Intro: When we say that we follow Jesus, what does this really mean to us and what does it say to others they see us?
To answer the first part of the questions, if we are following Jesus, then it means we are meant to echo the nature of Christ's love. This means humility, sacrifices, and service in our approach to others, especially between fellow Christians, and they should see those traits in us.
Now to answer the second part of that question, What does it say to others who see’s us? You know I had to ponder on this question for a while and to me I really never gave this much great thoughts or got into great details of what that statement would really mean.
The only thing I can tell you in answering these questions is this. Following Jesus means that we change. We're transformed into looking like Jesus - being more like Him in our ABC's - Attitudes, Behavior and Character.
Friends we are different for many reasons because we have decided to walk a path of righteous rather than a path of self destruction. So in their eyes they think we somehow have gone nuts or we fell into belief of a God who is not real in their eyes. So by us being different, they react different to us.
Reading: John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Prayer……
Title: The Way Of Jesus
In our opening statement of this message I gave us some thoughts that we should take time alone to ponder on and why it’s so important to follow The Way of Jesus – by us doing so we should be more like him in Our Attitudes, Behaviors and Character, verse who we once were.
When we made the decision to follow Jesus, and if we are true we became something different as I mention a little while ago. Many scriptures in God words teaches us to do many things and gives us insights of how we must become in Christ, other words to be more like him and less of ourselves.
The reading passage as I mention last week bible lesson is often used in reference to those who die—or who are willing to die—in the service of other people.
Friends, as I have said that's a valid interpretation of that passage we just read, especially as Jesus was preparing the disciples for His impending arrest and death. However, there are additional applications to this teaching.
The context of Jesus' statements about Christian life shows it's not "just" one's physical body which is in mind here; it’s about us changing what we once were to become more like him.
We also know by the word of God teaches us that Christ has spoken about the need for Christians to "abide" in Him, which includes emulating His love most of all.
So by following the way of the Master, as according to the reading passage, we should be willing to die for him who has died for us and if needed, do so for others to show them what his love is really all about. As I said a bit earlier, there are additional applications to this teaching in that passage.
So tonight were going to cover a few changes that should happen once we have decided to follow Jesus and they are.
1. First Change is - Our Attitude
So What is attitude? – It’s a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior.
It's what goes on inside your head. How you think - about yourself, others, world events, about following him and submitting to his control and his authority and allowing him to transform you inside out.
Romans 12:1-2 says - I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
What are some possible general attitudes you’ve seen in people?
Joyful, cynical, critical, open-hearted, racist, embracing of others, etc.
It’s an inside thought or feeling that is reflected in how we act, and our behaviors are demonstrated.
One example of a bad Attitude (my recent experience with tenets across the trailer park)
Folks in order to be more like Jesus, our attitude’s must changed to be more like him and less of ourselves.
2. Second Change Showing - Humility
Philippians 2:3 says - Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
So what kind of humility? Remember the chapter in the bible when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, He did something profoundly humble.
Folks Christian love is not meant to be "saved up" and exhibited only in when it suits you, we must be living a truly humble life in order to better serve him and show his love with true humility for us to change.
Truly in this stage we see by that by loving others, by "laying down" one's life, means "abiding" in the love of Christ, in a consistent, moment-by-moment approach of how we act.
When Jesus our Creator and maker of all things, majestic, mighty God, who became a baby, becomes a servant. He humbles himself; this sets the example of what we also must become. This is how God wants us to interact with each other and also about our individual lives, and with our attitudes.
This is one that should be revisited on a regular basis; it makes us take a good, hard look at ourselves. We should ask, Is my attitude like a Jesus’ attitude or is it something else?. Have you ever asked yourself that question lately?
Is there humility in the way I think and feel? Or am I letting negative attitudes rule me? So the attitude question is a big one for us. And it’s good to reflect on it. It’s a challenge for all of us to face.
