The Eternal God who sat on the throne of the universe came down to Earth "lying in a manger" (Luke 2:12). Throughout His public ministry, He had "not where to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). Because He had no money to pay the tax, He had to catch a fish with the necessary coin in its mouth (Matthew 17:27). In His agony at Gethsemane, none of His friends would pray with Him, and when He was arrested they all "forsook him and fled" (Matthew 26:40, 56). He had no one to defend Him at His trial.
Before He was nailed to the Cross, the soldiers stripped away His only personal possessions—the clothes on His back—and then the soldiers, "when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take." (Mark 15:24). When He died, His body had to be buried in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:59-60). Jesus had no home, no money, no possessions, no defenders, not even a tomb of His own in which to lie after he was dead.
But He had a Cross on which to die, and that was because He became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, "God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). Through His poverty we become rich, through His homelessness we receive a mansion in heaven, and through His terrible bloody death on Calvary we have everlasting life. Jesus became a nobody, so He could save nobodies like us.
Human nature wants to be Something and Somebody; human nature loves to be seen and wants to be significant; human nature dreads obscurity, being undervalued, and passed over. But the Gospel calls us to be a ‘nothing’, that is all. Whining and murmuring reveals self-love. Humility is nothing more than a just estimate of yourself according to the words of God. The worldling thinks a real Christian is a worthless fellow, a nothing and a curse. The world despises the declaration of the clear plain Gospel of Salvation by grace through Faith in the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The religious world tries to decorate the Gospel, to make it palatable, to cramp it with tradition, and make it agreeable with men’s worldly tastes. Religion always trims the Gospel, cuts it down, and makes it suit human nature. Your sinful nature is at war with God; you must surrender unconditionally, and lower your flag to Jesus. *Galatians 6:3*
The Law must first come into a man’s heart and soul with its condemning power; the work of Law reveals to the man he is a sinful nothing in need of the merciful Crucified and Risen Savior. The Gospel destroys the dignity of human nature. The Gospel is very humbling. The Gospel says, “There is no such thing as human merit; you have no merit of your own, and you have no power to obtain merit in the future." You have broken God’s Law, you are condemned by it. *James 2:10* You must be saved as a sinner, or not at all. You must be saved by the merits of Another. Your own works cannot have a finger in your salvation, it must be by grace alone. The proud man is offended by the Gospel, for it goes against the grain of his self-righteous pride; he will not tolerate it.
There is nothing for a sinner to do but to accept what Another has already done. Human nature’s love for sin and detestable pride is at the bottom of the rejection of Christ and His free grace. The Gospel is only for sinful men. The Gospel proclaims that Jesus saves men from the love and dominion of sin. Human nature doesn’t want that. The impurity of your heart makes it hard for you to believe such a pure Gospel. Human nature is too filthy and deceitful to accept the Truth. The love of sin lies at the bottom of your unbelief. Salvation must be of grace alone. We must shrink into nothingness. We have nothing in ourselves to boast of, or to trust in. The Christian life begins by trusting in Christ’s merit alone.
Simply cast your guilty soul entirely upon Jesus. This is the root of the matter – a simple helpless dependence upon Jesus for immediate and eternal salvation. Men must be convinced of sin, delivered from self-confidence, enlightened by the grace of God, and condemned by the commandments. We don’t want anything so vulgar and commonplace. Do you expect us to believe just as common folks? The root of the matter is to believe on the Incarnate God and to simply rely upon His blood atonement. To leave everything in His hands, to commit to Him our sins, our soul, our hopes, fears, past-present-future, and from now throughout life to fix our entire confidence upon Him. A living faith in the living Redeemer. Commit yourself wholly and entirely to the Mediator, the Incarnate God who bled, died, and rose from the dead for unworthy sinners. Look alone to the living Advocate in life, death, and Eternity. Make Jesus Himself your sole and solid hope. Whosoever believeth in Jesus hath everlasting life. Faith in Jesus’ atoning blood is the essence, vitality, and sum of true godliness. Childlike confidence in Christ Jesus Himself.
If you are a Somebody, the Holy Ghost must turn you into a nobody with the Gospel. A nobody is the sort of person that Jesus saves. You must be nothing if God is to save you. You must come down from your high horse; you must give up your trust in works, ceremonies, natural goodness, and just be nothing; and when you are nothing, then Jesus Christ will take you in. Jesus gives Life to dead sinners, healing to sick sinners, clothing to naked sinners, riches to bankrupt sinners, and water to thirsty sinners. If you are full of yourself, you may go your way, for Jesus will have nothing to do with you. If you are nothing, empty, naked, and helpess, you are just the one for whom Jesus shed His precious blood on Calvary’s Cross. Come now, and trust to Jesus alone, close with His blood, lay hold on eternal life. *Psalm 39:5*
After a man is born again, he begins to experience his old nature struggling against the law of his mind, and he lives in daily conflict with his inward evil nature. We must be thorough and brave soldiers of Jesus, following Him closely every day. The genuine Christian will suffer slander and detraction. We need grace and the backbone to be estimated fools in the eyes of the world. We must care less about the ridicule of the worldly wise. Be loyal to Christ and willing to be despised for His sake. Do not care one iota about what man thinks, fear God and care about what He thinks. Cheerfully consent to be nothing for Jesus’ sake, and to be bear shame and contempt for Him who made Himself of no reputation for your sake. We look only to Jesus daily for strength and guidance.
