Does Jesus' Divine Foreknowledge Take Away From His Sacrifice? Philippians 1:27-2:11

From the Anchor sermon series "Rejoice." Message "Joy in Unity and Humility" preached by Pastor Ryan Alsheimer. Communion message by Pastor Kaler Carpenter.

I love this passage because it gives a unique perspective on the motives of Jesus ("the mind of Jesus Christ", Phil. 2:5). We see here that in Jesus’ life, ministry, and even in his decision to leave behind the glories of Heaven to take on human flesh with its struggles,

all of it was entirely motivated by humility, obedience, love, joy, and sacrifice. 

Given the nature of Jesus’ sacrifice and the horrors he put himself through on our behalf, understanding Jesus’ motivation makes his sacrifice even more remarkable. And, I’m not just talking about the work He did on the cross.

Jesus’ obedient sacrifice also includes a spiritual judgement that’s hard to fully comprehend.

This idea of motivation and sacrifice came to light recently in a conversation I had with a dear friend who identifies as a skeptic. He said to me:

“Since Jesus was also God and he knew ahead of time about his resurrection, doesn’t that take away from his sacrifice?"

It’s an intriguing question because it implies that, in light of Jesus’ divine foreknowledge, him “being obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:8),” wasn’t difficult. And, if that’s the case, then:

• What makes Jesus’ sacrifice more praiseworthy than say a soldier on the battlefield laying down his life for others? 
• Or, what’s the difference between Jesus’ sacrifice and the sacrifice of Aaron Feis (Fise), the High School football coach in Parkland, Florida who gave his life by shielding students with his own body from the shooter’s bullets?

In the Bible, Jesus speaks to such heroic sacrifices and the motives behind them. He says in John 15:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” 

Paul provides us with further insight into this and Jesus’ motives in Romans 5:

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ultimately, what makes Jesus’ sacrifice unique and his motives so remarkable, is HOW Jesus’ death saves us.

More frightening than bullets, and even worse the crucifixion itself, the unique death that Jesus willing signed up for (out of obedience and humility), involved taking on the full wrath of God’s judgement for the sins of the world, for you, and for me, and for the Father’s glory (Phil. 2:11).

This atoning sacrifice is at the heart of the Gospel message, and Paul again gives us insight into Jesus’ motives when he says in 2 Corinthians:

“For He (God) made him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  

Therefore, when we come to this table and remember WHAT Jesus did on the cross for us-- suffering a death designed to maximize suffering--also take time to remember and honor Jesus’ motives--WHY he journeyed to the cross in the first place. Motives that, keep in mind, were a part of Jesus’ nature even before he came to the manager as a baby, on a mission to redeem His lost people. Romans 5:9 Paul says:

“that (more than Christ dying for us) having now been justified by His blood we shall be saved from wrath through Him… (v.11) And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

So come church, and rejoice!