If you’re like me and you are real– then your attitude needs adjusting, if it’s not all it should be. Folks that drives me to Jesus. Jesus...I want to be like you in my thoughts and in my feelings. Please change me on the inside so I can become more like you in my attitude with true humility and be like you.
3. The Third Change is - Behavior
For one the world says behavior it’s the manner of conducting oneself. Ok so Lets see what the bible says about this, Romans 8:8 says - Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
This is plain as day folks, Being in the flesh means being unregenerate or sinful. People in that state cannot please God. This is why our behavior must change and the only one who can help us change is Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.
If this is done without Christ, then we who are in the flesh cannot please God. Once again we need to be true to ourselves and pose this question to ourselves. Are my thoughts and feelings are affecting the way I live?. And does this portray Christ likeness.
So the next question we should ask ourselves is, How am I living? We should think about Jesus behavior, how he lived. The fruit of the Spirit describes what Jesus is like. How he behaved. Lets look at three fruits of the Spirit to keep this in focused for us.
1. The first fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5 is Love. Jesus' entire ministry was characterized by his love. And the greatest demonstration ever of that love was the sacrifice He made for all of us.
Jesus, who was One with the Father, sacrificed His heavenly power and glory to become a human being and subject Himself to painful suffering and death for the sake of mankind. Jesus emphasized the fruit of love at His last meal—often referred to as "the last supper"—with the disciples.
Notice His words in the bible and this is taken from the book of John: "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love . . .
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:9-13). Of course, these weren't mere words to Him. Jesus did lay down His life for His friends, serving as the supreme example of love.
2. The second listed fruit of the Holy Spirit is Joy.
Hebrews 2:10 says - For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering
Christ was filled with joy at the prospect of "bringing many sons to glory" Also Hebrews 12:2 further tells us that - looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Amazingly, just before He suffered, instead of thinking of His own upcoming cruel suffering, He reminded His disciples that His joy would "remain in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11).
Then He told them that they would be sorrowful over His departure, but "your sorrow will be turned into joy," and that "your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you"
See Jesus reminding them in John 16:33 – I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Even In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had a moment when the suffering that was before Him became very real. ‘Saying God, if you are willing take this cup from me’.
What was Jesus asking God His Father to do? To Keep Him from suffering; See the cup is about this path, this direction. His path was to go through immense suffering and agony. More than any human had known. He became sin for us.
Jesus was in the garden for some time. How long? Not sure. I am not sure how long he toiled with that request. Take this from me folks; he was willing to lay down his life for us. It’s not how he may have been resisting the suffering soon to come. It’s about where he landed.
Where did he land? Simple he ended up saying, Not my will, but yours be done. He submitted to the Father’s will. He trusted the Father’s goodness; His plan. He submitted and he laid down his life.
We know this to be true And even after His resurrection, the first word Matthew records the resurrected Jesus as saying is "Rejoice!" (Matthew 28:9).
In closing……
Yes we want to become like Jesus in our ABC’s. It’s more than knowing what Jesus is like. It’s seeking by His grace to become like him. Folks you’re new behaviors will update the old data on your old reputation. You can overwrite the way you have been perceived by learning to live in a new way.
Learning to live in a new way means becoming more like Jesus. Becoming like Jesus means growing to be like Him in character. His character is described in the Fruit of the Spirit. This is what we started with.
The way we become like Jesus in our ABC’s starts with our prayers.
Prayer is about more than asking God for things. It’s more than asking God to lead us. ~Eugene Peterson once said "Prayers are tools not for doing or getting, but for being and becoming."
It’s about spending time in God’s presence, soaking and being shaped by God’s Word, worshipping His holy name in reverence, confessing the ways we are not like Jesus and asking God to help us to become like Jesus.
It’s a willing to lay down your life for him and yes It doesn’t happen overnight. Let yourself die to him and seek the face of Jesus and as we spend more time in his presence, we become more like him.
Lets us become more like the One we follow. And may we shine, as Jesus said we would, as lights on a hill for all to see, let us be lighting the path for people to see who Jesus really is, and that they might choose to follow Him as well.
Amen