I am only strong in the Lord when He makes me strong. There is nothing within my nature to trust in. Christ’s kingdom will go on without me; souls will be won without me. Jesus may use me, but if He doesn’t, He will use somebody else. Only let Jesus be glorified. Never dream that you are essential to God’s cause. We do not look for man’s praise, for we do not expect people to talk much about a ‘nothing’. We must be glad to get out of the way, out of sight. Be content to work for the Lord in secret and quietness. No man looks for honor when he realizes he is nothing. Humility will also prevent us from slandering others. A nothing and a nobody shouldn’t be finding fault with other people. *Psalm 62:9*
A nothing will always avoid fault finding, for he understands what he is in God’s sight. A nothing avoids all self-seeking. Never seek your own, keep your motives clear; seek the glory of God, not your own glory. A nothing is content to be unknown. If you are a nothing, self-denial will become very easy for you. *Galatians 6:3* A nothing is easily contented. A nothing thanks God for what he has, and blesses God that he has all that. It would be foolish to think too much about a nothing. Mr. Somebody wants more and more, more money, more stuff, he is never satisfied. A nothing is a giver, not a taker. A nothing is a steward and faithfully uses his Lord’s goods. A nothing is full of gratitude. He marvels that God would ever love him, for he is such a sinful nobody. He wonders how Jesus shed His precious blood, and how God is so longsuffering toward him. A nothing is amazed that there is free forgiveness of sins, infinite grace, a heaven and eternal life for him. How can all this be freely given to a nobody and a nothing?
If you are a Somebody, the Holy Ghost must turn you into a nobody with the Gospel. A nobody is the sort of person that Jesus saves. You must be nothing if God is to save you. You must come down from your high horse; you must give up your trust in works, ceremonies, natural goodness, and just be nothing; and when you are nothing, then Jesus Christ will take you in. Jesus gives Life to dead sinners, healing to sick sinners, clothing to naked sinners, riches to bankrupt sinners, and water to thirsty sinners. If you are full of yourself, you may go your way, for Jesus will have nothing to do with you. If you are nothing, empty, naked, and helpess, you are just the one for whom Jesus shed His precious blood on Calvary’s Cross. Come now, and trust to Jesus alone, close with His blood, lay hold on eternal life. *Psalm 39:5*
After a man is born again, he begins to experience his old nature struggling against the law of his mind, and he lives in daily conflict with his inward evil nature. We must be thorough and brave soldiers of Jesus, following Him closely every day. The genuine Christian will suffer slander and detraction. We need grace and the backbone to be estimated fools in the eyes of the world. We must care less about the ridicule of the worldly wise. Be loyal to Christ and willing to be despised for His sake. Do not care one iota about what man thinks, fear God and care about what He thinks. Cheerfully consent to be nothing for Jesus’ sake, and to be bear shame and contempt for Him who made Himself of no reputation for your sake. We look only to Jesus daily for strength and guidance.
I am only strong in the Lord when He makes me strong. There is nothing within my nature to trust in. Christ’s kingdom will go on without me; souls will be won without me. Jesus may use me, but if He doesn’t, He will use somebody else. Only let Jesus be glorified. Never dream that you are essential to God’s cause. We do not look for man’s praise, for we do not expect people to talk much about a ‘nothing’. We must be glad to get out of the way, out of sight. Be content to work for the Lord in secret and quietness. No man looks for honor when he realizes he is nothing. Humility will also prevent us from slandering others. A nothing and a nobody shouldn’t be finding fault with other people. *Psalm 62:9*
A nothing will always avoid fault finding, for he understands what he is in God’s sight. A nothing avoids all self-seeking. Never seek your own, keep your motives clear; seek the glory of God, not your own glory. A nothing is content to be unknown. If you are a nothing, self-denial will become very easy for you. *Galatians 6:3* A nothing is easily contented. A nothing thanks God for what he has, and blesses God that he has all that. It would be foolish to think too much about a nothing. Mr. Somebody wants more and more, more money, more stuff, he is never satisfied. A nothing is a giver, not a taker. A nothing is a steward and faithfully uses his Lord’s goods. A nothing is full of gratitude. He marvels that God would ever love him, for he is such a sinful nobody. He wonders how Jesus shed His precious blood, and how God is so longsuffering toward him. A nothing is amazed that there is free forgiveness of sins, infinite grace, a heaven and eternal life for him. How can all this be freely given to a nobody and a nothing?
