A Perfect Example

Good afternoon, brethren.

During the year, we mostly talk about the Father, as we should. He’s God. He’s who we look to. He’s who we pray to. He’s who we focus on. He’s whose son or daughter we’re seeking to become, but we’re coming up on a very special time of year that uniquely focuses on Christ. The New Testament Passover, and then even the Passover, the days of unleavened bread. He’s integral to both. Yes, he’s integral to everything we do through the year, but we’re uniquely focused on him this time of year. You know, the world thinks about Christ having died for their sins, which he did. They have an overfocus on Christ and they don’t focus enough on the Father.

We understand how to hold those two beings in the correct perspective. It’s one of the things that we’ve come to more deeply appreciate and better understand during this incredible series we’ve been a part of. You know, I remember back in the nineteen nineties, probably some of you do too, the WWJD Bracelets. Does anyone remember that? Okay, so some hands. It was a little bracelet, and it had the letters WWJD on the bracelet.

And I used to wonder, what does that mean? And it stood for what would Jesus do. It was a fad at the time. You know, what would Jesus do in any given situation? And it’s a great question. It’s just that the world, even if they’re sincere, doesn’t know how to apply that question to their lives. What would Jesus do? It’s not a bad question. Just because it’s asked by people who don’t necessarily understand the answer. Yes, they again, understand Christ died for their sins, for our sins, for mankind sins, but they use it often as license.

Well, I can do whatever I want because Christ died for my sins, or I can do whatever I want and receive forgiveness because Christ died for my sins. And yes, when we fall short, we can go to God and He’ll apply that sacrifice and we’ll be forgiven. But we don’t go into it with a mindset of I can do whatever I want, and I’ll be forgiven, or it doesn’t matter how I live, and I’ll be forgiven. Is a mindset out there in the world not to bash them. There are plenty of sincere people, but what would Jesus do?

That’s a great question. Particularly, at this time of year. Just an open-ended question. He is, after all, a perfect example that God has given us to imitate or copy. Turn to First Peter two as we get into our subject here. First Peter, chapter two, verse twenty-one. First Peter two twenty-one. Peter writes, “For even here on two where you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example...” Will come back to that word in a moment, “...leaving us an example, that you should follow in 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 judges righteously.” He committed himself to God. He knew the Father knew what was going on. He knew the Father understood the plan and would ultimately guide him through any difficulty he might encounter. “Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.”

We’ll hear some of these very verses at the Passover service. “For you are a sheep gone astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” Now, that word example there in verse twenty-one, “leaving us an example, that you should follow in his steps”, is only used one time in the Bible. It’s a unique word. Whenever God uses a word once, we should take note. If it’s in an important context, we should take note of all his words, of course, but one time, and it literally means a copy for imitation.

Not just a copy. Not just a replica. Not just there’s a knockoff Rolex that looks like the real thing. No, it’s a copy for imitation. It’s such a gold standard, it’s such a perfect example that you should strive to copy it, God is saying. We should strive to copy it, a copy for imitation. You know, I think back to art school, I was never good in art class, not the best art student, but we’d do still lifes, and the teacher would put out a bowl of fruit or whatever it was. I don’t recall.

You probably have done similar things if you grew up and went to art school in America, and you’d have to use that image and try to draw it exactly. It was a copy that you were trying to imitate. Now, that doesn’t have much consequence, but you can look at a student and say, “You copied this well,” or you can look at another student and say, “Well, what were you looking at?” Which was probably the case with me and my art teacher. It was more diplomatic and merciful than that, but you understand.

Life is filled with things we copy. You see a recipe that you like or a dish you like, and you look at the recipe and you determine how to copy it. If you went to school for architecture, you studied the great architects, because until you can learn to copy the greats, you can’t do your own work is the way thinking goes. A lot of art students will copy the masters before they go on to produce work of their own. It’s pretty simple. A pretty simple concept. But Christ is a copy that we have for imitation.

Now, we’re not out in the Middle East going door to door doing miracles, casting out demons, withering trees, displaying tremendous authority. We’re not copying him in that sense now. Yes, in the future there will be elements of that. We know we’ll be a part of it, but that’s not how we’re copying him now. Christ was the most dynamic man ever to walk Earth. The most dynamic human ever to walk Earth. Turn to John chapter twenty-one. John twenty-one. We often think about the miraculous things He did as we should.

