Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Faith's Results

Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
October 8, 2010

"The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary…The Lord God has opened My ear…I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed." (Isaiah 50:4-7)

In our previous prophetic verses, we saw that the promised Servant of the Lord would undertake His Messianic mission through faith in His heavenly Father. "My God shall be My strength" (Isaiah 49:5). These verses depicted Jesus as the ultimate example of faith. Now, a corresponding prophetic passage reveals the blessed consequences of trusting in the Lord. Herein, we see Jesus as the ultimate example of faith's results.

Once again, the prophetic parties are the Messiah and His heavenly Father. The confessions of Jesus (trusting in the Father) comprise the prophetic statements. "The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned." Jesus was "discipled" day by day by the Father (certainly using, in part, His godly parents). "The Lord God has opened My ear." This equipped Jesus to minister to burdened lives: "that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary." In fact, people were amazed in general at the manner in which He spoke. "So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth" (Luke 4:22).

As Jesus would trust in the Father, He would also be prepared for the mounting difficulties that He would face. "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." In approaching the cross, these prophecies of Jesus (and the enablement He found through depending upon the Father) were fulfilled. "Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands" (Matthew 26:67). Though He knew all of this awaited Him before He came to Jerusalem that last time, He put His faith in the Father. "For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed." The Father helped Him. He marched on resolutely to keep His redemption appointment at the cross. "Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51). These are the wonderful consequences of faith.

Father, Your Son, my Savior, was prepared, strengthened, sustained, and used through faith in You. I need to experience these same blessed results of faith in my life. Please build my faith, more and more, for Your glory and service, Amen.

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Faith

Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
October 7, 2010

And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant…(for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength)…Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You." (Isaiah 49:5 and 8)

Numerous times throughout these hundreds of meditations, we have examined the relationship of "humility and faith" to "growing in grace." Such repeated opportunities assist us in apprehending the means of living day by day by grace. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble…we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (James 4:6 and Romans 5:2). For a number of days, we have been considering humility and grace. In a recent meditation, we saw that Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. Now, we begin to give considerable attention to faith and grace. Concerning faith, we begin where we left off with humility—with Jesus as our example. Again, we will see that Jesus is the ultimate example of faith.

Our present verses are a prophecy involving the Father and His Son, the Servant Messiah, who would go forth to provide God's gift of salvation. "And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant." An angel would eventually announce this prophecy as coming to fulfillment. "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The confession of the Messiah is also given here prophetically. "My God shall be My strength." When the Son would leave heaven for His incarnation, He would function by faith in the Father. The Father's reassuring words affirm this trust in Him. "Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You.'"

The fact that Jesus lived by faith in His Father was a part of His own teaching ministry. "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner" (John 5:19). Herein, Jesus (who had laid aside the independent exercise of His deity) was exemplifying how man should live in humble dependence upon the faithfulness of God.

Dear Savior, I humble myself before You, expressing my desire to grow in grace. I know that faith accesses grace. Lord, please teach me to place my faith in You, just as You fully relied upon the Father, Amen.

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Godly Exaltation

Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
October 6, 2010

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, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8-11)

There is an ungodly, self-sufficient exaltation that leads to defeat and dishonor. "Everyone who exalts himself will be abased" (Luke 18:14a). On the other hand, there is a godly, self-denying humility that leads to a proper exaltation. "He who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:14b). We saw in our previous meditation that Jesus was the ultimate example of humility. Here, we see that He is also the ultimate example of godly exaltation.

Jesus humbly surrendered Himself to the will of the Father, that our salvation might be secured through His atoning death. "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." The results were glorious. God's great salvation was purchased for man, and God's Son was greatly exalted. "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name." First, Jesus was raised victoriously from the dead and seated at the Father's right hand, being granted the name above all names. "He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:20). Some day He will return triumphantly. "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war" (Revelation 19:11). Finally, He will rule forever sovereignly. "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever" (Isaiah 9:7).

Those who must be forced to bow at the end will be separated from Him forever. Those who humbly bow and confess Him now will be exalted now (that is, "lifted up" now into heavenly realms of forgiveness, blessing, growth, and fruitfulness). Eventually, they will enter into His eternal exaltation (joint-heirs with Christ, serving Him forever)! The pathway is humility. He humbled Himself, yet, will rule eternally. We humble ourselves before Him now, yet we reign with Him forever!

Lord Jesus, what an amazing path You walked—from humble servanthood to a heavenly throne. What a grand exaltation will be Yours forever. What an astounding joy to know that I will join You in that exaltation, serving You eternally. Lord, I humble myself before You anew. Make me Your faithful servant now while I await the glorious privilege that is coming, Amen.

Jesus, the Ultimate Example of Humility

Day By Day By Grace
Bob Hoekstra
October 5, 2010

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. 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. (Philippians 2:5-8)

In order to live daily by the grace of God, we must be willing to walk in humility. "God … gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5). The word of God offers extensive teaching concerning a life of humility. Moreover, in all of the Scriptures we will find no greater insight than that which pertains to Jesus, the ultimate example of humility.

Before He came to earth as a man, Jesus had existed throughout eternity past as deity, the eternal Son of God. "Bethlehem …out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). Since He was God, claiming deity was not an inappropriate intrusion into another's domain: "who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God." Although He would of necessity exist endlessly as God (even during His pilgrimage as a man), He did not go about independently exercising His Godhood: "but made Himself of no reputation." Instead of manifesting all of His innate glory, He functioned as any human slave would: "taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men." During His earthly ministry, He Himself would emphasize His servanthood role. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

In His majestic salvation mission, Jesus, the Son of God, would voluntarily accept the path of humility. "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." This humility involved a yielding to the Father that was so extensive He would even embrace the most abhorrent death of all, a sin-atoning crucifixion. In spiritual agony, He would pray, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). This humble surrender to the Father's will is the path that our Lord calls us to walk. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."

Dear Lord, my heart is humbled as I consider the humbling You accepted in coming to this sinful planet. As God, You deserved all honor and glory. Yet, in order to please the Father and to save sinners, You were willing to become a lowly, human servant. Unlike Your example, I am easily tempted to resist humility, even though I deserve to be totally humiliated. Lord, please work in me a humble heart like Yours, in Your holy name, Amen.

Jesus, the only Saviour

Daily Promises
Blue Letter Bible
July 10, 2010

Grace [be] to you and peace from God the Father, and [from] our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:3-4)

God desired to provide a way of reconciliation for us. This could only be done through His Son Jesus. Out of His love for us and obedience to His Father, Jesus died and paid the penalty for our sins. So rejoice you believers! Rejoice in the road to heaven paved with the grace and mercy of the heavenly throne!