Walking As Jesus Walked # 1
1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. NKJV
1 John 1:6-7 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, NKJV
Introduction:
Have you noticed children who walk like there parents? In St. Louis we had a man who walked with a little bit of a bounce. The balls of his feet were more involved in his walk than most of us. His son walked the same way.
In Mtn View the Doctor walked with kind of a saunter and glide. I went to visit his father in the Poplar Bluff Hospital, and saw a lady walking down the hall, and I said that is Doc. Roberts Mother. Sure enough, she went into Mr. Roberts room. She walked with saunter and glide.
We tend to walk like those important to us. If one is a Christian they need to walk like Jesus. The text challenges us to so walk.
1. The . . Purpose In Jesus Walk. John 8:29
"To please God."
A. Jesus . . Desired to Please the Father.
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." NKJV
John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. NKJV
John 17:4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. NKJV
B. We Must . . Desire to Please the Father.
2 Tim 2:4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. NKJV
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV
Illustration How do we Please God?
1. By exalting Jesus Christ, His Son (Matt 3:17; Col 1:15-19)
2. By proclaiming the message of the cross (I Cor 1:18-2:5)
3. By believing in God and his promises (Heb 11:6)
4. By asking for wisdom (1 Kings 3:10, Col 1:9-14; James 1:5-8)
5. By staying away from sexual sin (Eph 5:3,4,10; 1 Thes 4:1-8)
6. By sharing the gospel with unbelievers (I Cor 9:14-27, 10:31-33)
7. By giving to others in time of need (Phil 4:10-20; Heb 13:16)
8. By submitting to authority (Rom 8:7-8, Col 3:20; 1 John 3:22)9.
8. By praising God for all things (Ps 69:30-31; Heb 13:15-16)
David Hocking, Pleasing God.
Application
2. The . . Practice In Jesus Walk. Luke 4:16
"To Worship God"
A. It was Jesus . . Practice to Worship Publically
Lk. 4:16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. NKJV
B. We must Desire to . . Practice Public Worship.
Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV
Illustration Wise you had been there.
After attending church one Sunday morning, a little boy knelt at his bedside that night and prayed, "Dear God, we had a good time at church today—but I wish you had been there!"Source unknown
Illustration
The reasons why I’m giving up sports: football in the fall, baseball in the summer, basketball in the winter, and my bowling league. I’ve had it all. I quit sports once and for all, and here
are my 11 reasons:
1. Every time I went, they asked for money.
2. The people I sat next to didn’t seem friendly.
3. The seats were too hard and not comfortable at all.
4. I went to many games but the coach never came to call on me.
5. The referees made decisions that I couldn’t agree with.
6. The game went into overtime and I was late getting home.
7. The band played numbers I’d never heard before and it wasn’t my style of music.
8. It seems the games are always scheduled when I want to do other things.
9. I suspect that I was sitting next to some hypocrites. They came to see their friends and they talked during the whole game.
10. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was
growing up.
11. I hate to wait in the traffic jam in the parking lot after the
game.
3. The . . Power In Jesus Walk. Luke 4:17-21
"The Anointing of the God"
A. Jesus Walked In the . . Anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Lk. 4:17-21 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." NKJV
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. NKJV
B. We must Desire the . . Anointing Of the Spirit.
Eph 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes know-ledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. NKJV
Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, NKJV
Illustration
In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work. J.B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians l:19-20, "How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God." When we make firm our connection with God, his life and power flow through us. Ernest B. Beevers.
Application
How much like that missionary are we so often when it comes to serving God without a real dependance on His Power.
Illustration D. L. Moody
Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, "Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’? He’s uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?" A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."
Source unknown
Illustration Make Room for the Spirit
D. L. Moody said, "I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled."Source unknown
Application
The next time we are doing something to serve the Lord let’s make sure we empty self, and invite Him to empower us.
WITHOUT HIM WE CAN DO NOTHING
A city full of churches, Great preachers, lettered men,
Grand music, choirs and organs,
If these all fail--what then?
Good workers, eager, earnest, Who labor by the hour:
But where, oh where my brother,
Is God’s Almighty Power.
Refinement-education, They have the very best.
Their plans & schemes are perfect,
They give themselves no rest.
They get the best of talent,
They try their uttermost,
But what they need my brother, Is God -- the Holy Ghost.