We often think about his great deeds, his mighty deeds. John twenty-one, twenty, “Then Peter, turning about, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved, following; which also leaned on his breast at supper...” Speaking of John verse twenty, John twenty-one, twenty “...and said, Lord, which is he that betrays you? Peter, seeing him said to him, Jesus Lord, and what shall this man do?” Asking about John, “Jesus said to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? Follow you me.” He told Peter.

Then went this saying abroad among the brethren that the disciples should not die. Yet Jesus said not unto him, “He shall not die, but if he tarries till, I come, what is that to you?” John is setting up his credentials for something he’s about to say. Now, he also pointed out I’m the disciple Christ loved. He threw that in there, remarkable but true. It’s recorded in the Bible. Not that he didn’t love the other disciples. This is the disciple which testifies of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

John is saying, “Believe what I’m about to tell you.” And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written, everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written in there. John was saying this was an incredibly dynamic example. Things that aren’t even recorded here that he did, leaving us an example. There are many, many things to copy if I can put it that way.

So that’s what we’re talking about today. The importance of copying Christ and some practical ways to do it that we can latch onto. How can we copy that perfect example? How can we copy that copy left for us to imitate? That’s what we are talking about. Philippians two, five. Philippians two, “We’re called to a life that’s very much under the radar.” We’re not out there doing visibly powerful things. It’s not God’s purpose now. Yet we’re to copy this being, we’re to copy this man. Philippians two, five, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Mind there means, exercise your mind. So, Paul is saying, “Think like Jesus. Think like Christ, who came and gave us a perfect example, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,” because we need an example that we can relate to. You know, He was in all points tempted yet without sin. It says in Hebrews, I believe. Hebrews four.

We have a relatable example. We have a role model that we can understand, “made in the likeness of men: And being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

First Corinthians eleven. First Corinthians eleven. How important is this example? Paul felt that he’d reached a point in life where he was such a good example. That he could say this... First Corinthians eleven verse one, “Be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Paul said, “I’ve become a good example when you look at me, do what I do, because I’m following the gold standard that is Jesus Christ.” Followers there is also a little-used word in the Bible, and it literally means imitators.

“Be an imitator of me even as I also am an imitator of Christ.” He was saying. “Role models in life can let you down.” I’m sure you’ve had role models growing up who you come to see, they’re a little bit different than what you thought. Maybe you learn some facts about them, or they were a sterling example, but they took a wrong turn in life. I’m sure many of you can relate to that. Whether it was a role model you personally knew or maybe a celebrity who you thought was an upstanding person and then you learn some sorted fact about their past or their present.

Well, that never happened with Christ and never will. He was the perfect example. First John two, “To the degree that we can copy...” That copy for imitation. “...To the degree that we’re able to copy him, that’s the ultimate test.” That’s really the test of Christianity. We’re to live like Christ. First John two, verse one, “My little children, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. And if any man’s sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

This is the same man who said that the world couldn’t be filled with the books about his deeds, “And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but who so keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

He that says he abides in him ought also to walk, even as he walked.” Now, walk is a fascinating word here. It means to tread all around, to deport oneself, to live, to walk, especially as proof of ability. So, the degree to which we copy Christ, we’re proving that we abide in him. If we’re not copying him, we’re not fully abiding in him. If we’re copying him more and more, we’re abiding in him more and more. It’s a test, we are to walk even as He walked. Now we won’t do it perfectly.

We’re striving to grow in the areas that He walked, but in this time of self-examination, this message will be heard before the Passover in the field. It’s being heard before the Passover here. In this time of examination, you have a standard which we’re trying to live up to, and we see where we’ve fallen short in different areas of conduct or thinking. However, it is that you break it down personally, there are many good ways to self-examine, but the ultimate way in a certain sense is to compare our activities against those of the ultimate example and learn from that ultimate example.

Now, the reason He was such a sterling example is also recorded by John. John fourteen. John chapter fourteen. There’s a reason He was a perfect example. Again, we’re looking today at how important it is to recognize the importance of that example. Then certain concrete steps we can take to actually copy the example. We’re still in the, how important is the example phase of this message. John fourteen in verse six, “Jesus said, I’m the way, the truth, and the life: no man can come to the Father, but by me.

If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from henceforth you know him, and have seen him.” Christ is saying, what we read here, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father. Verse eight, “Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus said to him, have I been so long time with you, and yet you know you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me, has seen the Father; and how say you then, show us the Father?”

Christ is saying, “If you’ve seen the way I conduct myself, you may as well have seen the Father.” Because He and the Father are one. He acted just as the Father would have in those circumstances. He taught the same message the Father would’ve taught. That’s part of the love of God. The Father gave us a perfect example. He made this plan in such a way that we’d have something that we could aspire to. En route to becoming a son or daughter of his in the Kingdom of God. Ephesians five.

