The Wonder of Jesus Becoming Human
In many of his sermons he notices things that are in the reading, but which we don’t really notice. He brings them to our attention, and integrates the readings of the day into the theme introduced by what might seem to be an insignificant choice of phrase. He does that here in this sermon.
written by Laura Weston, widow of Deacon Michael
IF YOU LIKE, READ ALONG WHILE YOU ARE LISTENING:
Now you listen to the Creed, where we are talking about who Jesus is, the Second Person of the Trinity, He's got it made! He's God. He tells people to do things, they do it. If He wants it done, it's done. He knows what's happened. He knows what is going to happen. He knows absolutely everything. And He goes, and from that position of His divinity, He, as Paul says, "He emptied himself taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness and found Himself human in appearance. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even to death on a cross."
And in a very real sense, what Paul is doing, in explaining the significance of Christ's death for our salvation, is equating the human condition to slavery. Because the reality is, if you are God, compare the position that you are put in, that you live, and have lived. John got a degree in dentistry, set up a dental practice, was the head of his dental practice for years and years and years, and what did he do. The work of a slave. Of sticking his hands down people's mouths. There isn't anything inherently dignified about being a dentist. Necessary, good job, good profession, but there's nothing very dignified in it. And Robert got to go in awkward places and put in pieces of equipment, testing it, waiting for his boss to look over his shoulder, the review person to look over his shoulder, the government to look over his shoulder, and all of them tracking it in case Robert did it wrong. They could really get angry with him because he didn't follow the rules correctly. That's a free person?
We all work hard. How many people are really paid what they are worth? Slaves aren't paid anything. They're really not paid what they are worth. And so we see from the perception of what Paul is expressing, by taking on the human condition, Jesus took on the indignity of the human condition. I mean, just think about the normal aches and pains of life. Think about: "I would love to have that. I would love to eat that. Oh, but I know what it would do to my stomach." The indignity! Oh, you know, I watch these kids go out and play basketball. I remember what it was like playing basketball. It was so much fun. I would love to be able to do that again. Nope. Can't do it.
And Jesus took upon himself that condition, which, from the perspective of God, there can be nothing less to be this, about as low as you can get. We don't get to make our own decisions. We don't get paid what we deserve. We don't get to do what we want. We get old. We fall apart. And He accepted death for us. And this is how Paul is articulating the wonder of Christ. So that, because of this, because of taking on humanity, "God greatly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him the name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those 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,” because “He took on the form of a slave." He took upon Himself OUR form.
And when you look at the gospel, there are two currents that are going on there in Luke. There always is, because he is dealing with the Gentile world. But look at what he does. You have this great king and the king says, "I would like you to come to my house, and you, not you, you are an engineer, and you, you and you. The rest of you stay away." And I say, "It's time for the party!" "Ah, sorry, I can't make it. I've got an excuse. I've got this and that." So what does he do? He goes out and invites us. We are, how did he describe it? "The poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame and the old." I added in the old. We are the people who are suffering the human condition that Jesus took upon himself as a slave so He could be exalted. We are the stranger. They are going to just go grab the people from everywhere.
We are the people that Jesus took upon Himself the human condition of being a slave. And we are the people that He has opened wide the gates of Heaven for. In return for which we are asked to look at Jesus, exalt His name so "that every knee should bend in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
That's what we are called to do. We are called to do it in our human condition with all its frailties. To open our hearts, our minds and our souls to Our Lord Jesus Christ, and to spend all eternity with Him in the great banquet of Heaven.
November 6, 2018 2