Q28. Emptied

[Pastor Ralph]

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11) Why did Jesus need to humble himself to become a human being? What do you think it meant for him to do this considering that he was divine? When he “emptied himself,” what all do you think that included? What can you learn from Christ’s voluntary humbling of himself?

[Krissi]

One of the devotionals I read every morning is Oswald Chambers. He seems to go through waves, hitting mostly one topic for a few days, and then shifting to another related topic for the next few days.  For the past few days, he has been talking about identifying with the death of Jesus.

I think this is kenosis.  Our kenosis. The ultimate in humbling and emptying.  In Oswald's words, the goal is to be so identified with the death of Jesus, that I am "of no value for anything except Him and His purposes."  That's the emptying of desire. Of dream. Of hopes in this life. It's the emptying of career goals and other personal achievement.  

Emptying is death, the death of the "old man."

But ... Jesus came as a human so our "old men" could become "new."  Voluntarily humbling and emptying Himself, He still asks us to do the same.

[Old Jerry]

Jesus humbled himself to become a human being so that he could die for our sins. He needed to experience what we experience. He knew what to expect because he is divine. He knew all the pain that he was going to have to suffer. But yet he did it anyway.

 

I don’t know what it meant for him to “emptied himself” because my imagination can’t conceive the powers he had with his Father. I can learn that with the little power I have I need to be humble also.

[Janzie]

On 8/29/2021 at 3:13 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11) Why did Jesus need to humble himself to become a human being? What do you think it meant for him to do this considering that he was divine? When he “emptied himself,” what all do you think that included? What can you learn from Christ’s voluntary humbling of himself?

1.  a. Because He could not take our place as God, Creator of the Universe.  He had to become human, like us and that is a great humbling.

    b.  It was a tremendous downgrade, but loved us so much that he would do it.  It is so hard to comprehend that Love.

    c.  His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, all who He was.

    d.   That I need to humble myself and now that He saved me and I have His Spirit within me, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and He will help me.

[haar]

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11) Why did Jesus need to humble himself to become a human being? What do you think it meant to him to do this considering that he was divine?

God could not die. Jesus had to humble himself to become human that he could carry our sin to be nailed on the cross for our salvation.

When he "emptied himself," what all do you think that included?

This is difficult for me, but I am sure he retained his agape love, some power: to turn water to wine, heal the sick and raised the dead etc.

What can you learn from Christ's voluntary humbling himself?

We need to humble ourselves in total obedience God too just as Jesus was.
 

[hanks]

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11) Why did Jesus need to humble Himself to become a human being? What do you think it meant to Him to do this considering that He was divine? When He "emptied Himself," what all do you think that included? What can you learn from Christ's voluntary humbling Himself? 
Jesus humbled Himself to become a human being, so that He could be the perfect sinless Lamb of God, who would sacrifice His human life and shed His human blood to cover the sins of all who would ever believe in Him. God had established the necessity of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins (Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22). If He were not human, this would not have been possible. Jesus became fully human by taking on human flesh. He took on the form of a human, but His nature did not change. He was still God because He is immutable (Heb 13:8), and infinite (Rev 1:8). As a human He experienced normal aging (Luke 2:40), He had natural physical needs (John 19:28), He had human emotions (Matt 26:38), He learned (Luke 2:52), and He died a physical death (Luke 23:46). Jesus was human in every way except for sin; He lived a completely sinless life (Hebrews 4:15). In coming to earth Jesus remained fully God (Col 2:9), so when He “emptied Himself” He did not empty Himself of His divine attributes. Rather He gave up certain of His divine rights He had in heaven. He veiled His glory and added to His divine nature a human nature with all its limitations, except He had no sin. In the ultimate act of humility, the God of the universe became a human being and died for His creation. In this lesson Jesus has taught us a lot about humility. He also taught us that “those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matt 23:12). There is also the warning in Scripture if we don’t humble ourselves, God will do it, and that can be even more painful (Luke 1:52; 18:14). I like what C.S. Lewis said: humility not as thinking less of ourselves, but as thinking of ourselves less. 
 

[Katy]

Q1.Jesus is God, He needed to become a man so He could die for us. Because He was without sin, He was a worthy sacrifice to the Father for our sins. No other person was sinless therefore no one else could redeem us.