If we are imitating Christ, we’re imitating the Father. Ephesians five. I know this is very basic, but very appropriate for the time of year we’re in. Very appropriate in considering this Savior who died for us, who walked perfectly. Ephesians five verse one, “Be you therefore followers...” That same word, imitators, “...be you therefore imitators of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.”

Copying Christ’s example is the closest we can get to copying the Father himself. Now, he set that example with how He focused on things. What drove his life, what drove Christ’s life. We read that we have to have his mind over there in Philippians. What dominated his thinking? Matthew twenty-two. Matthew chapter twenty-two. Christ was never complacent. If I can harken back to the sermonette, He was always focused. He knew He had an incredible purpose and all-important purpose, and He never wavered from that purpose, in energy or drive or focus.

Matthew twenty-two verse thirty-four, “When the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to shame...”, to silence, rather, “...they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him and saying, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’”

He was focused on God, focused on the Father, “This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” That’s what the Bible is about. Loving God and loving fellow man. Is there another way to sum that up? Loving God and loving human beings. That was the mindset with which Christ operated during those short few decades He was on earth. Christ in a sense summarized his approach to people in John fifteen. John fifteen.

Last verse about Christ as an example before we get into some specifics. John fifteen, verse nine, “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.” See, He had an example. “As the Father loved me, so have I loved you.” He learned from the Father. “Continue you in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

“This is my commandment.” Here’s a summary statement from Christ, “that you love one another, as I have loved you.” Now, walk as I walked. Imitate me. Copy me for the purpose of imitation. Love one another as I have loved you. In the manner that I’ve loved you. How do we do that? That’s a broad, broad subject and we can by no means cover all elements of that in a sermon or any series of sermons. Like John said, you couldn’t record it in all the books that would have filled the world.

We’ll look at a few areas though. Verse thirteen, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Central to the Passover that we’re approaching, but brethren, we can’t lay down our lives for our friends in the same way that Christ did. We can’t do that. We’re not again, doing miracles now. We’re not casting out demons. The ministry might, if necessary, but very rare. How can we love one another as Christ loved us? First way we can demonstrate that love toward others.

Again, this is by no means a comprehensive list. First way we can be like Christ. Jesus Christ taught others. It was at the core of his existence. Jesus Christ taught others. If we’re going to be like him, we also have to teach others. Look at how the Sermon on the Mount opened. Matthew chapter five, “And seeing the multitudes...”, five, verse one. “...He went up into a mountain: and when he was sat, his disciples came on to him: And he opened his mouth and taught them saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

So on and so forth. He taught. That’s what he did from village to village. That’s what he did in every personal interaction. Everything that was recorded was him teaching the masses or teaching disciples or things He did that were to learn from. He was a teacher at his fundament. At his core. And to the degree that we’re teachers, we can love others as Christ loved us. Matthew eleven. I had a few chapters. Chapter eleven. He was a great teacher. Verse twenty-five, Matthew eleven, twenty-five, “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in your sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”

We could add through his example and through his teaching in this specific subhead here. “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.” You know, if you’re yoked with somebody, you look at a team of oxen that are yoked. You’re working side by side. Learn through example, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I want to teach you a way of life that isn’t like the way of transgressors that’s hard. I want to teach you a way of life that actually works Christ was saying because he taught with a purpose. He taught so that when he became firstborn among many brethren, many brethren would follow. That’s what he desires for all mankind, that they’d enter God’s family. That’s what the father desires, not just for us, but for everyone. But the only way that’s going to happen is if we’re taught and then we apply the teaching.

Proverbs fifteen. We’re mostly staying in the New Testament, almost exclusively in the Gospels just by nature of the subject we’re covering, but Proverbs fifteen verse seven is helpful here. “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish does not so.” God is saying, if you’re wise, now you have to do it in the right way, and we’ll get to that. If you’re wise, you want to give knowledge, you want to disperse knowledge, you want to help other people, you want to help them grow.

Whereas there’s some people who hoard knowledge, they don’t want others to get ahead. God says, that’s foolish. God says, if you’re wise, disperse knowledge, give knowledge to other people, imitate Christ in that regard. Back to Matthew. Christ wasn’t just interested in teaching others, it was cyclical. Matthew chapter four. Just before that Sermon on the Mount when he was first collecting the disciples, assembling the team that would go on to lay a foundation for us. Matthew chapter four.

