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In His Footsteps How Christ's
Example Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example,
Austin Williams Our Lord’s life was a true example of a prayerful life. His constant communication with the heavenly Father along the lines of adoration, thanksgiving and supplication was evident even at the cross. His prayer was toward the well-being of others and especially to sustain his disciples: “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). How should our life be exemplified in regard to prayer? Do we lay emphasis on thinking about prayer or do more than thinking about prayer? Do we treat it as our vital breath and pray regularly to the Father? The religious leaders of Israel, the scribes and Pharisees, loved to pray on street corners and in the synagogues, so that men could see them and note their piety (Matthew 6:5). Our prayers, both audible and inaudible, should not gravitate toward eloquence and vain repetitions, but should be sincere and truthful so that they would ascend as a memorial before God. We should utilize this wonderful privilege to frequently communicate with God at any time and ask for anything, but always according to his will. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee” (Matthew 6:6). Our Lord Jesus, in his pre-human existence as the Logos, was a humble and obedient Son of God. He did not attempt to exalt himself, or to seek a name higher than his own, as Lucifer did. He had no intention of making himself an equal with his heavenly Father. The apostle expresses this thought about the Logos, and says: “Who, though being in God’s form, yet did not meditate a usurpation to be like God, but divested himself, taking a bondman’s form, having been made in the likeness of men; and being in condition as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8, Emphatic Diaglott). When asked by his heavenly Father to leave his heavenly home, he humbled himself and became a man on a much lower plane of existence. The Logos promptly accepted the task before him. Our Lord’s transformation to a human being is akin to Benjamin Barton’s analogy of picturing ourselves leaving this plane of human existence and being transformed into a roach (Pilgrim Echoes, p. 322). We need to be humble about being humble and more. If not, the essence of being humble would be lost and will border along the lines of subliminal pride or intentional pride. Picture our Lord directing us by saying, “Follow in my footsteps as I am doing or did, to please the heavenly Father.” One of the most important desires the consecrated child of God should have is that he might be more faithful and pleasing to the heavenly Father. Humble-minded Christians, as Paul explains, are more prepared than others to learn the valuable experiences that are permitted to come into their consecrated lives. “If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 2:1-5, NAS. They learn to patiently wait upon the LORD, and pray that his will may be done. God will not exalt anyone who is not of humble mind and spirit. The most submissive will receive the greatest blessing. The lesson for all of the LORD’s people in these closing years of the Gospel age is to “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Our Lord has shown us the course that will lead to faithfulness; so likewise all who have chosen to walk with him should strive to put on genuine humility. A Way of Life: When Jesus was here in the flesh he suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring men to God. When the prophets spoke beforehand of “the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (I Pet. 1:11), those sufferings included not only those of Christ, the head, but also the ones to be endured by the members of his body. We should marvel not … if the world hate [us for we] know that the world hated [him] before it hated [us].— I John 3:13; John 15:18. Do we have an attitude that is tailor-made for specific environments or lifestyles? How do our thoughts, words, and deeds reflect when:
Each one who professes to be a Christian speaks and acts in the name of the Lord Jesus. We should, therefore, endeavor to keep this fact continually before our minds, to the intent that our actions and words may properly represent our Lord and honor that name which he has permitted us to bear. The apostle Paul tells us we are “ambassadors for Christ … who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament [covenant]” (2 Corinthians 5:20; 3:6). If it is an honorable matter for an ambassador to represent one great nation of earth, how much more honorable it is for one to represent the heavenly kingdom and its king of kings. Keeping this thought in mind will be of great assistance in the development of the new nature and in aiding the transforming power of battling the besetting tendencies of the old nature! “Our citizenship is in heaven,” says the apostle (Philippians 3:20, NASB). “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world,” says our Master, Jesus (John 17:16). While we are still living in this world among aliens and strangers, we are not of it. We have transferred our allegiance and citizenship to the heavenly kingdom, set free through the merit of him who loved us and bought us with his precious blood (1 Peter 1:18,19). Let us keep in mind the apostle’s words: “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31). To Forgive and Forget On one occasion, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive one who sinned against him, suggesting that perhaps seven times would be more than enough. Jesus said otherwise, that he should forgive even “until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22). In other words, forgiveness should not have a limit, just as God has not limited his forgiveness of our trespasses. After Peter’s question, Jesus gave a parable (recorded in Matthew 18:23-35) to illustrate the lesson of forgiveness. In the parable, a king began to take account of his servants. One was brought to him who owed a large sum of money. This servant begged that the king forgive him his debt. The king was moved with compassion and did so. The servant then met a fellow-servant who owed him a small amount of money; laying his hands on him violently he demanded full payment immediately. The fellow-servant similarly asked for forgiveness, even falling down at his feet. However, he would not forgive him and had him thrown into prison. The king found out what happened and was extremely angry, calling him a wicked servant and wondering how he could not have compassion toward his fellow-servant after he himself had been forgiven everything he owed. “In anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt” (Matthew 18:34, RSV). The lesson from Jesus’ parable is for each of us to be forgiving in our dealings with others, even especially our fellow servants, our brethren: “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses” (Matthew 18:35). The fact that we each have so much that has been forgiven by God would seem to imply that it should be easy to reflect this same forgiving attitude to those around us. Often it is not the case. One of the most difficult lessons for many to learn is to extend love and mercy to others, blessings that have been so amply bestowed upon us. If we do not forgive others, we should not expect to receive forgiveness from the Father (Matthew 6:14,15). Forgiveness is sometimes difficult because it embodies a love that rises to a level above those things that others may have done to cause us harm. How often do we hear the expression, “I can forgive but I cannot forget”? The seminal aspect of forgiveness embodies the actualization of forgetting that sin was committed against us, in the way God does: “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). Forgiveness is an expression of love that does not seek vindication against wrongs, but rather seeks to draw one back into a fuller fellowship with God and his people. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14,15). Practice what you Preach: “Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). Should we not all have the Master’s spirit, expressed by these words? Of equal importance, our Lord did take heed and pay close attention to himself, for he taught us with his attitude and behavior as well as in words. We are to be examples or models of the gospel we preach, where internalizing the preaching part, putting it into practice as our Lord exemplified, is paramount and of utmost importance to sustain this hidden treasure. During Paul’s ministry he discovered false teachers causing trouble in Ephesus, teaching a doctrine different from that which he taught, and that led some away from the faith. Paul counseled Timothy (1 Timothy 1:4) that Christ’s servants must practice godly living and be an example to others. Because one who is a son of God and a follower of the Savior is an ambassador for God, he has no time to make his own personal care his uppermost thought; he must be about his heavenly Father’s business. Such must show forth the praises of him who called him “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). The effect of these new ambitions and hopes upon one’s physical health is often surprising, stimulating one to great zeal and activity in serving the Lord. Train yourself in godliness, says Paul in 1 Timothy 4:7, for while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. The new mind does not suggest carelessness of the body. Timothy was urged to train, to exercise, himself in godliness. Intense practice is required if the body is to be developed for competition in the games. Likewise, one must approach spiritual development with the same intensity, the same consistency, because it is really much more important to train for the exercise of discipleship; for so much depends upon it, not only in this life but also in the life to come. Timothy’s mission was to bring instruction to the people. If the words of the faith have nourished the spirit, as food and water vitalize the body, surely they will nourish the members of the congregation as well. His instruction is to consist not only in reading the Scriptures, but it is to be followed by exhortation and preaching that explains or expounds on the text, and applies it to everyday life. This was the course Paul recommended to Timothy: that he might keep himself pure from worldly contamination, and be an example and faithful minister to others, saying: “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. … Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (1 Timothy 4:12,15). |