WALK THIS WAY

 MARCH 21, 2023

1 John 2:6

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”



How should our life (words, actions, and decisions) reflect our relationship as a Jesus follower?

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6)

The perfect expression of God’s love for others is found in the person of Jesus. Jesus does not expect anything from us that He did not already live out in His own practice and life. The command to love one another (John 13:34) and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) were given and modeled by Jesus, and now this lifestyle is given to us, His followers, as we with the help of God’s Spirit, walk in his steps.

The Bible gives us many examples of the ways that Jesus demonstrated Love. Here are a few ways for us to ponder today.

Compassion

Jesus was incredibly compassionate. We see Him time and time again responding to the needs of the suffering:
The sick were made well and the blind given sight (Luke 7:21)
He liberated those who were bound by social injustice and prejudice (Mark 7:24-30; Luke 5:12-15; 7:36-50; 8:43-48; 10:38-42; 19:1-10)
Those in bondage to demonic powers were set free (Luke 4:33-35)
He loved deeply (Matt 9:36; Mark 10:21; Luke 7:13)

Respect

Jesus’s respect for all of life was universal.
He repeatedly respected and valued women – an attitude largely unexpected and unknown in His culture and time. (Mark 1:30-31; Luke 7:11-15; 13:10-17)
He respected and valued children (Mark 10:13-16)
He respected the oppressed and poor. It’s the purpose for which He came according to Luke 4:18-19

Listened

Jesus was an extraordinary listener. Whether it be His enemies or His disciples, Jesus valued people by listening to them and responding thoughtfully and patiently.

Encouraged

Jesus spent a great deal of time encouraging people towards love. (Luke 6:17-49) The Beatitudes serve as a call to be responsive to God and to love others as Jesus advocates throughout His life.

We learn from the Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that all people were accepted and loved, especially those at the bottom of the social pyramid—poor people, women, outcasts, lepers, children, prostitutes, and tax collectors. Jesus is the perfect model of loving your neighbor as yourself.

How should our life (words, actions and decisions) reflect our relationship as Jesus follower? What if we, in dependence on God working in us and through us, subscribed to being compassionate to the suffering, to showing genuine respect the person in front of us at any moment, to offer the gift of listening to the people we have around us, being women and men of encouragement. These are some ways that we can live and love as Jesus did.

1 Corinthians 16:14

Let all that you do be done in love.