… and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
- Luke 2:7
Who, being in very nature God,
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!
- Philippians 2:6-8
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
- 2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
- Galatians 4:4
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
- Isaiah 53:3
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
- Matthew 27:46
He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
- Luke 22:41-44
He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
- Galatians 3:13
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
- Matthew 12:40
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
“Q. 26. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?
“A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition (Luke 2:7), made under the law (Gal. 4:4), undergoing the miseries of this life (Isa. 53:3), the wrath of God (Matt. 27:46), and the cursed death of the cross; (Phil 2:8) in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time (Matt. 12:40).”
- Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)
“Q. 27. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?
“A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.”
- The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
I have suspended the Larger Catechism questions for this week, asking about five questions to cover the one question above. It seems that next week’s question is handled the same “Larger” way.
I have mentioned a few times that I was raised Presbyterian. I am now a Christian who attends a Presbyterian church. In the new hymnbook for the PCUSA, one that I have not seen since COVID led to the hymns being printed in the bulletin, the denomination gained worldwide fame, or infamy, by refusing to have the Getty song, In Christ Alone, in the hymnal unless the composers agreed to remove the phrase “wrath of God.” The Gettys refused to allow the words to be changed, and you will not find the song in the hymnal. Odd, it is right there in the catechism answer. These church leaders swore to have these things, including the catechisms, guide them and I doubt if they ever read it.
If that last paragraph gets me excommunicated, I will praise God. I do not need a denomination that ignores the Bible. I go there because I made a promise to a dying Sunday school teacher that I would not take over his class, just keep the seat warm until he returned. He’s not returning, but he may be teaching a class on the other side as I write this. So, …
Of the six points that have Biblical proofs, the Shorter used the same Scriptures as did Spurgeon on the first five but adding more Scriptures to four of the points.
But as to the points, Jesus left the riches of heaven to live among us as one of us. Even among human conditions, he grew up in a poor family. He became subject to the law, when He was the One who created the Law with His Father. He underwent the common miseries of our lives, but more so, His death was reserved for the worst of the worst criminals, and He was falsely accused. I mentioned it earlier, but God’s wrath is real. Jesus experienced the brunt of that wrath, carrying our sins with Him to the cross. And He died and was buried, even then, in another person’s tomb.
Some of these points for us common humans might be considered humbling, but considering where Jesus came from, these points are humiliating. Think of a world leader that would have everything removed. Place a hammer in his hand and tell him to form a wall for a home. He would be lost, humiliated, broken. Jesus is God, and yet became a man in order to suffer for our sake.
Yet, being falsely accused, being killed on a cross, not even having a tomb of your own to be buried. Abraham had no property (real estate) until he bought a tomb to bury his wife, Sarah. Dying without a place to place the bones was humbling and humiliating.
And now let us sing.
The following hymn, The Old Rugged Cross is sung by Alabama.
“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame,
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
<Refrain>
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
To bear it to dark Calvary.
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.”
- George Bennard, The Old Rugged Cross
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
How can I even say Thank You? Thank You seems so trite compared to the humiliation that You suffered because we sinned against You. It is mindboggling that You would do such a thing, and You had this in Your plan from the dawn of time. But the only words that I can think of is Thank You, a thousand times, Thank You.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
Leave a Reply