (based on the Lenten sermon series from CPH for 2007) This week we continue our meditation upon the Lenten hymn “Lamb of God, pure and holy.” Our focus this week is upon the phrase “ever patient and lowly”, specifically the lowly Lamb of God. Humility is virtue, so they say. Ironically most people are too concerned about their own character to have any humility. They fail to notice that humility is not personal but relational, not internal but external. To be humble is to submit yourself to others, never elevating yourself above them. Unfortunately, we today hold more concern for self-esteem than for submission... and consequently humility. To submit in meekness to others is a sign of weakness. We are taught from a young age to strive to be the best of the best, the greatest and not the least, the first and not the last. To concede to others in competition, whether sports or business is to be a failure. We are told to think greatly of ourselves, to care more about our own self-esteem than others. The opposite of humility is pride. Pride in moderation is tolerable. But pride in excess is called boasting. To be full of pride is to care more for yourself, your accomplishments, or your possessions than others. Hedonistic pride leads to the idolizing of the self, placing yourself not just ahead of the neighbor but greater than God. Boastful pride is not a virtue but a sinful curse. Our attitude rather should be like that of Christ. Consider our text:

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Christ did not boast in his being the Son of God. Rather He cared for those around him as a son of man in humility, the lowly lamb of God. Like Christ, we do not boast in our being the offspring of God. Instead we take the form of the servant, humiliating our privileged status as baptized children. Rather than exercise the autonomy of Christian freedom in order to better ourselves, we humbly place our lives on the line for the sake of the neighbor. We love those in our midst, sacrificing all we have... even death, for their sake. Many desire a Christian faith which is strong, glorious, and worthy of great pride in the eyes of men. But the wisdom of men is foolishness to God. He does not give us glory but gives us a cross. He does not give us exaltation but humiliation. Our Christian lives are under the cross of Christ, bearing the punishment for our sins but too, suffering for the sake of others, living as servants to all in the kingdom of men. Yet a church of glory, basking in the radiance of the lamb on the throne will come on the last day when we like Christ will be exalted before God, raised to new life, resurrected from humility to His glory. Our cruciform lives here in time are only short-lived but our glorified heavenly life is eternal. So we continue our life under the cross this side of the grave. We are not left powerless but as baptized people, the humility of Christ washes upon us. He gives us His lowly esteem to suffer under this burden. From the Gospel of St. John:

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:12-17)

Like Christ, we empty ourselves, making ourselves nothing so the Father may use us for his purposes and design. This is the life of a servant, sacrificing pride and self-esteem so that God’s will may be done without barrier or hinderance. We cast off our pursuit for glory and embrace the lives God has given us as children, parents, teachers, workers, and the like. In humility we fulfill these callings not to our betterment but the benefit of family, community, and the world. Our sacrificial life is not exactly like that of Christ. Rather than submit humbly to our Father, the old Adam of pride crawls back from its baptismal grave to motivate thoughts of glory and pride in our hearts. Conceit and thoughts of importance rear their ugly head. This condition has an awful consequence: for in pride and vainglory, no one can approach the altar of God. Rather, the penitent heart submits in utter humility before the judgment seat. The confessing Christian prays with the Psalmist:

“I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” (Psalm 51:3-6)

In confession of sins, you submit in complete meekness to the mercy of God. You pray to God that you are unable to redeem yourself, to find favor before God, to do anything to merit heaven. This is the picture of perfect servitude, submission to the hand of God. This is humility too is not your own doing. The faith granted to you in your baptism grants you the humility of the suffering servant, who gave himself over to His Father in Heaven. But your faith doesn’t leave you in death. For you too confess that where there is contrition and faith, there too is the forgiving grace of God. Our Lord does not despise the broken and contrite heart. His servants declare absolution, the utterance of divine grace into your ears. The man who comes before God in sackcloth and ashes is granted the Christ’s clothes of righteousness.

“7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:7-12)

The submission of Christ to the Father’s will wrought this salvation for you. The pouring of water and blood from his side is the very bath of eternal life. The servant is carried not to glory but to the cross. How great is His sacrifice! To drink of the cup of death without complaint! To suffer without pride! The Father places all His wrath, deserved by us upon His own son, suffering the worst sort of death, death on a tree. Your sinful pride and egotism is placed upon Him. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” (Galatians 3:13)

“For before the coming of the Savior we all were in sin: there was no one who acknowledged Him Who by nature and verily is God. There was no one doing good, no not one; but they all had turned aside together and become reprobate. But because the Only-begotten submitted Himself to emptiness, and became flesh, and was made man, sinners have perished and exist no longer. For the dwellers on earth have been justified by faith, have washed away the pollution of sin by Holy Baptism, have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, have sprung out of the hand of the enemy; and having bidden, as it were, the hosts of devils to depart, dwell under the yoke of Christ. (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 40 on Luke 7, via Rev. Weedon)

In exchange for the misery of sin, we have received the very life of Christ, the lowly lamb of God. Baptized into Him, we receive His lowliness and humility as a gift, to life in faith no longer for ourselves but in Him who dies for us. Humility is a virtue! Our Lord says:

28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Go and live not for your own glory but to that God may have the glory. Live in the humbleness of your baptism. For on the last day “at the name of Jesus every knee [will] 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.” (Philippians 2:10-11) In the name of Jesus. Amen.