Part Nine

Jesus Made Himself of No Reputation

Jesus didn’t flaunt who he was, nor did he deny who he was… which is why they killed him.  A mere man claiming to be GOD?  That’s what they thought, and that was blasphemy punishable by death!  But the fact of the matter was that they (the religious crowd) didn’t recognize him for who he was, nor did they accept him because they were not of God, but rather of their father, the devil!

And it was the religious crowd that bristled and was disgusted when Jesus did things they were way too proud and far too hard-hearted to do.  One such time was when Jesus was eating with one from this religious crowd and a woman came to the house where Jesus was and began to weep.  As she wept, she washed his feet with her tears and then she poured expensive perfume on them.  The religious man who invited him thought in his heart, if Jesus were truly who he said he was, he wouldn’t even let this woman touch him because she was so sinful.

But Jesus knew his thoughts, and confronted him with them:   “Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:44-47

Let me tell you that today there are many religious people and even whole churches that would behave exactly like this man did.   Have you ever heard anyone in a church say something like “oh, they’re not our caliber of people!”  Believe me, I have.  But even when the religious crowd’s pride is not so glaringly obvious, they will sometimes despise and reject a person whose reputation preceded them, even after they have repented!

As Jesus said to this religious man “he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

Jesus is coming for a Church that loves much!  He is coming for a Church that knows Him as their Savior!  Jesus will not reject, refuse or deny the sinner who is contrite and humble.  But as for that religious crowd….  They’re going to wish they didn’t have a reputation to try to protect!

Philippians 2:7,8 “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.”

On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 1
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 2
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 3
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 4
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 5
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 6
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 7
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 8
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 10