Lord's Day 12

Devotion

How often do we consider the fact that it was Jesus’ humiliation which led to our salvation. Theodore Beza, the 16th century theologian wrote, “From the moment of His conception until His resurrection, He bore the punishment of our sins in order to unburden us of them… He was captured in order to release us, condemned so that we might be acquitted, He suffered infinite reproach in order to place us beyond all shame. He was nailed to the cross for our sins to be nailed there. He died bearing the curse we deserved, so as to appease for ever the wrath of God through the accomplishment of His unique sacrifice.” In His love for us, Christ descended to the very depths of hell itself to deliver us.

As Christ’s humiliation brings him to the grave on our behalf, the exaltation of Christ raises Him to the Father’s side on our behalf. The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians, “God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In the resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Christ we find the great promise that He now continually intercedes for us as our Mediator and Advocate. We are assured that because He has been raised for us, we are raised to new life in Christ, a life that is blessed and eternal (Rom 6:1-11).

The thought of Christ’s humiliation on our behalf ought to produce in us such devotion and love that our lives are lived in honor of His name; His exaltation the hope to encourage and support us as we proclaim His name to all the world.

Prayer

Almighty God, we thank you for sending your Son for us, who in His humiliation, stooped so low as to lift us up; and in His exaltation, has raised us up with Him to the heavenly places. May we live lives worthy of such sacrifice and grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Question 27

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.

Scripture Proofs

Luke 2:7;

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Gal. 4:4;

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

Heb. 12:2-3;

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Isa. 53:2-3;

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Luke 22:44;

And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Matt. 27:46;

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Phil. 2:8;

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1 Cor. 15:3-4;

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Acts 2:24-27;

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,

“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.

For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.

Acts 2:31.

he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

Question 28

Q. 28. Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation?

A. Christ’s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.

Scripture Proofs

1 Cor. 15:4;

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Mark 16:19;

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

Eph. 1:20;

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

Acts 1:11;

and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 17:31.

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

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