April 23, 2018 – John 13
Jesus: I have set you
an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:15
Belief is about imitation. It’s not a belief until we act on it.
It’s hard to imagine the weight that Jesus felt on the last night
He walked with the disciples. It was
Passover, already an emotional symbolic reminder of the death to come. He was in a room with the man who had already
betrayed Him. And to top it off, all of
Jesus’ friends would soon abandon Him, leaving Him alone to face the
cross. Agony is not strong enough of a
word to describe it. Excruciating is
more accurate – the same word used to describe the physical pain Jesus would
face on the cross.
But in the midst of all that emotional & spiritual pain,
Jesus took a bowl of water and a towel, and bent down to the floor to wash His
disciples’ feet. Jesus chose to be
everyone else’s servant, not only setting an example, but doing it at the most
painful moment in His life on earth. Being
an example takes strength… being an example in the midst of your greatest pain
takes much more than strength. It takes
imitation. Jesus was imitating His
Father’s love for people, by showing love to his disciples.
Believing in something is much more than just knowing the
facts. It is more than feeling like
something is right. Belief is imitating
in our actions what we trust in our hearts.
Jesus believed that sacrificial love changed lives and eternities. He believed it enough to come to earth and
give up His throne in heaven. He
believed it enough to risk temptation and live among us as a man. Jesus believed it enough to surrender Himself
to a betrayer, and take a flogging, and be nailed to a cross. And that night in the upper room, Jesus
believed it enough to humble Himself from the Son of God to the lowest servant
in the room, washing His disciples’ feet.
The Father had believed in sacrificial love enough to create men and
love them every moment of every day.
Jesus simply imitated His Father.
The true test of belief is not how much we agree, but how
much we imitate Jesus. Obedience is not
about religious activities to make God happy, it is about loving imitation
because we trust in what Jesus did.
Following His Example is imitation, and imitation is a demonstration of
belief.
Christianity is simple, but not easy. Follow Christ like He followed the
Father. Don’t just believe about Jesus,
believe Him to the point of imitating His character. Not only is that the greatest demonstration
of love, but it will save you!
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