Jesus as our best Example // Relationships

 Jesus is the best example of how to do any thing. We as his children are called to imitate and act and do what He would do. The only way to follow someone's example is to have a relationship with them, walk with them day to day. If you want to know how someone would act in a public, you need to be with them in public. The same is true for Jesus. Unfortunately, he is not actually in human form on the earth right now, so how do we observe him and act the way that he acted while he was on the earth? One way is to read the Bible. Obviously. If you want to know how someone lives and what they do, you can follow them on tiktok, or instagram, or snapchat. If you want to learn more about someone's life you can watch a documentary about them or read books. If you are really close with someone and you have a deep relationship with someone, it is easier to know how that person would act in any given scenario. For example, I am in love with Matt and I feel like I know him pretty well. If we are at a restaurant that we both love and have been to frequently, I feel 99% positive that I would be able to order food for Matthew and I would be able to get his order correct. For someone that I don't know very well, this would be more challenging. For example, if I went to Qdoba right now and wanted to place an order for Matthew here's what I would get for him: naked nacho bowl, white rice, no beans, chicken, cheese, queso, no guacamole, no sour cream, maybe a little lettuce, extra chips on the side and for a drink I would get him either Cherry Pepsi, or maybe a fancy sprite. 

HOW HE LOVED THE LEAST OF THESE: Jesus broke social norms when he walked the earth. Back in Bible times, women and children were considered the least valued members of society. Their opinions didn't matter, and they weren't even counted physically as mattering. In the story of the feeding of the 5000, the only people were counted in that 5000 number total were men. It says there were 5000 men, oh and there were women and children as well. It says that when Jesus walked the earth, he told his disciples to not stop the little children from approaching him. He actually urged his disciples to become like little children because it was childlike faith that pleases the Father in heaven. Jesus spoke to the woman at the well and actually appeared firstly to a woman after he was raised from the dead. Why? Why would be appear to a woman whose opinion would not be taken seriously? Because Jesus cared for the least of these. We are believers are called to care about what Jesus cared about. We are called to walk in his example and to be people that follow his heart and his footsteps. 

HOW HE SERVED HIS FRIENDS: Jesus also broke the social norm in the disciples constant seeking and searching for power and greatness and authority. Jesus said to be the greatest, you need to become the least. When Jesus was spending one of his last nights on earth, he washed his disciples feet. He became lower than them so as to serve them. We are called to serve. 

HOW HE SUFFERED FOR HIS ENEMIES: We don't get to decide which social norms we get to break. We aren't called to be rebels without a cause or destroyers. Jesus only broke social norms that went against the heart of the Father. I keep hearing in my heart that Jesus did everything out of a heart of LOVE. He didn't' walk around looking for a fight. He didn't walk around looking to raise awareness to the injustice. He walked around CORRECTING the injustice. Sometimes I see people live in what I have heard called "armchair justice." Somehow if we voice our opinion and post our thoughts regarding some injustice in the world, we have done our part. Actually, that's false. It's ok to post it's ok to have opinions, but the Bible says to seek justice, not to just speak justice. Seeking justice is something that Jesus did in his actions, not just his words. He didn't just talk about validating rights for women and children, he lived it out. He didn't just talk about standing up for the rights of God's temple, He did something about it. 

The point I'm trying to make and I feel is important for you all to get out of this concept, is this: you guys don't need anymore rules thrown at you. You don't need any more expectations slapped across your face. You don't need any more restrictions in your life. Here's why. Without relationship, rules FAIL. Without knowing the person you are trying to act like, it will be impossible to act like them. Without being connected to the Father's heart and the heart of Jesus, you will not know how to walk in his footsteps and you won't know how to make the tough decisions. 

1. How he loved the least of these. Matthew 19:13-14, Matthew 14:21, John 20

2. How he served his friends. John 13:13-17, Matthew 18

3. How he suffered for his enemies. Luke 23:34