Jesus silently slips under the water, rising up not ‘clean from sin’ but anointed for ministry. He enters the river a relative unknown. He exits a man-god on a mission. He steps onto the dust of His homeland, named by God and filled by the Spirit, ready to fulfill the agenda He’s been given: to usher in the Kingdom of God.
The Twelve who leave everything to follow Him harbor in their minds ideas of Zechariah nine in which the Messiah destroys Israel’s enemies with great force (vv.1-7). That same passage ends with the promise: “Never again will an oppressor overrun my people” (v.8).
With the oppressive Romans bleeding them dry with heavy taxation and brutal means of justice (ie: crucifixion), the Jews of Jesus’ day hoped heavily in Old Testament passages and promises of a conquering king. And those passages are there. The disciples weren’t wrong; they just missed the timing of it all.
It’s much easier for us to read Old Testament prophecy in whole and with hindsight to see that the Messiah would first come as the “suffering servant” (Isaiah 53). Then, at a later time, He’d return, bringing full justice, full destruction of the enemy, full reign in the forever Kingdom (Zechariah 9:9,14,16).
Jesus explained this twofold ‘now-and-not-yet’ plan to His disciples:
“The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”
Luke 17:22-25
Though they didn’t quite get it (v.37). Not yet.
As confused as His followers were about His agenda, Jesus was crystal clear – as we hear in His response to the Pharisees who asked Him when the kingdom of God would come:
“The kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Luke 17:21
He elaborated, explaining that the unobservable kingdom of God was not coming as they expected (v.20)1 – because Jesus was the kingdom of God incarnate, “an embodied illustration of the Kingdom of God.”2 For those who misunderstood His agenda, this was impossible to see. But, Jesus had clarity about His agenda because He was clear about His role – to do as the Father does (John 5:19).
We, too, have been given clarity for our roles because, as Paul says, we’re to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). In other words – live this life how He did. Do as He did. Trust God as He did. And make your agenda the Father’s – just as He did.
Hymn and Humility
Paul goes on to quote what most scholars believe to be “a fragment, perhaps the chorus,” of a most beloved hymn of the early church, expanding on what it looks like to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”3
Who, being in very nature God,
Philippians 2:6-11
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father
Jesus, as He walked the earth, was “in very nature God” (v.6). Yet everything about Him – from His birth to His earthly family to His way of moving through the world – was humble. Very little about Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah met the expectations of first century Jews. Yet everything about Him fulfilled prophecy…and God’s plans. And because we’ve been handed down written accounts of what He was like while here on earth, we have, in black-and-white, the perfect model for how we’re to live.
It’s why Paul constantly points us back to Jesus. Do this as He did. For God. For the kingdom. From humility (v.3). Because, as the once-most-feared-Christian-killer, Paul, well knows – if we don’t live this way, we’ll live from our own agendas.
The first century Christians kept Jesus and His ways at the forefront of their minds by singing His story, retraining their brains to live not for self but for others, relearning how to live this upside-down way of humility.
Early in my adult journey with God, I became acutely aware of my need for humility. On my twenty minute drive to our church, I’d rehearse the details of the gathering I’d be leading, only to feel the craving for accolades creep into my heart. I felt myself slipping from God’s agenda to my own ambition. To fight this, I’d pop in my CD and, like those first century believers, I’d start belting out the lyrics to songs that realigned my heart and shifted my focus back onto Jesus.
While the world wants to make ‘humility’ out to be something akin to self-abnegation, JD Walt explains that Paul’s words help us to see Scripture’s way of defining it: selfishness (vv.3-4). God calls us to be about others – not self.4
“Humility is not about self at all. Humility is all about others. Humility is not putting yourself down. That’s false humility. Humility is about lifting others up.”
JD Walt4
When we desire to live like Jesus, to have the mindset of Christ, and to get on His agenda, it benefits us to understand that this way of living demands something of us – to lay ‘self’ down and be about others. We do that by aligning our hearts and minds with Christ. And, as demonstrated by the early Church, speaking or singing “hymns, psalms, and songs of the Spirit” helps us do just that (Ephesians 5:19)!
