Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through the abundant and joyful presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross.

Our Lord enters the great city of Jerusalem today on a donkey. This is the one who was born in a stable to a mother who was insignificant and ostracized. He associated with outcasts. He loved the unlovable. He preached mercy. And today, he enters the city in a way that mocks the kingship many sought in him. From beginning to end, Jesus the Christ, moves among the people with humility.

Humility. Having or showing a consciousness of one's place; not proud; not self-assertive; modest. Low in condition, rank, or position; lowly; unimportant; unpretentious. These are the words and phrases that describe us, not Jesus; and yet, he behaves fully as if they are true. This is the one who, though God, becomes human for us. This is the one who, though God, empties himself for us. This is the one who, though God, humbles himself even to the point of death on a cross.

Humility is one of the great words that Paul chose to identify something of the nature of our Lord. And it is a word that speaks to both of the titles for this Sunday's liturgy. It is both Palm Sunday, and the Sunday of the Passion. It is both the day on which our Lord enters the holy city as if a king, even if on a donkey, with the crowd spreading palms in welcome-and the day that begins his final week of striving, suffering, and dying for us, what we call his passion. It is in humility that all of these great events of salvation for us occur. Jesus emptied himself; he humbled himself to complete the work of our salvation.

Humility is a difficult subject. It's hard to pin down. It yields easily to humor.

For example, did you hear about the minister who said he had a wonderful sermon on humility but considered it so fine that he was waiting for a large crowd before preaching it?

Henry Augustus Rowland, professor of physics at Johns Hopkins University, was once called as an expert witness at a trial. During cross-examination a lawyer demanded, "What are your qualifications as an expert witness in this case?"

The normally modest and retiring professor replied quietly, "I am the greatest living expert on the subject under discussion." Later a friend well acquainted with Rowland's disposition expressed surprise at the professor's uncharacteristic answer. Rowland said, "Well, what did you expect me to do? I was under oath." (Today in the Word, August 5, 1993)

Humility also yields easily to misunderstanding. Some might imagine that this is a simple trait of character. But consider that those who are humble, regardless of their confidence or eloquence understand that greatness is something that is not in them but through them-that they are and do only as God makes possible.

Humble persons feel no jealousy or envy. They can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before them. They can bear to hear others praised while they are forgotten because they know the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not himself, and who sought not his own honor. (Andrew Murray)

"Humility is something we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have." (M. R. De Haan)

It's elusive, this matter of humility. And it grows, as we walk with our Lord, over time. Take as evidence the following three statements of Paul:

I am the least of the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:9)

I am the very least of all the saints. (Ephesians 3:8)

I am the foremost of sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15)

These three descriptions of himself date respectively from around A.D. 59, 63, and 64. As the years pass he grows in humility, even as his work progresses. Growth in grace comes as our Lord blesses us with faithful perspectives on who we are in relation to God.

And in Philippians, Paul writes that Jesus "emptied himself." That's not at all a bad description of the process of becoming humble. Let me repeat those words and phrases by which I defined humility earlier: Having or showing a consciousness of one's place; not proud; not self-assertive; modest; low in condition, rank, or position; lowly; unimportant; unpretentious. Emptied of self summarizes those pretty well.

It is also appropriate to our observance of Lent. We practice emptying ourselves, so that we may also be filled. We empty ourselves of place, pride, rank, position, importance, and pretense so that our Lord may fill us with humility, grace, forgiveness, and love-and so that the life of our Lord within us will not be distorted by the sinfulness of our pride.

Self-emptying. Humility is about giving up on the sinful self so that the grace of God may come in and fill the empty place. The more we empty ourselves of pride and self-centered ways, the greater the space that God may fill, and the more fully we reflect both the humility and the grace of our Lord.

Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, the renowned educator Booker T. Washington was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady.

The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. "It's perfectly all right, Madam," he replied. "Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it's always a delight to do something for a friend." She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute. (Our Daily Bread)

Alex Haley, the author of Roots, has a picture in his office, showing a turtle sitting atop a fence. The picture is there to remind him of a lesson he learned long ago: "If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he had some help." Says Alex, "Any time I start thinking, 'Wow, isn't this marvelous what I've done!', I look at that picture and remember how this turtle-me-got up on that post." (Philip Osborne, Handbook of Magazine Article Writing)

What we do is done by virtue of, through, and in the one who rests within us. Paul reminds us of this: "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them-though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." (1 Cor. 15:10) The closer we come to that truth, the closer we come to the one who emptied himself, became humble, and suffered for us this week.

Paul records the delight in humility that God took in Jesus. Immediately following his description of Jesus' self-emptying and humility, Paul writes:

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.

They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves cannot be proud. (John Flavel, Today In The Word, November, 1989, p.20)

Humility is not only gentleness or meekness. It demands vulnerability, the willingness to be hurt, the willingness to set aside pride and prerogative. It is readiness to go unnoticed, to be last, to receive the least. Humility offers nothing in the way of peace as the world gives-and plenty that destroys it. Yet it describes the way of Christ perhaps better than any other word. And as such it brings the deepest and most lasting peace.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself..., he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross.

May the humility of our Lord embrace our hearts as we complete our Lenten journey this week. Amen.