We aren't going to go into this in any kind of detail, but "humility" is shown in the Bible as a characteristic that is chosen. A person chooses to be humble. It is a choice that is presented to each individual. We'll touch on this just a little bit later in the sermon.
Let's think about this. His response to GOD's governance—and the needs of man—was to humbly and selflessly submit. What we are seeing here is an example of supreme condescension—in giving up an existence equal to God! He didn't grasp at it. He voluntarily gave it up. Here is the pattern, for you and me, so that we might become submissive to God.
There was no asserting of His "rights", but there was a supreme recognition of the authority of God's Word. (This is in Jesus Christ.) He didn't come and start throwing His weight around, become authoritative and bash heads. Remember that we are talking about GOD in the flesh. Human beings do not want to submit. Human beings who are converted are going to have to fight this all their life. It is a choice that has to be made.
What did Jesus do, then? He, instead, came as an Apostle—one bearing a message. And He taught that message. He came—like He, Himself, said He did (in Matthew 20)—as bond slave. Remember how He pointed out to His disciples, "I am the pattern." You have to become a slave—just like the Son of Man did. He became a slave—both to God and man.
So this U-shaped pattern is ironically illustrated in the story of Christ, the Deliverer, because Jesus the Deliverer must dive into the depths of human difficulty to bring human victims to new life in God's Kingdom. He has experienced what we experienced and He knows how to get us through. In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul emphasizes that Christ Jesus descended, from being in the form of God and equal with God, to taking on human likeness and servitude, even to the point of suffering the terrible death on the cross, and then He was highly exalted to universal Lordship.
He didn't grasp at it! He voluntarily gave it up.
Because He met the primary qualifications to be a ruler in the Kingdom of God—in that He proved Himself governable. He lived within the limits. He gave up control of His life—completely, and totally, to His Father.