King and Kingdom
The song of the early Church describes Jesus as having “made Himself nothing” (Philippians 2:7). In His upside-down way of lowering Himself so that He could lift us up, Jesus made Himself nothing, which in Greek means to make oneself empty. “The One who was full made himself empty so we who are empty could be made full.”5
Following Jesus is a bit like a two-step process. First, we receive the work He accomplished on and through the cross – our justification, our moment of salvation. Then, as we’re learning, that salvation continues, day-in and day-out – where He continues to save us, to sanctify us, a little more everyday.
In this sanctifying journey, we’re to emulate Jesus, who emptied Himself. In doing so, we are “emptying ourselves of all we thought would be fullness in order that we might be filled with all the fullness of God (re: Ephesians 3:19).”5
Ponder that for a moment. Emptying ourselves of all we thought would be fullness… What have we believed would fill us? Marriage? Children? Career? Money? Fame? House? Wardrobe? As I list these it strikes me that every possible response to the question reveals an idol. When we put self above God and others – in whatever form it takes – we worship idols.
That’s simply sobering.
However, God is not surprised by this. It’s why He emphasized our propensity for such god-making in His top ten commands. It’s why He sent His Son – to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Salvation. Kingdom-creating. Selfless-loving. It’s why He taught us to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done” (Matthew 6:10).
When we choose obedience and self-emptying humility, we’re choosing to live life with Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives. The phrase, Jesus Christ is Lord of life, is so familiar that it’s easy to read right through it and miss its implication: Jesus is our authority. He’s the king over our kingdom. Over every area of our being. Some would call this putting Jesus on the throne of our lives.
Friends, it’s a simple thing to nod in agreement to ‘Jesus is Lord.’ We can even insist that He’s on the throne of our life. But if we do a deep dive into our hearts and minds, what or who actually sits on that throne? What dictates our responses? What motivates our actions?
“To the extent that I continue to run the pattern of the world, climbing my own mountain for my own glory (no matter how much it may benefit others), I am a living denial of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.”
JD Walt6
And so, it all comes together: our selfish tendencies tap out our humility and put us on the throne of our lives. But! Don’t give-in to the temptation to come away feeling condemned or shamed. Instead, we’re meant to allow these revelations to awaken us to God’s ways and His deep love for us. It’s like light shining into our depths, displaying what’s been lurking there all along so that we can bring it into the light of God’s love and watch it become light (Ephesians 5:13).
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!”
Ephesians 5:14
God does not show us the darker sides of ourselves to make us feel bad or to push us down but to humble us and lift us up (James 4:10)!
Jesus’ agenda has always been to do the will of the Father, and He’s called us to do the same – to live humbly in Him, with Him, and for Him. The King of Kings has proven His love for us by descending to earth to live with us, as a human, and to die for us. And in His defeat of death, He’s established Himself on the forever throne of heaven, reigning over the now-and-not-yet kingdom of God. It’s our choice, now, whether or not we’ll follow Him wholeheartedly, laying down our idols and getting on board with His not-so-hidden agenda.
Father God, hallowed be your name – for You are holy, holy, holy. Your kingdom come – now through your Son and Spirit and saints. And one day when Jesus returns to bring your kingdom to earth in its fullest form. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven – in our hearts and minds and lives, now and in the days to come. Lord Jesus, You are the king of our kingdom. We fall down, we lay our crowns at your feet. And we remove every person, idea, dream, and even self from the throne of our lives and ask You to step into your rightful place as Lord of our lives. We’re ready to lay aside our agendas and to live for yours. Holy Spirit, how we need You – because we recognize within ourselves the propensity for living from selfish ambition, for putting ourselves on the throne instead of Jesus. But our hope is in Christ and in the power You offer us, even as You dwell in us. We seek your grace and kindness, your wisdom and help as we seek to live wholeheartedly for Christ, our King of Kings. In Jesus’ name, amen.
