{"id":11604,"date":"2016-10-12T00:19:27","date_gmt":"2016-10-12T04:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=11604"},"modified":"2016-10-12T00:19:27","modified_gmt":"2016-10-12T04:19:27","slug":"worship-wednesday-come-behold-the-wondrous-mystery-matt-papa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=11604","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery – Matt Papa"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: The Gospel Coalition<\/a><\/p>\n

[From the Archives]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God<\/strong>, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,<\/span> but emptied Himself<\/strong>, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men<\/strong>. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself<\/strong> by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.<\/em> \u2013 Philippians 2:5-8<\/a><\/p>\n

There are words, it seems, we can\u2019t use any more in polite company \u2013 words that have changed as culture changes and have been altered, perverted, in the common language. I have happened on such words by using them and then being gently corrected by my 20-something-young friends. \u201cThat word doesn\u2019t mean what you think anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Condescension seems to be one of those words. In today\u2019s usage, it\u00a0 has come to mean<\/a>\u00a0\u201can attitude of patronizing superiority; disdain\u201d.\u00a0Merriam-Webster<\/a> has retained some of the fuller meaning of the word: voluntary descent from one\u2019s rank or dignity in relations with an inferior.<\/em><\/p>\n

At Movement Church, <\/a>Pastor Cliff spoke<\/a> on it and our worship team led us in singing Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery <\/em>(lyrics follow below). Afterward, we had this lively conversation on whether referring to God as condescending was correct or not.<\/p>\n

Oh yes\u2026in the fullest sense of that word!<\/p>\n

Hang in there with me as I take you through a quick study of the word\u2026with the help of others much smarter than I am.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod is condescending. It\u2019s true. However, the problem is not that God is condescending, but that most people have no idea what condescending really means, nor why it should be a good thing that God has such an attitude.<\/p>\n

If you were paying attention during high school English class, you know that there are actually two definitions for every word. One is the denotation, which is what the word actually means. The other is the connotation, which is the way the word is usually used in popular conversation. Condescension has a pretty bad connotation; it\u2019s usually used to refer to someone who thinks they\u2019re better than you are, and talks down to you as if coming down to your level is a major chore for them.<\/p>\n

The denotation, however, is quite different. The word itself merely means \u201cto come down [descend] together.\u201d The prefix \u201ccon-\u201d means \u201ctogether with.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you split the word up and look at its parts, \u201cto descend with,\u201d you actually get a pretty good idea of what God\u2019s interaction with humanity is all about. While it might be offensive for me to act as if I was in any way superior to my fellow humans, it would be silly for God to pretend that he was not superior to us in every single way.<\/p>\n

Descending to our level is the only way he could possibly have a relationship with us at all. There is certainly no way that we humans, imperfect as we are, could otherwise ascend to his level. Unless God comes down to our level, we\u2019re stuck with this gigantic gap between God\u2019s holy perfection and our miserable imperfection.<\/strong>\u201d \u2013 Jim Barringer<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cChrist did not receive us because we were perfect, because he could see no fault in us, or because he hoped to gain somewhat at our hands. Ah, no! But, in loving condescension<\/strong> covering our faults, and seeking our good, he welcomed us to his heart; so, in the same way, and with the same purpose, let us receive one another.\u201d \u2013 Charles Spurgeon<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThere do meet in Jesus Christ, infinite highness, and infinite condescension.\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 <\/em>Jonathan Edwards<\/a><\/p>\n

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.<\/span> <\/em>\u2013 2 Corinthians 8:9<\/a><\/p>\n

Condescension, when applied to Redeemer God, is a word that must be reclaimed from the common vernacular of this culture. God, in sending His son, did not just descend. He condescended\u2026He came down to be with us<\/strong>. He came as close as it was possible for a holy God to come to His people\u2026bridging the great gap we could not bridge in our own helpless estate.<\/strong> He came down to be with us.<\/p>\n

Thank You, God, for your glorious transcendent condescension. We are forever changed.\"Blog<\/a><\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me to “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery<\/em>“.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Come behold the wondrous mystery in the dawning of the King,
\nHe, the theme of heaven\u2019s praises, robed in frail humanity.
\nIn our longing, in our darkness, now the light of life has come;<\/strong>
\n Look to Christ, who condescended, took on flesh to ransom us.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Come behold the wondrous mystery: He the perfect Son of Man,
\nIn His living, in His suffering, never trace nor stain of sin
\nSee the true and better Adam come to save the hell-bound man,
\nChrist, the great and sure fulfillment of the law, in Him we stand.<\/em><\/p>\n

Come behold the wondrous mystery: Christ the Lord upon the tree;
\nIn the stead of ruined sinners hangs the Lamb in victory.
\nSee the price of our redemption; see the Father\u2019s plan unfold,
\nBringing many sons to glory, grace unmeasured, love untold!<\/em><\/p>\n

Come behold the wondrous mystery: slain by death, the God of life;
\nBut no grave could e\u2019er restrain Him, praise the Lord, He is alive!
\nWhat a foretaste of deliverance; how unwavering our hope:
\nChrist in power resurrected, as we will be when he comes.*<\/em><\/p>\n

Explore God – Is Jesus really God?<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery<\/em> by Matt Boswell, Michael Bleecker, and Matt Papa<\/a><\/p>\n

God Condescends \u2013 Charles Spurgeon<\/a><\/p>\n

Jonathan Edwards: The Infinite Highness and Condescension of Christ<\/a><\/p>\n

God Is Condescending by Jim Barringer<\/a><\/p>\n

Messiah, the Condescension of God Transcendent<\/a><\/p>\n

The Condescension of our Transcendent God by Lee Tankersley<\/a><\/p>\n

The Condescending God?<\/a><\/p>\n

Does Condescend-Condescension Always Have a Negative Connotation?<\/a><\/p>\n

Lady Catherine\u2019s Condescension<\/a><\/p>\n

*<\/em>Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery<\/em>: Hymn Wednesday<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIn our longing, in our darkness<\/strong>
\n Now the light of life has come<\/strong>
\n Look to Christ, who condescended<\/strong>
\n Took on flesh to ransom us\u201d*<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo Credit: The Gospel Coalition [From the Archives] Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of … Continue reading Worship Wednesday – Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery – Matt Papa<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3750,794,50,910,18,761,1456,47,946],"tags":[863,979,2446,3819,2567,3729,1835,2574,2573,982,2021,360],"class_list":["post-11604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-explore-god","category-faithfulness","category-god","category-gospel","category-jesus","category-redeeming-restoring","category-steadfast-love","category-wednesday-worship","category-worship","tag-charles-spurgeon","tag-christ","tag-come-behold-the-wondrous-mystery","tag-condescended","tag-condescension","tag-explore-god","tag-jesus","tag-jim-barringer","tag-jonathan-edwards","tag-matt-papa","tag-movement-church","tag-worship-wednesday"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pauPAB-31a","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11604"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11613,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11604\/revisions\/11613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}