Friday, February 24, 2017

Humility in God's Plan (LG79)

          'Last Generation'

Mat 18:4  "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
    To be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven will require our humility in our complete obedience as little children to Him and His words, so that we can be transformed into His  image. Let us look into the humility of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:7-12  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
    Our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God came in great humility as the sacrificial Lamb:-

1. Born in the animal shed as the Lamb of God.
John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

2. Covered in swaddling cloths as the sacrificial Lamb – all newly born lambs meant for sacrifices are wrapped with swaddling cloths to prevent them from blemishes.

3. Lay in the manger as food and water for His sheep – the manger is used for holding the feed and possibly water for feeding the sheep and also other livestock.
    John 6:48  "I am the bread of life."
    Our Lord Jesus is the bread of life and the  living water and for our spiritual food. We only need to believe, read, understand and keep His words.

4. Shepherds testified the Birth of the Lamb of God
Luke 2:11-12  "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
   The shepherds were joyfully testifying the birth of the Messiah (Christ) as the Lamb of God drawing parallels to the birth of their lambs.

Jam 4:6  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
    No wonder our Lord Jesus had the extra grace because of His complete obedience to the Father. His three and a half years ministry filled with exceptional signs and wonders, love, compassions, and humility had convinced many Jews to accept Him as the Messiah.
    Brethren, we too can get this extra grace from our Lord when we humble ourselves to obey His words and will.
    Phil 2:8-9  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

John 13:1 4-15  "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."
    Jesus was born to be a servant in the stable. He served men all His life and even washed the feet of His disciples. Finally, He offered Himself as a faithful servant to men by dying on the cross bearing their sins.

Col 3:12  Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.