… In humility count others more significant than yourselves. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God … made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant … by becoming obedient to the point of death.

Selections from Philippians 2:3-9 (ESV)

Yesterday, I focused in on the crushing suffering that Christ endured on the day we now know as Good Friday. Thankfully we know today that that’s not all that was crushed Easter weekend. Today I’m going to focus in on crushed pride.

You see, Christ set an example of humility. He set up a standard so high that few men could ever reach it. The Creator God of the universe made himself nothing. He served. He was obedient. Even to the death. The words of Paul’s Christ-hymn that I’ve quoted above are some, I believe, of the most beautiful words in the entire New Testament. They’re words of humility. Words that speak volumes about what Christ has done for us.

I think some of the greatest messages about humility from the Easter story are the ones that we frequently skip over. They’re the ones that happened on Saturday. It’s a day we kind of ignore in the Easter schedule. But it’s one of the most important when it comes to showing how Christ’s example drove others to humility.

Many of us have heard the Roman centurion’s declaration given post-Christ’s death: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39, NIV) It’s a beautiful, simple confession. But we don’t always really grasp what a big deal it was for that centurion to make that confession. It required an incredible dose of humility. This man was supposed to be one of the world’s toughest soldiers. He was dedicated to Rome and all things Roman. One of the core Roman beliefs held that the Caesar, the land’s ultimate ruler, was God’s son. He was to be worshipped. For this centurion to say that Christ was the Son of God could quite nearly be considered treason. He was, however, so incredibly moved by the things he had witnessed, so moved by the declaration of humility, that he could do nothing but cry out his adoration for Christ.

The centurion wasn’t the only one who had his pride crushed as part of Christ’s death. So did Joseph of Arimithea, the man who buried Christ. See, Joseph was an incredibly rich man. He was a leader in Jerusalem. He was one of the leaders of the Jewish Council. He wasn’t exactly the kind of man you’d picture playing undertaker. But he was. He humbled himself to apply spices and burial clothes to Christ’s body. He even went so far as to have a new tomb made just for Him. Joseph could have easily hired someone to do this if he wanted it done. He could have ignored it and said “someone else will handle it.” Instead, he chose to humble himself from his high position and prepare Christ for burial. He put his pride behind him and focused instead on what his Savior needed.

So what pride in your life needs crushed? Is it your finances? Your position? Your “poor me” attitude? Something else? Let the power of the Cross crush it this Easter weekend.

“Angels! Were those angels? Why us, the shepherds? Why did we hear about his birth? I don’t know. But I know this is big. This is momentous. The One we’ve been waiting for is here. Let’s go and see.”

“Look, a new star. Is it the predicted one? Something is new. Something we’ve awaited has arrived. Let’s go and see.”

“I wish I had somewhere else to put Him. Something warmer to dress Him in. But I’m so glad He’s here. I may not be his “father”, but I feel a connection with Him like no child before. The one I’ve awaited has come. Can I see Him, Mary?”

“I can’t believe it. A teenager from Nazareth. That’s all I am. Why was I chosen? I’m so glad He’s here. (And I’m so glad He’s out!) The long awaited, momentous One has arrived. Let me see Him.”

Whether the world knew it or not, it was transformed on this day. He came to change things. The awaited One arrived. Not in the way anyone expected, however. All throughout the Christmas story, we see the unusual being chosen to do the extraordinary. They all ask “Why me?” They can’t believe that a glorious God would choose them. But He did. He chose to use them to bring peace to the world. Today, He’s chosen us to bring peace to the world. We’re called to be His Marys. And Josephs. And shepherds. And wise men. And temple workers. And stable-owners. We all have a part. And we can all rejoice in His arrival. Thankfully, we know that not only did He arrive once, but He’s arriving again. His Kingdom has been established for us to work in and love in and grow in and change in. One day not too far away, He’s coming to rule His Kingdom. What kind of kingdom are we preparing for Him? Are we anticipating His momentous arrival?

Live life all year in Advent mode. Anticipating. Have an incredible Christmas in remembrance of what He has done, is doing, and will do. He changes everything.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Luke 2:14

I love the definition that Princeton University gives for the word advent: “arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous).” My church has never really taken part in Advent and the rituals surrounding it. This year, however, I’ve really begun to be exposed to it at college and begin to understand it and what it means. It’s the awaited arrival of the most momentous thing in history–Jesus Christ.

Just think back to this night some 2000 or so years ago. Mary and Joseph just finished up a long few days of travel from home to visit a little town called Bethlehem to be counted in a census. They searched the village for any place to stay: a home, an inn, a tent, anything. Yet all they found was a little stable.

I can only imagine the thoughts flying through Mary and Joseph’s minds. Did they know the time was coming? I mean, Mary was probably 9 months pregnant and looked like she was about to pop. (I wonder what the pregnant food was in Israel. I suspect they didn’t have nachos and milkshakes in the stable.) They had to suspect it was coming soon. But would it be tonight? They were anxiously awaiting the arrival of something incredibly momentous.

Today, the Christ child has come, lived, died, and risen again for us. Today we live anxiously awaiting the arrival of a Savior again. Before His last coming, He sent a messenger named John. Before this coming, He sent a messenger named you. He wants you to share the anxious awaiting with others. Something momentous is coming.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1:68-79

My life has been on a Joseph kick lately.  We’re starting a 10 week Joseph series in kids’ church, the first lesson of which I taught.  Ryan preached on Joseph today.  I’ve heard stuff about a book about Joseph.  It seems like Joseph just keeps coming back.  I suppose God’s probably trying to tell me something.

Regardless, I did have a realization about Joseph today.  See, Joseph’s life was pretty screwed up.  He had more step-whatevers than you could imagine, his dad cheated his way through life, and he was the favorite.  He wouldn’t let you forget it either.  Joseph didn’t start life very well.  In fact, Joseph even contributed his good share to how screwed-up he was.  Sometimes I can read through his early life and see pride, other times I can’t.

Joseph’s brothers hated him because of his pride.  Finally, his pride led to a fall.  Literally.  He found himself at the bottom of a pit.  Not by his choosing, but more because that’s where the 10 brothers found a convenient place to put him.  That pit was important to Joseph’s life though.

See, without that pit, Joseph would have lived the rest of his life as the spoiled brat child of a con artist.  But that pit opened up opportunities.  That pit changed his life.  After that, he had a rough couple of years, then he became a great ruler.  That’s what a pit did for Joseph.

We’re a lot like Joseph.  Sometimes, we get so cocky we just get thrown to the bottom of a pit without a rope.  While we’re in there, it looks pretty hopeless.  It’s dark and we can’t escape by ourselves.  But if we choose, that pit can be hopeful.  You have to come out of the pit eventually.  Things will be better once you get out.  You just have to try.  Choose that you’re going to get out.  That way, when you’re on level ground, you can look at where you’ve been and thank God you’re not there anymore.  You overcame, with His help.  Let the pit change you for the better, rather than wallowing in the swamp at the bottom.