Q2.I don’t think any of us can even begin to understand just what it cost Jesus to do this for us. Our finite minds just cannot grasp the enormity of the cost for Jesus to empty Himself of His part of His Divinity but retain His Holiness, His love and His righteousness. I know how it grieves me when I see sin being flaunted around me, my grief is minute by comparison to what it must have cost Jesus to come and live in such a sinful world. Never mind every thing else He suffered at the hands of the very people He created!

Q3.Jesus emptied Himself of His Omniscience, Omnipresence,  and His Omnipotence. He was still Holy, full of love and righteousness. He experienced all that we experience in life so that He can identify with us in every human situation.

Q4.There is so much for me to learn from Jesus. If He could give up so much for me, I should be able and willing to give up things in this life for Him. It should make me so very grateful for all He sacrificed for me. I must try harder to share these wonderful facts with those who don’t believe! I need to humble myself in His service each day. I need to worship and adore Him for all He has done.

[TraceyF]

Jesus needed to humble himself to obey the Father.

He is divine but humbling himself made him more human-like. We don't possess God's powers.

When Jesus emptied himself, he gave up all things to save us. He had to humble himself to feel all the pain and disrespect that was bestowed upon him. How many if us would give up our lives to save someone? Or who could handle the harshness and brutality he received?

I believe when we humble ourselves, we are able to see things more clearly from a better perspective. We're able to make better decisions and able to have patience to listen first before speaking. Actually, to listen to God. We need to be patient and humble to follow through on what is given to us as an assignment.

[Reina]

Jesus couldn’t take on human flesh while still holding on to his divine prerogatives.  He had to make himself of no reputation, nothing, emptying himself taking the very nature of a servant, to be found in the appearance of a man.

Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, since He already possessed equality with His Father, but he was willing to humble himself to obey the Father.  He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on the cross. 
Jesus gave up His relative attributes of deity.  He gave up his omnipresence, omnipotence, and His omniscience, while retaining His essential attributes: holiness, love and righteousness.

In order for Me to accomplish the will of God in my life, I have to become as a humbled servant willing to give up whatever status I believe I have.  Emptying myself to serve others as s testimony of whom I truly believe and belong to.  I need to Truly do what Jesus would do.

[Irmela]

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11) Why did Jesus need to humble Himself to become a human being?

To change from Divine to human is not exactly a "step up" in status. It is a humbling of Himself. 

The task that He had agreed to take on Himself, viz., to save mankind meant that a perfect sacrifice was needed. Only a "perfect, unblemished" substitute could save us from eternal death. For this, He had to become a man. He had to live, feel, think, work etc., like a man. This He did and accomplished it without sinning. 

What do you think it meant to Him to do this considering that He was divine?

It meant letting go of what He was and meant being obedient to become who He agreed to become. 

When he "emptied himself," what all do you think that included?

He had to put aside, take off, empty Himsrlf of, all that was and meant "divine". The nature, the attributes, the favor that went with it, the ability, the being. All/everything. 

What can you learn from Christ's voluntary humbling himself?

That it is possible to become humble and it is better so, to live humbly and in obedience and let God do the rest. If we are to have a changed status, let it be God that brings it about. Let it be God that exalts us. 

[blezed]

Why did Jesus need to humble himself to become a human being?

Jesus was to humble himself to complete the task of redemption the Father had entrusted to him.

What do you think it meant for him to do this considering that he was divine?

I think that it meant to him that he was being obedient to the Father.

When he “emptied himself,” what all do you think that included? What can you learn from Christ’s voluntary humbling of himself?

Not quite clear, but suggest that he gave up some of the "relative attributes" of deity -- omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence -- while retaining the "essential attributes" -- holiness, love, and righteousness.  I learn that humbling myself is following the example that Jesus put forth.  It is showing obedience unto God to be a humble servant.

[EMC]

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11)

• Why did Jesus need to humble himself to become a human being?
  • Jesus humbled himself in order to complete the task of redemption the Father had entrusted to him. Although He was with God and was God; being of the same substance as the Father, he did not hang on to that equality with God, but was wiling to humble himself to obey the father
• What do you think it meant to him to do this considering that he was divine?
  • That must have meant giving up a great deal, it's like a demotion, falling down the ladder of hierarchy 
• When he "emptied himself," what all do you think that included?
  • That included taking on the nature of a servant who obeys his master
• What can you learn from Christ's voluntary humbling himself?
  • I think we should not be too full of ourselves because we are nothing compared to Jesu. Instead we should learn from his example and practice some humility