He wasn’t just interested in teaching. He was interested in teaching to make teachers. He taught us to be teachers so that we could perpetuate the work that He did. Matthew four, eighteen, “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew’s brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he said to them, follow me...” Learn from me, copy me. “...And I’ll make you fishers of men.” I’ll teach you how to teach others.

Let me teach you so that you can not only know the way, but you can help others know the way. “And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going from fence, he saw two other brethren, James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And immediately they left the ship and their father, and they followed him.” He was a teacher that when he spoke, you listened. You wanted to be like him. You wanted to follow him, and he wanted you to go on. He wanted us to copy him in such a way that other people would want to follow us. Really very simple in principle. He understood where his teaching would ultimately lead. John eight. This is why He was a teacher. He knew what the knowledge he was bringing could do for people. John chapter eight. That’s why he built his church. That’s why he wants his sheep fed.

That’s why he wants the Gospel preached. John eight, thirty-one, “Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, if you continue in my word, if you listen to me, to what I have to say, then are you my disciples indeed.” You’re my followers indeed. How important was that? “And you shall...” Verse thirty-two. “...Knows the truth, you’ll learn the truth and the truth shall set you free.” Free in this life, but ultimately, free from this physical existence. Will leave this physical realm and pass into eternity.

Will be freed from death. Freed from mortality if we can learn from Christ. If we can learn from those words. And if we are helping others in that sense by doing the work. There are ways we do the work now. But how can we teach? How can we actively teach others right now? You might argue, “I’m not in the ministry.” Well, ministers only teach up at the pulpit once a week. There are other ways to teach. There are many other ways to teach. Proverbs twenty-two.

If you have a family, God is entrusting you with something very, very valuable. Proverbs twenty-two. If you have a family, your children are sanctified. Proverbs twenty-two, six. Granted ministers teach at other times during the week, I’m just saying the argument that I’m not a minister, therefore, I can’t teach is there’s nothing further from the truth. I think you’ll be inspired when you hear some of these ways that you can have a real impact on other people’s lives, probably more than you can know.

Proverbs twenty-two, six, “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” God wants us to actively teach our family members. People out, beyond these walls, are not sanctified. They don’t have the same opportunity that our children in the Church have now. Our children in the Church have a tremendous opportunity and it’s incumbent on us to train them. It’s incumbent on us to train them in the way that they should go because that way when they’re old, they won’t depart from it. Now everybody’s a free moral agent. I understand, but the word say what they do.

Deuteronomy chapter six. How intensive should this training be? Oh, if you have a family, if you have children, particularly, if they’re young children, you probably do more teaching than I do. Deuteronomy six and verse one, “Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you that you might do them in the land, whether you go to possess it, that you might fear the Lord your God to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you. You and your son and your son’s son…” Okay, we start to see the family element here. Children and grandchildren, “…all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it, that it might be well with you. And that you might increase mightily as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you in the land that flows with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

This is what Christ was quoting when he said, “All the law and the prophets hang on these two great commandments.” This is one of those twin commandments He was quoting. “With all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might, and these words which I command you this day shall be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently unto your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

They should always be on your lips. You should always be teaching young impressionable minds about these ways. “And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” Now, anciently, it was so important in dealing with a carnal nation. They would literally bind the law in front of it so they could see it wherever they want. Now, we know it’s in our hearts, we know we talk about it, we don’t have, you know, I think these phylacteries, and we don’t actually write out the law in our door posts, and so on and so forth.

But the principle is here. “And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes, as frontlets. And you shall write them upon the posts of your house and your gates.” Okay, maybe you don’t have children. Maybe you don’t have children. What about our fellowship at Sabbath services? I was talking to a lady here either last week or two weeks ago and we were in a long and edifying conversation, and the subject of praying for your enemies came up.

She told me, “That is one of the hardest things to do.” And I said, “Yes, you don’t think about it actively unless you’re talking about it or unless you’re confronted with a situation.” She said, “I did that once.” I said, “Really? How did it go?” I was eager to hear about it. And she told me there was a neighbor that she had some conflict with or just wasn’t getting along with. And she determined, “You know what? I’m going to pray for this man.” And she did.

And there was a violent storm that came through and knocked a branch on her house. And she came outside, where, you know, everything’s at “What’s wrong?” And she saw this man as though nothing had ever happened before just pulling the branch off. Just peace. She prayed for enemy and God answered in a unique way. And I found that inspiring. I learned from it. I was taught by it. So, it can be as simple as sharing what God has done in our lives.

