Jesus Went Ahead For Us

Christian culture can make us comfortable and affect our ability to reach people who don’t know Christ. And often we have to be willing to leave our comfortable subculture behind to share the gospel with the people who need it the most. But the good news is we don’t have to go there alone. There is someone there who has gone before us and made the sacrifices we’re talking about. His name is Jesus.

If you think about it, Jesus had the best set up in existence. Before becoming a human He existed in communion with the Father in a way no man since Adam had ever tasted. There was no pain there. No difficulty. Perfect fellowship. There was peace and joy and goodness constantly surrounding him.

But He loved us.

And because He loved us and because it was the Father’s will Jesus left Heaven and endured a world that undoubtedly was harder than the one He left. Pain was there. Heartache ran rampant. He would hunger for the first time. He would be tempted for the first time. He would become the only just man who had to endure suffering. Most important of all, He would leave the immediate fellowship with the Father and submit to living life like we do.

Paul says:

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

–Philippians 2:6-8

and John, speaking about Jesus coming to Earth says:

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.

John 1:14, The Message

And He did it all out of love.

But Paul (and I’m sure John) tells us these details about Jesus’ life for a reason.  Just before Paul begins to tell the Philippians about Jesus renouncing His privileges, he says this:

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

–Philippians 2:5

Paul’s point in telling the story is that we’re supposed to be inspired to do what Jesus did.  He left aside the privilege of fellowship with God. He laid aside all the rights of Godhead. He didn’t count equality with God as something to be held onto at the expense of us. Instead He became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

And we’re supposed to do the same. Out of great love and humility and servant-heartedness, we will need to lay down some of the “joys” we have as Christians in order to participate with the mission of God.  Just like Jesus had to leave the comforts of home to win the hearts of people who didn’t know their need, so do we.  He has gone before us, has been the example to encourage us, and now calls us to join Him outside the camp.

Will it be easy?

No.

Is it always fun?

No.

But Scripture tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus so that we don’t grow weary and give up.  And if leaving the comfort of the Christian circle you’ve found yourself in is hard, then fix your eyes on Jesus who did it first. He is both our motivation and example.

Will you join Him there?

Photo Credit: Plus haut by Olivier