What Does It Mean to Be a Follower of Jesus Christ?
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 5:1-2
’Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.’
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Introduction:
The entire 5th chapter of Paul’s letter "to the saints at Ephesus".. (Ephesisans 1:1) centers upon them living before a wicked and unbelieving world, holy and sanctified lives; that others might see Jesus present throughout the conduct of their daily lives. Paul’s words were "Be ye followers of God, as dear children." The spiritual genes of Jesus are to be seen in the way we live and conduct ourselves each and every day.
Notice the word "therefore" in Ephesians 5:1, "Therefore, be ye followers of God ..." To understand the word "therefore" we have to go back and see what Paul was referring to just prior to this verse. Because, he is still speaking about what was being referred to in the end of chapter 4. The subject has not changed; it continues throughout chapter 5.
In the end of chapter four Paul is talking about the change that takes place, first in our hearts and then second, in our daily lives. When Jesus comes into us and forgives us of our sins and then cleanses us and places His own Spirit within us. When Jesus forgives us and cleanses us with His own blood, the old man of sin, Satan, is "put off" (5:22) and we "put on the new man" ( 5:24) which is Jesus Christ. When grace and mercy comes into our heart, Jesus is "created in us." (5:24) we are as Paul once described; "It is no longer I that lives, but Jesus Christ that lives in me." That is the only way it becomes possible for any of us to live the expected Christian life. We cannot live as Jesus unless Jesus lives within us.
If there would have been a way possible for humanity to live a righteous and holy life on their own, God would never have sent His only Son into this world.
Once we attach ourselves to Jesus and refer to oursleves as "Christians" then we are to strive to live so that others may truthfully notice Jesus Christ alive and being active through us. This is what Paul meant when he said, "Be ye followers of God, as dear children." I once saw a picture of a little boy trying to follow his father’s footsteps. His large steps could clearly be seen in the snow. The young boy was trying as hard as he could, stretching those little legs of his, placing his little feet where his father’s had been. Step by step, he was following his father’s pathway. Isn’t that what Jesus longs from us? That when others look at us, examine us and even try us; they will only see one set of footprints. Our steps are hidden in His steps, our lives are hidden in His life, and our spirit is hidden in His spirit.
How can we be like Jesus? The word "follow" here is taken from the word "mimetas" which means to imitate, to mimic, or to be an example of the life Jesus lived. Recall in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus looked at His disciples and proclaimed, "ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." And He went on to say, "Men do not buy a candle and then light it and place it under a bushel so that it cannot be seen. No, they light the candle and then place it upon a candle stick so that it can omit light that can be seen throughout the entire house." When Jesus comes into our heart, He wants to shine through us. He wants others to see Himself in us. This calls for us to live an humble life, a submissive life and a self sacrificing life.
Jesus will never force Himself so He could shine through us. He always wants our sincere invitation to come into our hearts and have complete control of our lives.
How can Jesus be seen in us? How can we
become "followers of God?" How can the world
see Jesus in us when He is a SPIRIT that is
invisible? While His Spirit is invisible, His
manifestation and demonstration is indeed
visible. We know the very moment Jesus came into
hearts and we also know when His presence is
with us wherever we may go. Our Spirits agree.
And I believe those people living in the darkness
of sin can sense when Jesus is alive in us! There
is a difference in those "who follow Jesus" from
"those who do not follow Jesus."
One sure way is to "Follow Jesus’ way of Loving Others, even Our Enemies." On the night of His betrayal, just after He had distributed the bread and the wine, Jesus introduced to His disciples, a new doctrine. He said in John 13: 34 -35:
" A new commandment I give you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My diciples, if ye have love one to another."
We cannot love too much! When we "love as Jesus loves" it takes us "beyond" the love the world practices. The world loves those who love them and those who have been good to them. That kind of love is easy to portray. It doesn’t require anything from deep with in us. However, Jesus’ example of love takes us much farther. We are to love ’even our enemies!" The "unloveable" becomes "loveable" once Jesus takes His abode within us! We see them and feel for them with a brand new set of eyes. We have "Our Father’s Eyes."
And we are to do more than Love With Our Words! As a pastor, I often feel the need to share with my congregation that "I love them." I tell them often, "I love you." And I mean it. I’m not trying to butter them up for some monetary gift. I think a pastor should get close to his church. A shepherd is to love his sheep and be willing to sacrifice for his sheep. He is to even become willing to give his life for his sheep. However, words can be meaningless. I want to repeat that once again, "Words can be meaningless!" As Christaians, we are to follow the example of Jesus by actually "showing others" that we love them with acts of kindness and gentleness and longsuffering and forgiveness.
