UP THEN DOWN

By Rick Mathes

Philippians 2:7-11 (NASB77) ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  ⁹   Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus was up and came down so that He could be down and go back up.His stooping grace and return to His rightful glory became our salvation. He’s surely a one-of-a-kind national treasure. Think about it. He stepped away from His throne a Kind of Glory, the Creator and lowered Himself to become a helpless infant at the breast of His teenager mother, born in poverty. How low could He go? Low enough for all to look Himin the eyes and confess Him as God incarnate; a Trinity of three strands that cannot be broken.

Imagine. He left heaven’s glory. The Creator became the created so that wecould be assured that He lived and died like a man. He went through what we are going through and emptied Himself to become our servant. He did this to example His image and likeness for us to go and do likewise. Now He lives in us and we live as an example of Him. When people get to know you do they get to know Him?

He was obedient from the cradle to the grave and He died in demonstration of His total commitment and love for you so that you might accept Him as yours.

Because of this obedience, God exalts Him now at the relief of all His faithful angels and saints who have went home before us. They were sick with worry and incensed by the disrespect His own inflicted on Him. Had it not been for His willingness to obey the Father, all of heaven wuld have descended to defend Him and destroy those who wanted to kill Him. Can you evein imagine the explosion of revelry when He ascended and came home in victory of death itself!

Jesus is our Savior, no doubt about it and His name is above all names especially Lucifer. Jesus is above heaven, hell, earth and all that there is. Words cannot express His glory nor can our imaginations capture picture or vision of it. All we have is a glimpse through the ancient prism and eyes of the Revelator John. Oh, that poor man!

Paul was lifted up to the third heaven and was sworn to silence. John stepped intot he seventh heaven and was commanded to write down all that He saw the best he could with all that was familiar to Him. One thing we know for sure, Jesus is Lord of Lord’s and King of Kings!