Jesus, Our Perfect Example - II

Last week’s article examined the mind of Jesus as described by Paul in Philippians 2:5-8. Jesus was humble and self-sacrificing. He was not concerned with Himself, rather He was concerned about humanity’s lost condition. This concern led Him to surrender His equality with God, come to this earth as a human, serve mankind and the Father, and died as the sacrifice for sin. This same attitude is key then for the child of God in following the example of Jesus in life. Consider the following areas we need to follow His example.

In Suffering.

This is what Peter has in mind in 1 Peter 2:20-23, where he wrote,

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

When sufferings come, sufferings we do not deserve, we need to follow the example of Jesus and take it patiently. He left the example of how to endure the difficulties that come in life. When people hated Him, spoke evil of Him, there was no retaliation on the part of Jesus. We must always remember that the sinful world hated Jesus and will therefore hate us. Our response must be like that of Jesus. This will get their attention like nothing else. Consider the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Here was man who hated Christians as a service to God. The attitude of Christians like Steven in Acts 7 must have affected him so that when Jesus spoke to him, he understood. Jesus is not going to speak with people today like He did with Saul, but our attitude can get people’s attention and cause them to think.

In Learning And Applying The Scriptures.

Matthew 4 and Luke 4 record Jesus’ encounter with Satan in the wilderness. Jesus, after 40 days without food, was challenged by Satan to turn stones to bread, to use His deity for special privilege. Jesus refused saying, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). This was a quote from Deuteronomy 8:3. Satan then used Scripture quoting Psalm 91:11 and tempting Jesus to jump off the temple pinnacle. Matthew records it this way: "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10,11). Jesus again responded with a quote and application of a passage from Deuteronomy. Jesus responded, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" (Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12). Jesus responded to the third temptation the same way, with a quote and application of a passage from Deuteronomy. He had to know how the passages read, how to properly apply them, and how to harmonize them. We need to do the same.

More next week, Lord willing. Denny