The Son of God “emptied Himself” – what does that mean? He did not empty Himself of His deity, for “in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Nor did He lose all of His glory, for John wrote, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Much less can we say that He did not possess the Holy Spirit, for after His baptism and temptation in the wilderness, He “returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee” (Luke 4:14). What, then, did God’s only Son give up when He came to save us from our sins? He divested Himself of some aspects of infinity, in order to assume finite human nature. Surrendering absolute invulnerability, He became vulnerable; forsaking absolute power, He welcomed weakness. Spirit took on flesh, and deity clothed itself with humanity. Supreme sovereignty was exchanged for submissive servanthood. Exaltation became humiliation. Immortality was found in the form of a mortal body. Most of all, He forsook “face” – His righteous reputation in heaven – that He might be forsaken by His enemies, His friends and, for an awful moment, His Father. O come, let us adore Him!