Sharing inspiring stories from the past, talking about the messages. It’s not necessarily an active, you know, you are the student, and I am the teacher-type scenario or vice versa, but we learn through all kinds of discussions, through all kinds of interactions in God’s Church. But what if you don’t even have someone to fellowship with? What if you don’t have brethren nearby? No kids, no brethren, you’re just alone. Now, hopefully, there are ways to reach out to you and people you can talk to through the bridge of technology.

But our example, I would argue, is a greater teacher than any of those previous examples. You could talk till you’re blue in the face telling your son to do something, but if it’s a do-as-I-say, not as-I-do scenario, I can attest personally not to in any way disparage my dad, if it’s a do-as-I-say, not as-I-do scenario, you’re not listening as a son. I think we’ve all experienced that to a degree, so I’m not tattling on my dad in any respect. We have to be examples in order to teach with credibility. But again, what if you’re all alone? First Thessalonians four. The greatest way we teach others is through our example in this world, as lights in this world. And you can live a thousand miles away from the nearest brethren and never have had a family. And you can do this, we can do this, we all have to, regardless of if we’re in a big congregation, a small congregation, or somewhere in between.

First Thessalonians four, verse one, “Furthermore, brethren, furthermore we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as you have received of us how you ought walk and to please God so you would abound more and more.” Verse nine, skipping down, “But as touching brotherly love...” so we’re discussing how to walk, verse one. Verse nine now, “But as touching brotherly love, you need not that I write unto you, for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”

We have love for the brethren. God teaches us how to do that in part through the example that we have of Christ. “And indeed, you do it toward all the brethren which are in Macedonia, but we beseech you, brethren, that you increase more and more.” Strive to do even better. “And that you study to be quiet.” Okay, here we’re talking about how we comport ourselves in the world. “And that you study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your own hands as we’ve commanded you.” Why? “That you may walk honestly toward them that are without.”

If we’re conducting ourselves in a respectable way, if we’re going to work and doing a good job, if we’re not, you know, the noisy, odd wheel that’s always causing trouble, then we’re walking honestly toward them that are without, and we’ll have lack of nothing. And that becomes very important. Our example is not just a reflection on God’s Church now, but it’s of incredible import. Turn to first Peter two. When people in the world find out we’re part of that crazy Church, or however they might characterize it, it shouldn’t be because we did something crazy out there in society. They just don’t like what we stand for. They’re confused about it.

But our reputation, our example, our character out there in society should be very good. First Peter, two, verse one, “Wherefore laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby. If so be that you’ve tasted that the Lord is gracious,” and so on and so forth. We’re growing based on what we’re learning. Verse eleven, “Dearly, beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims.”

We are strangers and pilgrims out there in the world, we’re different. You know, when the pilgrims came to America, they came to what was called the New World. They’d never seen it before. They had to adapt to it. They looked like nothing else that was already on this continent. “As pilgrims and strangers abstained from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conversation, your conduct honest...” That word means beautiful, but chiefly good, valuable, virtuous.

“Having your conversation, your conduct honest among the Gentiles...” among the unbelievers in this sense, among those who are not in God’s Church, “...that whereas they speak against you as evildoers...” you know, unjustifiably, “They’re in that Church.” “Whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may buy your good...” that’s the same word as honest. “They may by your good works, which they shall behold.” You know, they can tell we’re different. We hear reports from feast sites every year, “Your group is different.”

Well, that’s the feast collectively, I guarantee you, if you interact with people at your job in the world and you’re striving to copy Christ’s example, I guarantee you your boss thinks you’re different, your fellow employees think you’re different. Your friends who might say, “Yes, they’re part of a strange organization, but they’re nice.” They think you’re different. They know you’re different. They know we’re different. “That they may by your good works, which they shall behold, they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.” Think about that.

The nice example that you’re setting now, the virtuous, honest, good example that you’re setting now is going to be brought back up in the context of the day of visitation. And they’re going to say, “Wow, you know, now I understand why this person was that way. Look at all they went through and now they’re going to be my teacher, and I can become like that. I can become what they’ve achieved.” That’s teaching, that’s more teaching than if you were up at the pulpit every Sabbath or writing for one of our publications.

You are a living example day in and day out. You’re a constant lesson to people. We are constant lessons to people, and sometimes it sticks out so much that chapter three, First Peter three comes into play. First Peter three, verse fifteen, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

Sometimes people see such a dramatic difference in you that they might begin to ask questions and God says, be ready to give an answer. You know, it might require some instant prayer, but if we’re doing the things we should be doing in life, then those answers will come. He’ll inspire them. You know, you might say, “Well, that’s pretty rare.” That’s how I was called. I wanted to know why someone wasn’t eating a ham sandwich and now I’m here. You know, he was ready to give an answer to me, and I’m here. I love ham. You know?

