THE UNNOTICED DEEDS OF JESUS CHRIST THAT MADE HIM GREAT: Part 3

As Christians, we are not allowed to live a life below greatness, even in our simplicity and normal lifestyle. All about us should hold people ransom to the kingdom of God. And that's why I have taken our time to look into the life of our

"Lord Jesus Christ who lived a kind of lifestyle that the world considers to be exceptional, but which is normal to us who are of the kingdom of the Father of Light."

In this series, we have been looking into those little little things that gathered together to make our Lord Jesus Christ great. Read Part 1 or Part 2 of the series.

In this Part, we will yet look at another simple step that leads to Jesus Christ's greatness. Our Bible verse for this part is in the book of Philippians 2:5-11 that says,

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

It's always amazed me the things are with us, the Christians. We aren't near the door of greatness, even though we have everything it takes to be great in all ramifications. However, we should understand that greatness is not doing what somebody has not done before or doing what cannot be done by anyhow person;

"instead it is doing those little things that adult and educated minds would sometimes term 'acts of timidity and lack of self-esteem,' 1 Corinthians 1:20-25.

Where are those renowned scholars and distinguished men and women of those days who were thought to have done something exceptional? They have dissolved into the mist of history. Aside giving His life to redeem us from eternal death, there was nothing else that Jesus Christ did that have not be done before and after His earthly departure. Yet even His greatness is not attached to this single exceptional thing He did:

"to us, human being, the action of sacrificing His life is something noteworthy, but to God 'how' He performed the action is something that was notable and unique".

Moses was not scolded for not bringing water out of the rock, but for how he did bring out the water, Number 20.

Therefore, Holy Spirit, in this Part 3 of this series, is not asking us to submit to death on the cross as the means to greatness simply because Jesus Christ our Lord did it. It is not the mind of dying that God is asking us to be allowed,

"but that of HUMILITY and OBEDIENCE to the known decisions and will of God we are sure of; regardless of our status, capacity, influence, position, possession, etc."

The greatness of our Lord Jesus recorded in this verse is that, "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." That's His greatness.

But how did He achieve this greatness? Bible said, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Let us look into each of these sentences one after the other.

• Being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Jesus was God's incarnation on earth. He was full embodiment of God, Colossians 1:15-17, yet He never considered himself as such - never allowed himself to be called God or to be given the position of God among men.

• But made himself of no reputation: He did not only refuse to be given the place of God among men, but also disregarded anything that would have made Him equal to God. Did you say He opened blind eyes, raised the dead, fed thousands, wise and knowledgeable, etc.? Jesus Christ will say, 'No', that God did them.

• Took upon him the form of a servant: Instead of using the advantage of His full capacity which the Centurion in Matthew 8:7-9 tried to give us a clue, He 'decided' to lead in service and functionality in respect to God and humanity.

• Was made in the likeness of men: This sentence being in passive form shows that He didn't make himself man, but somebody, God, did it. And you know as man when we are on a special assignment from the highest authority to the lower ones, we want to be noticed. But I can see God asking Jesus Christ, "In what form would you like to go to earth: as an archangel, as a mighty soldier, as a great king, as a renowned philosopher or scholar?" But He said, "No. Send me as a mere man without title and mundane honour."

• And being found in fashion as a man: Jesus was just a mere man like you and I, but who sustained His childhood curiosity and passion about the heavenly Father, God eternal. And despite the fact that He was housed by flesh which separately has its own ego, the Bible says,

• He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross: Finally He did it as the Highest Throne desired it done not as He himself desired. The last sentence, "even the death of the cross" gives me the true definition of humility as disregarding of any attachments that make certain activity or step too demeaning for one to do. Because the word "even" in that sentence shows that death on the cross is not for His calibre.

humility is disregarding of any attachments that make certain activity or step too demeaning for one to do.

So we see that it was not by any other means that He achieved this greatness. It was not by being born by virgin Mary, nor because He was a Jew or because He was taught by a group of temple great teachers or because He did something exceptional particularly in this context as we have already discovered in Part 1 of the series, except that He humbled himself and obeyed (submitted to death). He was not moved by the statement that said, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree," Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:22-23, as we have discussed in Part 2 of this series.

Humility and Obedience to God's known decision and will are the secrets here. So if we humble ourselves and obey God in every of His commands and will that are known to us in respectful of the situation and who persons involved, heavenly endorsed greatness will surely pursue us.

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Also read The Secret Deeds Of Jesus Christ That Made Him Great: Part 1 and Part 2. Or go to Part 4 without neglecting the Introduction to the series tagged: The Secrets of Their Greatness, and Become like Jesus Christ: Why and How?

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