What Did Jesus Give Up?

Still on my brothers' case (I'm sorry)

I was reading Ephesians 5:26-28 again

…Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

And it struck me - Jesus gave something up to prove His love.

We usually talk about loving like Jesus but hardly touch on what he gave up in love.

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What did He give up?

Let's look at these scriptures.

Colossians 1:15-17 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together

Hebrews 1:2-3 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Phil 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

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What then does this mean for husbands?

Love like Christ was not sentimental.

It was sacrificial.

Let's look at who Jesus really was again.

• The image of the invisible God.
• The one through whom all things were created.
• The one before all things, the one in whom everything holds together.
• The radiance of God’s glory.
• The exact representation of His nature.
• The one who upholds the universe by the word of His power.

This is cosmic authority.

Power beyond comprehension.

Yet Philippians says something startling.

Though He was equal with God,

• He did not cling to it.
• He made Himself nothing.
• He took the form of a servant.
• He humbled Himself… even to death on a cross.

Think about that.

The one who made life

submitted to death.

The one who holds the universe together

allowed Himself to be nailed to wood.

The one who could command angels

chose silence before accusers.

Love cost Him something.

So when Scripture tells husbands to love like Christ,

it is not calling us to poetic language.

It is calling us to surrender power.

Not authority.

Not leadership.

But the things we often use to protect ourselves.

• Ego.
• Machismo.
• Pride.
• The need to win every argument.
• The need to always be right.
• The need to preserve image.

Jesus did not prove His love with dominance.

He proved it with surrender.

He gave something up.

Many men want the wife of their dreams.

But Christ-like love asks a different question.

What are you willing to lay down?

• Your pride when apology is needed?
• Your ego when she needs understanding?
• Your control when partnership is required?
• Your reputation when protection is necessary?

Love that costs nothing proves nothing.

But love that sacrifices power reveals depth.

Christ did not stop being powerful when He humbled Himself.

He showed what true power looks like.

The power to lay something down.

Marriage calls husbands higher.

Not to rule with strength…

but to lead with sacrifice.

Because sometimes the greatest display of love

is not what you say.

It is what you give up.

👣 Be Better. 💛 Love Better. 🙌🏾 Do Better. 💍Marriage Works.