No. You understand what I mean, “Having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they might be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ, your good conduct in Christ.” They’re ashamed because they know, “Ah, yes, actually they’re doing a lot better than I am.” They’re probably saying under their breath when they see, wow, you know, that person has it together, or that person wouldn’t hurt a fly, or that’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, or that person would give me the shirt off their back.

You know, I’m sure there’s some shame there when they falsely accuse us, and how much more so in that day of visitation when it all comes flooding back. Second way we can be like Christ, Christ was always ready to jump in and help. He was always ready to jump in and help. Matthew chapter eight, Matthew eight, “When He was come down from the mountains, great multitudes followed Him, and behold there came a leper...” You know, this person in horrid circumstances who people didn’t want to touch, who lived a miserable life on the outskirts of society. “...and worshiped Him.” Verse two saying, Matthew eight, two, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

Now, Christ didn’t say, “Well, let me think about it and get back to you,” or, “Give me a day to think about it,” or, “Ah, I’m kind of busy.” No, He said, “I will.” Those were His next words. “If you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus put forth His hand and touched him saying, ‘I will, I’m willing to help you. I’m eager to help you, be you clean.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Now, that’s not an example we can apply, but we can have that same willing mindset when someone needs help within reason, depending on the circumstance, of course.

And not everything is as pressing as a leper coming up to you who’s lived a horrid life and needs immediate help. There’s decency and order to helping people. I’m not discounting that. “And Jesus said to him, ‘See that you tell no man, but go your way and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them.’” And here’s another account right after it. Verse five, “And when Jesus entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him, a centurion beseeching Him and saying, ‘Lord, my servant lies sick at home of the palsy, grievously tormented.’”

Here was somebody in immediate physical pain. “And Jesus said, ‘I will come heal him.’” He was ready and able and wanted to help people. “The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I’m not worthy that you should come under my roof...’” and so on and so forth. We know the account, but over and over again, “I will, I want to help, I want to ease you of your problem.” But it wasn’t just when He was asked for things, He sought opportunity.

Verse fourteen, same chapter here. After He’d interacted with the centurion and the leper. “When Jesus was coming to Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother laid and sick of a fever.” He saw someone in need. He wasn’t asked, oh, Peter, you’d think he just saw Christ heal these two others, he would’ve said, “Can you do something about my mom?” He might’ve thought, “Well, it’s just a fever, maybe, you know, Christ doesn’t have time for this,” but we don’t see maybe he did ask, but we don’t see recording of that. We just see Christ coming into Peter’s house and seeing his mother-in-law dead or rather sick of a fever.

And what did He do? “He touched her hand, and the fever left her and she arose and ministered unto them.” He saw an opportunity to help somebody, and rather than waiting to be asked, He jumped in and did it. He had a mind that was ready to serve. Now, it was this same Peter whose mother-in-law was healed that said this, in First Peter five. Verse one, “The elders…” First Peter five, one, “...which are among you, I exhort, who also am an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.”

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint...” meaning not as though it were compulsory, not as though you had to do it, “...but willingly...” meaning voluntarily. “...not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.” Ready mind, meaning with alacrity, brisk, cheerful readiness. “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but ensamples to the flock.” Examples, people who can be copied.

That’s not just for the ministry. We all have to have ready minds. Do we seize service opportunities? Do we look for them? How do we see them? Titus three. What does our mindset look like when someone asks for help? Is it, “Ah, you know what?” Better to do it grudgingly than not do it at all, but better to gain the right perspective. Titus three. “Better to get in the right mindset ahead of time...” Titus three, one, “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.” Ready there means adjusted. Be adjusted. Be mentally prepared for good works, to speak evil of no man, to be not brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.

That’s a paradigm shift. It’s a real change in mindset, contrary to the way the world thinks. You know, it can be, I can spend extra gas and go out of my way on the way to Sabbath services to pick this person up. You know, it’s just finances are tight as they are and it’s such a long drive as it is. Or it can be I can ensure someone gets to Sabbath services and can learn the things that I’ve learned and can spend eternity with me.

