He Came So He Could Die

[Jesus] emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:7

What if instead of coming as a baby, Jesus had been lowered on a cloud from heaven? Picture Him descending to the streets of Galilee with His face shining as bright as the sun and the angel choirs heralding His arrival.

It seems to me this would have been a good way for Jesus to make His debut. He could have avoided all the misconceptions about Him not being God. And ultimately, He could have avoided death on a cross. Instead, Jesus became a baby precisely so that He could be placed on a cross.

Jesus emptied Himself so that He could serve us. He lowered Himself so that He could take our place on the cross—to take our punishment and cleanse us from sin.

Because Jesus is so glorious that He deserves constant worship, His display of humility is infinitely significant and beautiful. He didn’t become less great when He folded Himself into Mary’s womb. Rather stooping low to become a servant only amplified His greatness even more.