FOLLOW IN JESUS' FOOTSTEPS

1 Peter 2:21
We are called to follow in Jesus' footsteps, i.e. obey him wholeheartedly and imitate him - imitate his heart and his habits; his conviction and his character; his love, his life and his leadership.

If we are to do so, we must embrace and embody the qualities that Jesus demonstrated, three of which are:

1. HUMILITY

Luke 18:9-14
The problem with the Pharisee was that he was self-righteous. Instead of being humble, he was proud. He felt that he was better than others and had nothing to learn from them.

Hebrews 5:8
One mark of humility is being a learner - accepting input, correction and guidance. Jesus was a learner. He learned from his hardships, among other things.

Pride will stop you from learning and thus from growing. It will stop you from seeing the need to seek advice or to take instruction. It will stop you from opening up to confess sin.

Q. Have you been humble?
Q. Do you apologize to your spouse and children when you are in the wrong?
Q. Do you apologize to roommates and work colleagues, even subordinates, when you are in the wrong ?
Q. Are you hiding sin or coming out with it openly?

Matthew 11:29
Take up Jesus' yoke and learn from him, for he is humble and gentle.

2. DILIGENCE

Diligence is hard work combined with mature priorities, clear focus and perseverance.

Luke 13:32
Jesus was not lazy. He gave 100% effort and commitment all the time. No threats, intimidation or fatigue could stop Jesus' diligence, and now we are called to follow the same.

John 5:17
God is always at work.

Proverbs 26:12-16
There is no substitute for hard work and committed effort.

Verse 13: We must learn to be diligent and not to be in the habit of giving excuses to justify our compromises.

Verse 14: Don't let laziness stop you from doing what you know that you need to.

Verse 15: Lack of diligence is self-defeating. You are the one who ends up the loser when, instead of being joyfully obedient and radically committed, you make excuses and end up going against what God lovingly wants for you.

Proverbs 14:23
All hard work brings profit, so let us imitate Christ's diligence and give our best.

3. COURAGE

Joshua 1:6-9
Joshua was called by God to be strong and courageous. Strength and courage are not optional for those who seek to walk in Jesus' steps. They are essential.

Jesus was courageous. He took on a temple full of merchants with a whip and deep convictions. He faced Legion, strong and intimidating, to whom no one else dared get even remotely close. He stood up to his family when they called him crazy and sought to pull him from his mission. He challenged the wealthy and the prominent and He called the rich to give up their wealth, the immoral to give up their sin and everyone to surrender everything. In the face of threats to is life, he would not alter his message or in any way soften his stance. He counted the costs and ten went to the cross. Jesus was a man of extraordinary courage. Now, we must walk with the same courage.

We need courage to talk to people about Christ, address issues in their lives that need to be dealt with, and help them change.

Men and women of God, let us rise to the challenge, answering to our calling and walk in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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