The story is told of a father who was addicted to
alcohol. It seemed that he could not quit drinking on his own and his
wife's nagging did not seem to help much either. One winter day he put on
his coat and left his house to go down the street to the bar. As he had
walked a few steps her heard a noise behind him. He turned around to see
his five-year old son walking behind him in the snow. His son was walking
in the footprints of his father. He was actually jumping from one
footprint to the next. When the son noticed his dad saw him he said,
"Daddy, see I'm following you. I'm just following you." The father turned
around and went back home. He did not want his son to follow him to the
bar. He did not want his son to follow him and become an alcoholic.
In our last message, we talked
about following in Jesus' footprints. The Apostle Paul said it was God's
intention for us to
We examined the first 6 of 12 key characteristics of Jesus: He OBEYED,
LIVED THE WORD, PRAYED, SERVED, FORGAVE and LOVED. Today, we will examine
the remaining 6 characteristics.
7. JESUS LIVED INTEGRITY.
100's of years before Jesus was
born, the prophet Isaiah foretold of Him, "He had done no violence, Nor
was any deceit in His mouth" (Isaiah 53:9).
Peter described Jesus in 1 Peter 2:22, as one "Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth." The word "deceit" basically means
"to decoy" or "to trick or bait." Jesus was completely honest. Even when
He faced His accusers, He answered honestly, even though he knew it would
cost His life.
8. JESUS FELT COMPASSION.
In Matthew
9:35-38 , we see that when Jesus "saw the multitudes" of
people, He was "moved with compassion." Jesus' heart ached for
them. Today too many Christians don't care about the lost world around us.
We gather together in our churches and forsake the very people we are
supposed to reach! We must remember that we are His hands and feet. If
they don't see Jesus' "compassion" in us, where will they find it?
9. JESUS OVERCAME TEMPTATION.
First, Satan tempted Jesus
with "the lust of the flesh." After a 40 day fast, he told Him to turn the
stones to bread. Second, Satan tempted Jesus with "the lust of the eyes."
He took Jesus to "the pinnacle of the temple" and quoted Scripture to Him.
Third, Satan tempted Jesus with "the pride of life." He showed Him "all
the kingdoms of the world" and promised to give them to Jesus for one act
of worship. In each case, Satan was defeated with Scripture. If you and I
are going to overcome temptation, we must use Scripture like Jesus did.
10. JESUS GAVE AFFIRMATION.
In Luke
22:31-34, Jesus gave Peter great encouragement by telling him that He
had "prayed" for him. In John 21, after the resurrection, Jesus restored
and forgave Peter (after he had denied Jesus three times). A few days
later, Peter emerged as one of the greatest leaders of the early church.
Jesus comforted His disciples in
John 14 to "let not your heart be troubled." He told them that He was
leaving them to "go and prepare a place" for them. And He said, "And when
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, that where I am you may be also."
11. JESUS EXPRESSED EMOTION.
Jesus cried openly. John 11:35 says
that "Jesus wept" at the grave of Lazarus. Luke 19:41 says
He "wept" over the city of Jerusalem. John 12:27 says
His "heart is [was] troubled" as He prayed in Gethsemene. And
Hebrews 5:7 reports that before the cross Jesus offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears. When the 70 disciples returned
from a preaching mission and told what happened Luke 10:21 says
"in that hour Jesus rejoiced."
12. JESUS ACCEPTED SUFFERING.
There is no one who
suffered more unjustly than Jesus. Yet He never hesitated to suffer for
us. Hebrews12:2 says He "for the joy that was set before Him endured
the cross, despising the shame." He willingly, lovingly suffered and
died that we might be saved. Jesus did not reject suffering or fight those
who brought it. He willingly laid down His life (John
10:17-18). And when suffering comes we need to remember Jesus and
follow in His footsteps.
If we live like Jesus, if we have
these qualities what will happen? How will our lives change? To quote from
Max Lucado's newest book Just Like Jesus,
"What if for one day, Jesus were
to become you? What if, for 24 hours, Jesus wakes up in your bed, walks in
your shoes, lives in your house, takes your schedule? What if, for one day
and one night, Jesus lives your life with His heart? What would you be
like? Would people notice a change? Your family, your classmates, your
co-workers....would they see a difference? What about the poor? Would you
treat them the same? Would your detect more joy? Would your enemies
receive more mercy from Christ's heart than from yours? Would you still do
what you are doing? Would you still do what you planned to do for the next
24 hours? With Jesus taking over your heart, would anything change?"
There is an old story of a Persian
prince with a physical deformity that forced him into a constant stoop.
The prince had a statue made of himself as he would appear if he were
straight and tall. Day after day he stood before the figure and wished he
could be like it. According to the legend, the prince eventually stood as
straight as the statue. And if you follow the example of Jesus you can
stand as tall as this Persian prince did.
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by Steve Nicholes
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