Commencement Address 2015: We Celebrate Him

This is an abbreviated version of my Commencement Address at the 2015 EBS Graduation that took place today (May 15, 2015).

Philippians 2 paints for us a wonderful portrait. It is a portrait of the character of Christ. As the stated goal of EBS is to develop Christ-like leaders for the spiritual transformation of Haiti, it is crucial for us to have a deep understanding of who Christ is.

In the spirit of orthodox to Christology, we can define Christ according to his messianic offices. He is prophet. He is priest. He is king. These things describe what he has done for humanity in his saving work. He is a teacher (prophet). He is an intermediary (priest). He is a ruler of the covenant people of God and the created order (king). But is there more to Him than this? Can we not describe the character of Christ in terms that reach beyond his ministry and mission? What of the nature of Christ before the crisis of sin arose in the created order? Who was he before his mission defined him?

This is where Philippians 2 comes in. Philippians 2 describes one who is the exact opposite of the image of the world. He is the opposite, as Martin Luther put it, of those who are bent inward on themselves (incurvatus in se). Jesus, to the contrary, is bent outward. He lives for the other. His interest is the other. He is completely obedient for the sake of the other. He is a slave. He is a servant. He has no selfish ambition or conceit. He considers others better than himself.

ALL WISH TO BE KINGS, QUEENS, PRINCES, AND PRINCESSES. NOT HIM. HE IS DIFFERENT. HE IS HOLY.

Interestingly enough, Philippians 2 has a unique textual and theological connection with Isaiah 52:13-53:12, which is for many the most important messianic passage of the Old Testament. This passage, on the other end of hermeneutical analysis, demonstrates that the key to the efficacious work of the Messiah is his servanthood, humility, and his obedience. Without this heart posture no one lives. Without this heart posture there is no successful mission to the world. Without this heart posture there is no redemption.

This is set in contrast with another character model found in Intertestamental literature, and also in part in the New Testament book of Jude. This literature from the Second Temple period seeks to explain the origins of evil and fills in some of the blanks from Genesis 1, 2, and 3. It explains how the serpent, the great Adversary got in the garden in the first place.

To make a long story short, the Adversary, the satan (“satan,” in Hebrew, just means “accuser” and is a title more than a name as it always appears with the definite article rendering “the accuser”), believes he has been misplaced in the hierarchy. He believes God got it wrong. He has a plan better than God’s.

The satan seeks to elevate himself.

This is where evil enters in; rebellion against God, moral autonomy, self-elevation, egoism.

The satan looks at the other and says, “It should have been me. I am better. I am more deserving.”

This, by the way, is exactly on par with the message of Genesis 3. Genesis 3 and 2 Enoch demonstrates theological harmony.

From this heart posture, from this mindset all evil comes into the world. The mind that says, “I, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE. I AM MORE DESERVING,” and sin enters in.

The portrait of Jesus in Philippians 2 is in contrast to this.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others” (Phil 2:3–5).

This is the key to God’s World Renewal Plan. Redemption comes through self-less-ness.

Redemption comes through living for others.

To the contrary, sin, death, corruption and decay enter in when people use the heads of others as rungs on a ladder to elevate themselves. Those who seeks to elevate themselves bring death into the world. Those, however, who seek to elevate others, bring life into the world.

I’m reminded of James and John who log a request with Jesus. They ask Jesus to allow them to sit at his right and left when the kingdom comes.

YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU’RE ASKING. This is the stuff of death. You wish to elevate yourself and you will die.

John the Baptist, who is among the greatest in the kingdom, said something quite different when he uttered, “I must decrease so that he may increase” (John 30:30).

This is the stuff of life.

At EBS we determine our success on how our graduates measure up to the portrait of Jesus that Paul gives us in Philippians 2? Do you do nothing from selfish ambition and conceit? Are you self-effacing? Do you elevate others, or are you out to elevate yourself? Is this degree a means for your greater end, or are you a means to God’s greater end?

If we were to do an experiment where we drew the blood of each student at EBS and placed it under a micro-scope, our hope is that we would not find the blood of Toussaint Moïse, or Gédéus Hernst. Our hope is that we would find the blood of Jesus.

At EBS we are nothing. Christ is all. It is Him that we celebrate today. We must decrease so that he may increase.

Amen.