(inspired by Matthew 6:9-10; Revelation 17:14; Chris Tomlin’s “We Fall Down;” 1 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 2:3; 1 Timothy 1:1; Romans 8:9; Psalm 119:10)
Resources: I love sharing with you the books, podcasts, articles, and anything else that has inspired, encouraged, or taught me. These are humble offerings with no expectations.
- 1 – This article does a good job of explaining the differing translations of Luke 17:21, but they don’t seem to ascribe to the ‘already-not-yet’ reality of God’s kingdom, interpreting John 18:36 (“my kingdom is not of this world”) as an indication that God’s kingdom is not-yet. (Whereas, many ascribe to the idea that Jesus’ kingdom of the ‘already’ is spiritual and the ‘not-yet’ will also be physical. It’s the idea we unpacked last week in JD Walt’s diagram of us living in the overlap – where God’s kingdom has come but not fully. You get to decide for yourself!)
- 2 – This article has some beautiful ways of describing Jesus and the Kingdom of God.
- 3 – JD Walt in “The Wake Up Call,” 8/21/17
- 4 – JD Walt in “The Wake Up Call,” 8/17/17
- 5 – JD Walt in “The Wake Up Call,” 8/22/17
- 6 – JD Walt in “The Wake Up Call,” 8/25/17
- 7 — JD Walt in “The Wake Up Call,” 8/18/17
- Two songs on our new playlist, “Hidden Agendas,” are loaded with the language of Jesus’ agenda and our healthy, holy response to it. First, as you saw in the prayer, is “We Fall Down.” The lyrics of this song may seem simple, but don’t let ’em fool ya. They lead us to the Throne and right to our knees — the picture and place of humility before our one True King. The second song of note is “God Is On the Throne” (by We the Kingdom — so appropriate!), and its lyrics serve as reminders of who we are in the presence of the King of Kings, as well as, who He is to us. SO GOOD!
- Another “Teacup Video” will post this Wednesday, and we’ll chat more about Jesus’ agenda. Honestly, I could’ve written three posts on this one topic I had so much research material. So, I suspect you’ll hear more about Jesus’ agenda peppered throughout this series. You can find all the videos on my Facebook Author Page and Instagram — and…a brand new YouTube ‘channel’!
- If you haven’t heard, I have a newsletter! The Abiding Life newsletter goes out the first week of each month, and it’s full of behind-the-scenes thoughts, announcements, and suggestions. It’s my most sincere hope that we can meet up there each month and explore a little more deeply what it looks like to live this abiding life with Christ. Be sure to subscribe for future issues here!
Rhythms: As my newsletter’s title infers, we seek to develop an abiding life in this space — a place where we can get informed but also be transformed as we learn to abide in God’s presence throughout our days. I like to think that developing rhythms is one way to aid us in our desire to become more Christlike. This series, we’re putting into practice the rhythm of repentance.
Paul’s teachings often feel lofty and hard to unpack, much less apply. It’s imperative that we acknowledge and understand that to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” is not attainable on our own (Philippians 2:5). The only way we can “be transformed by the renewing of our minds” is through the power of the Holy Spirit and in holy relationships with other believers (v.5; Romans 12:2). JD Walt breaks down what it means when Paul tells us not to “conform to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2):
“The pattern of this world is the mind of Adam. The pattern for our lives is the mind of Christ. Transformation happens as we willfully decide to turn away from the ingrained pattern of the broken and distorted mind of Adam (into which we are born) and place ourselves before God in a way that we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind.”
JD Walt7
And, placing ourselves before God? Well, that looks like offering our bodies as a living sacrifice to our One True God (Romans 12:1).7 It looks like laying ourselves at His feet, repentant and ready to receive all He has for us.
- So, this week, let’s ask the Spirit to empower us so that we’ll have the same mindset as Jesus. Let’s prostrate ourselves before the Father and lay all our crowns at His feet. Let’s look to Jesus and align all that we are with all that He is — and get on His agenda!
- And while it’s not a spiritual practice or rhythm, I invite you to share this site. It’s my most sincere hope that what we explore here together will encourage others to step more fully and deeply in their walks with Christ.
Featured Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash. “All the Bits and Pieces” photo by Sahand Babali on Unsplash.