"Walk In The Steps Of Jesus"

Follow the Steps of Jesus

I Peter 2:21-25 (NLT)

I John 2:3-6 (NIV)

“I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked.” (Solo)

In 1979 I visited the older part of Cairo, Egypt where Jesus reportedly spent time with his parents as a child.

After spending a couple days in Egypt I visited the Holy Land and walked the streets of Jerusalem, walked along the Dead Sea, took a tram to the top of Masada, and sailed across the Sea of Galilee. When walking where Jesus might have walked you have a special sense of awe and wonder.

During his lifetime Jesus did a lot of walking. As a young boy he waked with his parents the 80 miles from Nazareth to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast. During his public ministry Jesus walked throughout Galilee, and through Samaria to Judea.

Jesus was not afraid to get his feet dirty and dusty.

I. Jesus Had a Walking Ministry

When Jesus called Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John from a life of fishing, he told them to follow him and become fishers of men. Jesus called his followers to walk as he walked.

As the disciples of Jesus followed him Jesus taught them as they walked along. The teaching ministry of Jesus was called peripateo _____________. The Greek word means, as Jesus “walked around” he taught his disciples and others who would listen.

The disciples learned to pray by watching Jesus pray. They learned to witness by watching Jesus. They learned to demonstrate healing faith by watching Jesus. They learned how to live a life of holiness by walking and talking with Jesus.

Jesus walked and lived a life of holiness. Wherever Jesus went he made people’s lives better.

Jesus walked in humility. Jesus said he did not come to be ministered unto but to minister.

Jesus walked in love and compassion. Jesus loved the down and outer and the up and outer. Jesus was a friend of tax collectors sinners and rich young rulers.

Jesus walked in the light of God’s Word. Jesus was a student of the Old Testament and obeyed the teachings of scripture.

Jesus was not afraid to get his feet dirty. Luke 7:36-38, Jesus was in the home of Simon a Pharisee for a meal. His feet were dirty but Simon did not offer to wash the feet of his invited guest. An immoral woman heard Jesus was in Simon’s home and took a beautiful filled with expensive perfume and knelt at the feet of Jesus pouring the perfume on them and wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair. Jesus praised the sinful woman for her demonstration of love and repentance for her sins. Jesus told her that her sins were forgiven she could go in peace.

John 12:1-3 When Jesus visited the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, his feet were dirty. Mary and Martha had prepared an appreciation dinner in honor of Jesus for the raising of their brother Lazarus from the dead. Mary took a 12-pound jar of expensive perfume, valued at a years wage, and anointed the feet of Jesus. The dirty, smelly feet of Jesus were transformed into the fragrance of garden flowers.

As the disciples of Jesus followed Jesus their feet also got dusty and dirty. All 12 disciples gathered in the Upper Room to celebrate the Passover supper. Jesus the master and teacher entered the Upper Room and sat at the table. He waited for one of the disciples to get up and wash his feet but no one moved.

Finally Jesus stands up, wrapped a towel around his waist, filled a basin with water and began to wash all the disciples feet. By this act Jesus reminded His followers that they were to serve one another.

Jesus demonstrated to his disciples how they were to live and walk by following His example. As Jesus walked throughout his life he ministered to others.

II. Jesus is Walking With You.

Luke 24:13-34 We have the story of two disciples walking to Emmaus from Jerusalem following the crucifixion of Jesus. I imagine they were walking slowly with their heads hanging low. The seven miles would probably take them 2 ½ hours walking.

Their world had just collapsed. They had hoped Jesus was their Messiah and would bring peace and deliverance from the domination of the Romans. The two disciples were discouraged and nearly at the point of despair.

Have you ever felt like shouting out: “Stop the world, I want to get off!” Discouragement comes when you feel like your shut up in a box without hope. You have fallen in pit and there are no stairs to get out, and your too week to start digging with your hands to carve out steps.

Discouragement is common to all of us. It’s always helpful to identify the cause of the discouragement if possible.