[. . .] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:11)
Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38–42 NLT)
For nearly seven weeks now, we’ve been on a Lenten journey together, looking at Philippians 2:5–11 with the mindset of trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, our Servant King. Keeping this servant-hearted attitude and heart in our daily lives is no easy task. Ultimately, it means de-centering ourselves from our own story.
Everyone who has ever lived inherently sees themselves as the star of their own show, the protagonist in their own life story. But as Christians – as people who have proclaimed our allegiance to the Servant King – we are instructed to live our lives for God, with him at the center rather than ourselves.
This is a radical restructuring of how we organize not just our lives but our entire worldview!
Thankfully, we have examples to look to.
Joseph Arimathea feared the Jewish leaders and therefore followed Jesus in secret, but after the death of his rabbi, he no longer cared. He de-centered himself from his own story, forsaking his own reputation so he might care for the body of his Messiah.
Likewise, Nicodemus was someone who sought out Jesus privately when he was alive, but after Jesus died, he brought 75 pounds of ointment for his burial; not only was this well beyond the normal amount used for a typical body, it also likely cost him a great deal of money. This is not a purchase he can keep secret like he could a one-on-one meeting in the night. Nicodemus also learned to de-center himself from his own story so he might glorify his Savior, anointing him like royalty.
Pulling back further, even Jesus de-centered himself from his own story. Though his death, burial, and resurrection are the center spoke around which all history turns, he did not do any of it for his own glory. “He humbled himself in obedience to God” (Philippians 2:8); in fact, if God had given him another way, he would have taken it: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42).
If Jesus – the central figure of creation who initiated and is even now bringing about the restoration of all creation – puts God’s will above his own, we have no excuse to not do the same.
Of course, this is no easy task.
When we are sick. When our car won’t start. After we receive bad news. While folding laundry, taking out the trash, and washing the dishes. As we commute to work or spend time by ourselves. In the celebrations, the difficulties, and the boring and mundane, we are to live as servants of the King through every thought and action.
Praise be to God that this is not a task we undertake on our own. Because of the cross we commemorated yesterday and the empty tomb we will celebrate tomorrow – and through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us – God has given us all we need to proclaim that “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37b).
Michael Benson is the communications director for the North American Baptist Conference.