One is serving willingly, “Ah, I was asked to do this and I’m not going to say no.” The other is, “Wow, you know, I can really impact this person’s life positively.” I remember I’m glad when I first started attending, people were willing to give me rides in United. Or I remember like it was yesterday, my first Passover in The Restored Church of God. And I don’t want to make him feel embarrassed, but Mr. Giles drove from Virginia Beach, an hour and a half to my house in Richmond, and then another two and a half hours with me in the car, two and a half to three hours depending on traffic, up to keep the Passover.

You know, we were excited as could be. Our first Passover, my first Passover was actually I was transitioning from United into Restored, so I wasn’t able to keep it with anyone. But my first Passover with people, someone was willing to pick me up on what is a... what would that be? A five-hour journey for that night. Wow, you know, he did that willingly. And I remember it to this day. I have to stay late to set up the hall after services. Or I have to come early to set up the hall? Or I have to come Friday night to get the room ready? I was on set up for a long time. Long time.

I know it can feel like, “Ah, you know, here we go again.” But the thing is, we wouldn’t have Sabbath services with decency and order. We wouldn’t be able to meet in a beautiful, clean hall if people weren’t putting in the time. Preparing the greatest classroom on earth, if I can put it that way. There are two ways to look at everything. Third area where we can be more like Christ. Christ recognized the source of His power and success. He recognized the source of His power and success.

Matthew chapter five. Another dramatic miracle with a lesson tied to it. Matthew chapter five. These last points will go quicker than the first points. Five, verse one, “They came over to the other side of the sea into the country of the Gadarenes. When He was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no man could bind him, no, not with chains.”

And we read this account of legion possessed by multiple demons. One of the most dramatic accounts of possession recorded in the Bible. And He cast these demons into the swine, you’ll probably recall in verse fifteen. “And they come to Jesus and they saw Him that was possessed with the devil, legion, after Christ had dealt with the demons and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.” They knew something changed. “Whoa, this man has to have incredible power if He was able to tame this man who couldn’t be bound with chains.”

“And they that saw it told them how it befell him that was possessed. They learned the account with the devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart from their coasts. And when he was come to the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.” “You just changed my life. Let me come with you.” “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but said to him, ‘Go home to your friends and tell them how great things not I did for you. Tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you.”

You know, Christ humbled Himself in a way that we can’t contemplate. We can’t fathom. We can contemplate it, but we can’t wrap our minds around. He’d been here forever. He’d had all power with the Father. These incredible capacities that we hope to tap in the near future. He had a mind that we can’t comprehend yet. And He humbled Himself to be like a man. He had extraordinary power. Yet He didn’t say, “Go tell them what I did.” He said, “Go tell them what the Father has done for you. What the Lord has done for you.” He was very careful to ascribe His successes to God.

John five. John chapter five. Verse nineteen. Picking up a little bit. Ways into verse nineteen. Christ said, “Verily, verily, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do. For what things soever He does, whatsoever the Father does, these also the Son likewise.” In other words, our perfect example was saying He had a perfect example. He had a perfect copy to imitate. That’s why He’s a perfect copy for us to imitate. “Whatsoever things He does, the Father does, these also the Son does likewise.”

He gave the credit to the Father. “For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that Himself does, that He Himself does. And He will show Him greater works than these that you may marvel. For as the Father raised up the dead and quickens them, even so, the Son quickens whom He will. For the Father judges no man but has committed all judgment to the Son. He’s the source of the authority, the source of the power, that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent Him.”

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hears My word and believes on Him that sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so has He given to the Son to have life in Himself.” He’s constantly pointing to the Father as the origin. And has given Him authority. “My authority, Christ is saying, came from the Father to execute judgment also because He’s the Son of Man.”

“Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are in the grave shall hear His voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of my own self do nothing,” said this all-powerful being. How much more so us? We can’t do anything on our own. We’re inferior to Christ by incalculable orders of magnitude. How much less can we of our own selves do nothing. In the flesh, Christ didn’t have at His disposal all the power that He once did. As our perfect example, He relied on the Father. He relied on the Father.

Any amount of success we have comes from God. You might want to write down Deuteronomy eight verse eighteen. God even gives us the ability to get wealth. Now, we’d be homeless, people would be homeless if God didn’t give them the power to get wealth. It says in Deuteronomy eight, eighteen, I’ll just turn there quickly, “You shall remember the Lord your God for it is He that gives you power to get wealth.” We take things like paying our bills, we can take them for granted if we’re doing okay.

No, even something as foundational as earning a living comes from God. It’s He that gives you power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant which He swore under your fathers as it is this day. We pray to God for our physical and spiritual needs because He’s the one who supplies them. He’s the one who supplies them. He’s the father of every good and perfect gift, not just the wisdom there early in James one, but the father of every good and perfect gift. Anything good in life, we should attribute it to the Father. Christ certainly did. He said He couldn’t do anything without Him.

