Live Like Jesus - Part 3

Pastor Herk continues: The passage proclaims that "All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God." The Almighty, Creator Father God must be at the center of your life as Lord, not out at the edges or in the back seat. The Word of God tells us to share the Good News Gospel message of Jesus Christ with others. God wants us to confess that we are Christians, that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, is Lord and we are obedient Christ-followers, because God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father - Philippians 2:9-11.  

It is so easy for us to sit with a friend and talk with them about what God has done in our life, telling how God has worked in us personally. They what to hear our personal experiences and will listen to what happened to us because of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus. In a world of turmoil, stress, strife, anger, and uncertainty, people are seeking foundational truth and stability of love, joy and peace, which they do not know, but is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Believers and available to them. We need to be able to proclaim that we trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, our Blessed Redeemer from Sin and Eternal Damnation, that He is the Son of God and the Light, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Resurrection, and people need to see that in us. 

 

Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

  

God’s Word tells us to be “salt and light” and illuminate the darkness of sin and unbelief in this God-rejecting world with godly gospel truth. We have to keep aware and inform where the darkness of Sin and unbelief are tempting, spreading lies, distracting, deceiving, and enslaving in this world to stand against the enemy with the full armor of God, defend the faith and with the power of God, save the lost. We have to stay faithful to God as salt and light in the world. We cannot behave like the lights are on, but nobody is home. We know that God loves us and put our trust in that fact. 

 

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. But, maybe we assume that since God loves us so much, that we have an excuse not to be obedient and that He’ll forgive us if we do not do what He asks us to do; we have our salvation guaranteed anyway. Believing that we don’t have to be “salt & light” in the world because that is a private choice between God and I. No, that is not the way it is. 

 

The Bible is not a menu to go through to pick and choose what you will follow, saying “I will do this teaching, statute, law or commandment, but not follow and do those others. I’m going to pick the things that I like, go by that and that should be enough.” To say “No Lord” is an oxymoron. We cannot pick the parts of the Word of God that we are going to follow. The kingdom of Heaven has a King. If God is King, Lord, and Master, and we put our full trust in Him with total dedicated and devotion then His statutes and commands must be our heartfelt desire, willfully obeyed, served and followed. Two things I know for sure: There is a Lord of my life and it is not me; He is the Almighty Lord Father God, my Maker, Providence and Sustainer. Not my will, but God’s will be done.

 

So, we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.”  If you really wondered what it means to follow Christ and be a Christian, live like Jesus here in this world. If you do not remember another thing from this message, remember that we are to live like Jesus wherever we are in this world. We are supposed to have His attitude and heart. Is it easy? No, it is sometimes difficult, but never impossible because God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. We cannot live the Christian life in our own strength. We have to live this life with the assistance and power of the Holy Spirit. We have to walk in the Spirit, giving Him permission and submissively allow Him to work in us. We have to be people of faith and prayer, people of the Word of God, people of the Way, to live like Jesus. 

Let's conclude Pastor Herk's message in the next post.

In Christ, Brian