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So That You Might Follow

I remember trudging behind my dad in the deep snow when I was little.  My short legs had a hard time just lifting out of the hole.  At some point he must have looked back to see me struggling because he began encouraging me and lessening the length of his stride.

We think of the gospel as only Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, but His incarnation and intercession are essential as well.  John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us ….”  There’s more than just His work on the cross and tomb; Jesus’ example shows us how to live our lives in the flesh (1 Peter 2:21-24) … and His footsteps are not always easy to follow!

I.  1 Peter 3:8-11.  We are called to follow Jesus’ example, but His steps lead through Gethsemane and onto Golgotha.  He did all that because of our sin and for our sin.  What a heavy burden it was to bear, and what a burden we too must bear if we truly place our feet in the deep depressions His feet have made.  But, we see the cross as God’s wisdom and power.

II.  1 Corinthians 1:18-29.  Jesus led by facing whatever challenges were before Him by faith.  He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly, and so must we!  Through that same lens of faith, the ‘nots’ see the world differently.  As Jesus’ suffering brings a blessing to us, we consider wise the things the world finds foolish and find a stepping stone in what the world considers a scandal.

III.  Acts 2:22-39.  Jesus did all of that so we might die to sins and live for righteousness.  Many choose not to after they initially obey the gospel by believing, confessing ‘Jesus is Lord,’ repenting, and being baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of sins.  Faithful living, however, must characterize the lives of the ‘nots’ as all we have to boast in is Jesus’ faithful walk while in the flesh.

Obeying the gospel is an event; living as a new creation takes a lifetime.  Jesus gave us an example of how to do it.  The path is difficult, but He is with you.  Are you willing to follow in His steps?

 

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Where He Leads, I’ll Follow

In A Christmas Story set in post-WWII America, Ralphie swears while helping his dad change a flat tire but doesn’t want to let his parents know that he had heard that word from his father when his dad daily battled their ancient furnace.  Fathers can be a bad example or a good one to their kids; they are certainly always influencing and leading.  Our heavenly Father’s example is always good, and He always leads us in good ways.  Are you following where He leads?

I. Matthew 8:18-22.  As Jesus urges His disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee when the Capernaum crowd begins to press in upon Him, a scribe asks to follow.  Jesus tells him of the hard life that will befall those who obey the gospel (Ephesians 2:1-6) and don’t make this world their home (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).  But it is a life full of sweet promises as the title song tells us:

Sweet are the promises, Kind is the word, Dearer far than any message man ever heard; Pure was the mind of Christ, Sinless I see; He the great example is, and pattern for me.

II. John 13:12-38.  Another disciple coming to Jesus at the same time desires to follow Jesus as well but wants to wait until his father dies.  Jesus tells him that following Jesus has urgency and priority in life.  So much love did He have for the living that He doesn’t want us to die outside of Him.  So, He led the way for us to love others by giving us the example of dying for them (1 John 3:16-18).

Sweet is the tender love Jesus hath shown, Sweeter far than any love that mortals have known; Kind to the erring one, Faithful is He; He the great example is, and pattern for me.

III.  Matthew 11:25-30.  Peter state emphatically that he will follow Jesus even to death but is told that he will soon deny Jesus three times.  Actions speak louder than words, and Jesus’ led to the cross.  So, we have a traveling companion in our following so we won’t grow weary.  We can believe or trust or lean upon our Savior who leads the way (is the Way) to our eternal home (John 14:1-6).

List to His loving words, “Come unto Me!” Weary, heavy laden, there is sweet rest for thee; Trust in His promises, Faithful and sure; Lean upon the Savior and thy soul is secure.

There’s determination in the chorus: Where He leads I’ll follow, Follow all the way; Where He leads I’ll follow, Follow Jesus ev’ry day.  You may sing, “Where He Leads, I’ll Follow,” but do you?

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As I Have Done to You

Our idea of ‘servant’ is probably in the context of ‘public servant,’ someone who should work for us but acts more like a king on an elevated throne.  Jesus the perfect king-servant showed that a servant is one who sacrificially helps others above self.  Indeed, the only way a biblical servant is above another is when he stoops to lift another up.

I.  John 12:12-33.  Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in full view of the crowds got everyone’s attention, especially those in power who wanted to hold onto their power.  A line was drawn in the sand, and Jesus’ challenge was heard: “if anyone serves me, he must follow me.”  To Peter and others who thought in worldly ways, following Jesus meant glory and honor … and power (John 13:31-38)!

II.  John 13:1-8.  Jesus illustrated that this wasn’t the case when He, through whom all things were made, removed the trappings of one above all others and did the work of the lowliest servant–washing feet.  Confused by this, Peter, who surely remembered Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5), balked at this redefinition of serving (Philippians 2:5-8) and had to submit to its necessity.  With the later help of the Holy Spirit, he seems to have gotten it (1 Peter 2:21-25).

III.  John 13:12-17.  Before Jesus explained His actions, He “resumed his place” as their Lord and Master.  The disciples must have recalled their earlier conversation about who was greatest among them (Matthew 20:22-28).  That person, Jesus explained, is the wheat willing to fall to the ground to die to produce many seeds or the one who gives his life for a friend (John 15:12-17).  Just as Jesus would be the greatest servant for mankind, He calls us to do for others what He has done for us.

We have been given great freedom to choose how we live our lives.  May we not in selfishness indulge the sinful nature with that freedom but rather serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), just as Jesus did.