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The Selfless King: Seeing The Advent with Fresh Eyes

Key Verses
Isaiah 53:2-5, Isaiah 11:1, Philippians 2:6-9, Psalm 138:6, Isaiah 57:15, Romans 6:6, Luke 9:23, John 14:10, Acts 10:38, Luke 4:1,4,14

As we enter the Advent season, we often find ourselves drawn to the majesty and glory of Jesus' birth. We celebrate the King, the Savior, the divine child born in Bethlehem. But there's a crucial aspect of Jesus that we frequently overlook—His complete selflessness and the radical way He chose to enter our world.

Who Was Jesus Really?

Isaiah 53 paints a startling picture of the coming Messiah that contradicts our sanitized Christmas imagery. The prophet describes someone with "no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor an appearance that we should be attracted to him." This wasn't the glorious king many expected, but rather someone who was "despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."


The Reality of Jesus' Birth

When we strip away our Christmas decorations and sentimentality, we see that Jesus was born in what was essentially an outhouse where farm animals were kept. His first bed was a feeding trough, likely still carrying the smell of cow manure. This wasn't a sanitized nativity scene—this was the King of Kings entering the world in the most humble circumstances imaginable.

From Stump to Shoot: Understanding Jesus' Lineage

Isaiah 11:1 speaks of a shoot coming from "the stump of Jesse." This imagery is profound when we understand the context. David, Jesse's son, had established a great kingdom, but by the time of Jesus' birth, that royal line had been cut down like a tree. The people of Israel had been scattered in exile, and David's throne no longer existed.

Joseph the Carpenter

Jesus came through Joseph, a carpenter in the small town of Bethlehem—a direct descendant of King David, but now just a working-class man building furniture and fixing broken wagons. Nobody would have recognized any kingly lineage in this ordinary family. God was making a point: the Messiah would come not from grandstanding royalty, but from the humblest beginnings.
What Does It Mean That Jesus "Emptied Himself"?

Philippians 2:6-8 reveals the heart of Jesus' selflessness.

[Jesus], though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

This doesn't mean Jesus stopped being God, but rather that He chose not to operate in His divine power as a man. He lived as a man full of the Holy Spirit, yielded completely to the power and wisdom of God's Spirit (Acts 10:38; Luke 4:1,14,18). 

The Pathway of Humility

Jesus deliberately laid down His divine privileges to live as a human being, dependent on the Holy Spirit just as we must be. When He was baptized, the Spirit descended upon Him, and from that point forward, He operated in the power of the Spirit, not His own divine authority. He constantly reminded people, "I don't do anything by myself. I only do what I see my father doing." (John 14:10)

Why Did Jesus Choose the Way Down?

The Way Up Is Down

Jesus demonstrated a fundamental kingdom principle: the way up is actually down. In a world that celebrates upward mobility and self-promotion, Jesus showed us that true greatness comes through humility and service. He associated with the lowest forms of humanity—tax collectors, prostitutes, and outcasts—because He came for those who recognized their desperate need.

Removing Every Excuse

By coming as the "worst of us" and living a perfect life through dependence on the Holy Spirit, Jesus removed every excuse we might have for not following God. We can't say, "Well, I'm not Jesus" because He chose to live as a human being, showing us what's possible when we're filled with God's Spirit.

What Does This Mean for Our Lives?

The Problem with "Add-On" Christianity

Many of us approach Jesus like an upgrade subscription—we're generally happy with our lives but want Him to remove the guilt and add some benefits. But Jesus calls for complete surrender, not partial improvement. He looks for those who are "poor in spirit," who recognize their complete dependence on God.

Living from Lowliness

Psalm 138:6 tells us that "though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly." God doesn't look for those who have it all together; He looks for those who recognize their need. Isaiah 57:15 reveals that God dwells "with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit."

The Power of Crucified Living

Romans 6:6 explains that "our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing." When we identify with Christ's death, we're freed from the exhausting cycle of trying to prove ourselves. We no longer have to save face or maintain our reputation—we've died to that old way of living.

Taking Up Our Cross Daily

Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me" (Luke 9:23). This isn't about suffering for suffering's sake, but about choosing to die to our self-centered way of living and embracing God's way instead.

Practically applying this message

This week, practice the way of Jesus by choosing humility over self-promotion. When faced with opportunities to elevate yourself or defend your reputation, instead choose to "go low first." Look to posture yourself in view of God's provision as your source without recognition, admit when you're wrong quickly, and to depend on God's strength rather than your own abilities. This will strengthen your dependence/trust muscles in daily living and become platforms to see God's grace at work.

Ask yourself these questions:

  1. Where in my life am I still trying to prove myself rather than resting in what Christ has done?
  2. How can I practice "less of me"-centeredness in my relationships and daily interactions with God and others?
  3. What would it look like for me to live as someone who has truly died to self and been raised with Christ?
  4. Am I approaching Jesus as an "add-on" to my existing life, or am I willing to let Him transform everything?

The selfless Savior calls us to a selfless life—not one of misery, but one of freedom from the exhausting burden of self-promotion and self-preservation. In losing our lives for His sake, we find the abundant life He promises.