JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF

Try to picture the scene. Actually, at that "time," there is only one scene existing. It is heaven, wherever that is, and the Father, His Son who will one day be named Jesus, and the Spirit are talking. They are surrounded by angels, but no other beings exist as yet.

The Father says, "I Am feeling creative today."

The Spirit snickers and says, "I think your last creation turned out okay, but I could only give You a grade of 66%" (Rev. 12:4).

The Father sheepishly replies, "Yes, you would think My being God, I would always shoot an 18 at golf, but I made the mistake of including hazards in My course. You know, it is kind of like creating a rock so heavy that I cannot pick it up." Heaven is filled with laughter!

The Son asks, "What do you have in mind?"

So the Father shares His vision of a material universe consisting of an innumerable galaxies of stars, a sun with a few planets orbiting it, one of which will be inhabited by beings that are modeled after Him (Gen. 1:1 - 2:25). He then tells them of some "hazards" He intends to include which will make it appear as though His creative ability has not improved, but this time, He says, "I AM going to build into My creation, a Solution. I just need to cast Someone to fill the role of Savior. He will need to be a common man of humble lineage, Who will be tortured and killed as payment for the rebellion of His fellow human beings." He continues, "My plan is to raise Him from the dead, and, in the end, make Him to be King of kings and Lord of lords!"

Jesus is silent for what seems an eternity, and then says, "Father, I will volunteer to play the part of the Savior. I really am not looking forward to the death scene, but there is no one else that could play that part."

The Father smiles and says, "I knew You would, My Son." And so, before the creation of the Universe, it was already determined by the Trinity that Jesus, the Son of God, was to die, be buried, and be raised from the dead for the salvation of all those who would place their trust in Him (Rev. 13:8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 10:8-13).

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:5-8).