Final point here, and it’s related to the previous ones. To be like Christ, we must sacrifice. Christ lived a life of sacrifices. You know, we might not feel like we’re sacrificing in certain senses, but really we are. We’re not pursuing the lives that we would’ve otherwise pursued. We’ve sold all, we live modest lives. We don’t have our reward in this life though there are untold treasures in this life from living God’s way, please don’t misunderstand, Matthew chapter eight. Consider Christ’s circumstances. It’s all about sacrifice.

Matthew eight, verse nineteen, “A certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Master, Christ, I’ll follow you wherever you go,’ and Christ said easier said than done in so many words. And Jesus said to him,” verse twenty, Matthew eight twenty, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” He didn’t have a home. Now, He wasn’t homeless like one of these panhandlers you see, but He was constantly doing what God asked of Him, to the point where He wasn’t able to come home and relax at the end of the day.

Maybe He could relax by the campfire with His close friends, but where? Wherever the work took Him. Chapter thirteen, Matthew. He did that from a young age. Okay, He had a home from a young age, but He was constantly focused on what He needed to be focused on, and He was demonized for it. He was looked down on. People thought He was crazy. If you’re new in the Church and your family or friends, any one of them hasn’t already thought you’re crazy, it’s probably coming. Hopefully not. But if you’ve been in God’s way for any amount of time, you’ve probably experienced persecution.

Well, it’s a fraction of what Christ experienced on our behalf, and He was constantly focused, chapter thirteen. “It came to pass...” verse fifty-three, “...that when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence, and when He came into His own...” excuse me. Luke two, that’s not where I wanted to go. Luke two, verse forty-two, “And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, He and His family, after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother knew of it. But they, supposing Him to have been in the company...” they thought He was part of the crowd going back, “...went a day’s journey, and they sought Him among their kinfolk and acquaintance. And when they found Him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking Him.”

What’s He up to, this twelve-year-old boy? Well, He was doing something on our behalf. “And it came to pass that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. And when they saw Him, they were amazed, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you dealt with us this way? Behold, your father and I have sought you sorrowing, we’re worried about you. And he said to them, ‘How is it that you sought me? Wist you not, didn’t you know that I must be about my father’s business?’”

Here was someone who sacrificed His childhood, sacrificed His entire life, never sinned, constantly taught, always was willing to help people, en route to the ultimate sacrifice that allows us to be sons and daughters in the family of God. Sacrificing just at every turn, ultimately laying down His life for us. And remember, no greater love does a man have for another than that he’d lay down his life for him. He laid His life down for all of us. He did all these things for us. He sacrificed constantly for us, not just in those final dark hours, but all the years of His life. Constantly battling sin, never falling short, so that we’d have a Savior.

Hebrews... actually, Galatians chapter one. Galatians one. He did it for us. Galatians one, verse three, “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins.” His whole life was one of giving. Titus two, fourteen, no need to turn there, says very much the same thing. He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. And it goes without saying that the Father also was willing to give His Son for us.

They’re the most giving, sacrificing beings in the universe, and to the degree that we’re willing to sacrifice through some of those earlier points, we can be more like them. We can copy that perfect example. One final scripture, Hebrews chapter twelve. Hebrews twelve. Why did He do this? Why was He so willing to sacrifice? Hebrews twelve and verse one, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him. Looking forward to what He was doing for all of us, looking forward to spending eternity with us, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross...” the kind of capstone of His life of sacrifice, “...despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of God.”

It’s that sacrifice that allows us here in verse twenty-eight to receive a kingdom which can’t be moved. Verse twenty-eight, “Let’s have grace whereby, we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.” Think back to the beginning of this message in first Peter two, “For here unto you were called, Christ also suffered for us, leaving an example, a copy for imitation that you should follow in His steps.” Hopefully, we better understand that perfect copy. In a few ways, we can practically copy it, imitate it. Let’s teach others in natural ways. Let’s always be ready to jump in and help.

Let’s recognize the source of our power and success following that example, and ultimately be living sacrifices, willing to sacrifice in how we conduct ourselves, knowing that someone went before us and sacrificed in ways we’ll never be asked to sacrifice, in ways that are impossible to fully comprehend and that we could never live up to. Now, He gave us a path through His sacrifice. Let’s follow in the steps of one who was the perfect copy of the Father.