Following Jesus’ example, when Jesus was hanging upon the cross, He looked down below at his tormentors and then He looked upward toward His heavenly Father, and then He prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus preached a powerful message while hanging upon the rugged cross. He told the lost world that He loved them, He prayed for their forgiveness and then He gave His life for their spiritual redemption. Jesus proved His love for them when He stayed upon the cross until He took His final breath. He could have called ten thousand angels and they would have come to His aid and delivered Him from His sufferings. However, He rather stayed there preaching His sermon. His presence before them on the cross was a message they would never forget, burned into their mind forever and forever.
You and I are to follow His divine example. We are called upon to love others. However not just loving in word only. Tell others that you love them, but do not stop there. Show others that you love them. When your neighbor has just come home from the hospital from a serious surgery and won’t be able to work for several weeks, take a lawn mower over and mow his yard or ask if there is anything around the house you could do for him. If it is a lady that is out of pocket because of physical sickness or whatever the case may be; offer her your earnest assistance. Be a blessing to those who are facing battles and going through trials.
You can even follow Jesus by showing your enemies that you love them. Show that you truly love them by forgivng them. What the world of today needs so much is for the children of God, the church of this hour, to throw down their stones of hatred and begin to follow Jesus by "practicing His example of love and forgiveness." That is one old pathway we need to turn back to. There is by far too much division and unrest and long standing strife within so many churches throughout the land today. The Holy Spirit is grieved when we fail to follow Jesus. We need to pray, and pray earnestly,for a REVIVAL of Jesus’ Sweet Love to Sweep Over Us until it burns out completely every vice and every feeling that is not Christlike! Amen?
Ephesians 5:3 ’And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
Oh, my brother and my sister, don’t you appreciate Jesus’ great mercy and grace He has so freely bestowed upon you? Where would we be if Jesus was not a forgiving God? We’d be eternally lost wouldn’t we? If we do not follow Jesus’ example of "truly forgiving those who have wronged us " then we are in "great spiritual trouble." Jesus declared that "IF" we do not forgive others of their wrongs against us then neither would He forgive us of our wrongs against Him. Rather than harboring bitterness and anger and revenge and malice in our hearts and carrying that mess for year after year; let’s seek deliverance from Jesus today. The longer you carry those un-Christ like attitudes and feelings, the harder your heart will become.
Why not join with me in prayer today, that the Holy Spirit would always help us and empower us to love as Jesus loves and to forgive as Jesus forgives? Be kind and tender hearted, following Jesus’ example. There is coming a day when heavenly rewards will be handed out for being Christ - like. I want so much to hear Jesus declare unto me "Well Done, thy good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of the Lord."
Today my neice shared with me how some people had accused her of things she did not say and did not do. Because of a misunderstanding these individuals had laid up some strong resentments against her. The matter had been brewing in their hearts and minds for several months without her knowledge. However, when the word finally reached her of how these people felt, she immediately took a brother in the Lord with her and the two of them went to their homes and tried to get it all settled and worked out. Although she was not guilty of the things she was accused of, she went to them because she did not want there to be any misunderstandings and hard feelings between them. They said some very harsh, hateful, and bitter things to her but she kept a loving and forgiving spirit throughout the entire thing. When she left, they hugged each other’s neck and peace was reestablished because rather than choosing to carry hard feelings she went as a "peace maker" and God worked it out. I believe she did the right thing and God will bless her efforts. Yes, she was hurt by their spirit but she grew spiritually several inches that day. While her accusers stewed with anger she hugged their necks and told them how much she loved them. She followed Jesus that day as one of His dear children!
She rejoiced when she told me this: "Uncle Vernon, what the devil meant for my harm and destruction was turned around and used for the glory of God!"
She sort of laughed as she wa"[’s discussing the matter with me. She said she could feel on one of her shoulder’s an angel encouraging her to approach them in a sweet and kind spirit. However, on the other shoulder, she could feel the devil urging her to let them have a peace of her mind. They each had a choice to make, as we all do. She chose to follow the Lord rather than follow the prince of malice and confusion.
If this short sermon has helped you in any way I would appreciate an e mail and I would like to pray for you. May God Bless You! We Serve an Awesome God
vlccogop@blomand.net
