1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
Paul, this man called while a direct enemy of God’s people, persecuting the church of God… is now by the kindness and patience and long sufferings of Christ, able to say with all boldness and sincerity… imitate me, just as I am an imitator of Christ.
Years ago, there was a huge movement centered around a simple question, “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?”
There were songs, books, youth group board games, and who can forget all those wristbands with the simple letter, WWJD..? Though the bracelets and songs are in the past the question is still a good one to ask… In the situations, and circumstances we find ourselves in on a regular basis, we can ask as we prepare to respond, to ask ourselves, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? If He were married to this man or woman? If He were responsible parent these children? If He was employed at this particular job? How would He act? How would He respond?
The apostle John, the youngest of the disciples and the one who continually referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” said this in 1 John 2:6 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” What a challenging statement. The call to walk through this world the way Jesus walked through this world. You see, before we can walk like Jesus we must first be the blind man that was healed by Jesus touch. We must be the lame man whom Jesus spoke to and said take up your bed and walk. We must see ourselves as the woman with the flow of blood that touched the hem of Jesus’s garment and was made well. We must realize that like Paul said in Romans ‘that we were dead and our tresspasses and sins’ like Lazurus and Jesus called to us and said ‘Lazarus come forth’ from your tomb of sin.
You see, before we read through the gospels and see ourselves in Jesus’ sandals, doing ministry and helping the hurting and lost, we must experience Jesus as our healer and savior and see ourselves as the recipients of God’s great love and acceptance.
May the Lord by His grace show you the great love which He pursues you with to heal and change you and may He by His Spirit as He did with His disciples make you into FISHERS OF MEN, just as He was.
By His Spirit,
Pastor Bill