May 20 2026

Wednesday May 20

“He Emptied Himself”

Philippians 2:5-7

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Today we are delving into one of the greatest mysteries of the Bible here in Philippians 2:7, where the Apostle Paul wrote, “But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant.” Today we are going to talk about how “He emptied Himself”. What an amazing truth we find here—that Jesus Christ, the God of heaven, emptied Himself and came among us. Philippians 2 takes us into the humility of Jesus Christ. Remember, that is what Paul is teaching: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” The heart and mind of humility that Jesus had brought Him to planet Earth as a human being.

Verse 6 shows us that Jesus is fully God. We talked about that yesterday. Now verse 7 shows us what He was willing to do for our salvation. Paul says, “But made Himself of no reputation.” The phrase literally means “He emptied Himself.” Now, this has sometimes been misunderstood, so we need to look at it carefully today. Jesus did not empty Himself of His deity. Jesus never stopped being God. When Jesus walked on earth, He still forgave sins. He still calmed storms. He still received worship. He still claimed equality with the Father. He was fully God and fully man at the same time. So what did He empty Himself of?

He laid aside the independent use of His divine privileges. He voluntarily surrendered the visible glory and heavenly privileges that He had with the Father before the world began. Remember John 17:5, where Jesus prayed, “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Think about what Jesus left behind: the worship of angels, the splendor of heaven, the glory of eternity, the uninterrupted fellowship of heavenly majesty. He entered into a fallen world filled with suffering, rejection, hatred, and pain. The Creator stepped into His creation. The eternal God became a baby. What humility!

Paul continues by saying that He took “the form of a bondservant.” Notice the contrast in verse 6: He was in the form of God. In verse 7, He took the form of a servant. The One who ruled heaven and the universe became a servant on earth—not merely a servant, but a bondservant, a slave. Jesus did not pretend to serve. He became a servant. Think about John 13, where Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. That was the work of the lowest household servant. Can you imagine that? The hands that formed the galaxies washed fishermen’s feet. That is the mind of Christ.

Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister.” This is so opposite of our culture today. The world says, “Promote yourself, demand recognition, protect your image.” Jesus says, “Serve.” Remember, real greatness in the kingdom of God is found in servanthood. Matthew 23:11 says, “He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Yes, many people want the crown, but few want the towel.

Yet throughout Scripture, God honors servants. Joseph served in prison before ruling in Egypt. David served sheep before leading Israel. Moses served in the wilderness before delivering a nation. Jesus served all the way to the cross. The question today is this: Where is God calling you to serve?

Maybe in your home.

At your church.

At work.

Maybe in a hidden ministry that nobody ever notices.

You see, the flesh wants applause, but the spirit wants obedience. One of the greatest tests of humility is whether or not we are willing to serve when no one sees us and no one praises us. Are we still joyful today in serving the Lord? The mind of Christ says, “Yes, I will serve.”

Today, ask yourself:

Am I looking to be served or to serve?

Do I quietly resent humble tasks?

Am I willing to do unnoticed ministry?

That may mean being a nursery worker, cleaning the church, helping elderly people, or being a faithful prayer warrior that nobody knows about. Heaven sees it all. Remember this: Jesus never asked us to go lower than He already went. Remember: “He emptied Himself” and so should we!

Let’s pray together. “Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming a servant for our salvation. Forgive us for selfish ambition and pride. Teach us to serve joyfully and humbly. Give us hearts that look for opportunities to help others instead of seeking recognition for ourselves. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

God bless you and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!