Jesus Came in the Form of a Servant

Jesus came in the form of a servant.

Let each of you not only look to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. –Philippians 2:4-7

We live in a culture that worships individuality and equality. People are entitled to certain privileges, and being unable to claim them is an outrageous offense. We deserve what is ours. This idea is heavily engrained in our minds every day. And that is what makes this passage so crazy.

As the gospel has a habit of doing, Philippians 2:4-7 destroys this cultural rationale. Jesus didn’t come as King (though He was and is King). He didn’t come as Lord (though He was and is Lord). He didn’t come to claim His rightful possessions. He came in the form of a servant, ready to die in pursuit of our interests.

Jesus is the only one who has ever had complete prerogative to claim anything. Everything is His! But He denied it all, so that we might know Him and become His heirs (Romans 8).

This season, let’s learn to pursue the interest of others the way He did. Let’s disregard the inherent obsession to have what we deserve. Because as Christians, we know that what we deserve is death. Nothing is ours. All we have is Christ’s.