Serve One Another in Love no. 20

“This is why he had to become like his brothers in every respect — so that he might become a merciful and faithful cohen gadol in the service of God, making a kapparah for the sins of the people. For since he himself suffered death when he was put to the test, he is able to help those who are being tested now” (Messianic Jews (Heb) 2:17-18). Jesus had to become like His brothers. He had to become humans like us in every way. Becoming one of us and walking this life made Him a merciful and faithful high priest for us. Being a human allowed Jesus to be a role model for us. He was tested in order to help those of us undergoing challenges and problems and situations and struggles. He is our role model.

I am not saying you need a poster of Jesus hanging on your bedroom wall like a teenager BUT there ought to be a sign that Jesus is your role model. And being your role model should shape how you go about your life. We all probably had a role model in whatever activity we pursued in our youth and we may even have role models today. We tried to do anything we could to be like those people so we could have the worldly success and honor and glory they had achieved. How much more should we want to have the spiritual success and honor and glory that follows in service to Jesus?

Too often we do things that are very un-Jesus and that is sometimes because we are surrounded by broken people doing very worldly things in the name of Jesus. Sometimes it is just because we choose to be very un-Jesus. Sometimes it is because we don’t know how to be more like Jesus. So, if I want to be like Jesus, if I want Him to be my role model, I kind of have to learn more about Him. When I had my role models, I wasn’t taking the word of other people what they were like. I was watching and reading interviews and studying what they did to make them a success. I apply those same skills to Jesus. And The Bible is a great place to start. And right now is a great time to start. 

We can’t be like someone we know very little about. And with folks fighting over putting Christ into Christmas like they do every year in the past nearly five decades of my life, instead let’s put Christ into us. How about a plan to read The Bible? And I mean all of it. Start a book at a time. Read the New Testament first? Read the shorter books? BUT make a plan to read the whole Bible? Maybe even read some of those apocrypha because that’s edgy and spooky and scares some folks? You do you on that. 

How about spend some time meditating on what you read? Think about how what you are reading applied to the people inside The Bible. Think about how that reading applies to your life today. How does The Bible teach you wisdom? Look at how the stories help shape a bigger view of the world for then and now.

How about spend some time in prayer? Make a little time to talk to God about what you are learning. Ask Him for guidance and help in your walk. He is there to help because He was one of us. And He is able to help.

How about spend some time in communion? Find some folks that are also learning about Jesus and hang out with them. Talk about what you are learning and bounce some ideas off them. A lot of folks like to do this in the safety of churches BUT there are plenty of folks out there that are understanding and struggling with these same issues of how to live an honest and virtuous life. Some of them are doing this and are totally oblivious to how much Jesus can help. 

It doesn’t take much to take Jesus as a role model seriously. BUT it does take changing your way of thinking. And that is what repentance is all about. Changing your mind. Courage is choosing to change and I pray we all find the courage to be more like Jesus. And that all starts with knowing Him better.    

Serve His Kingdom by serving one another in love.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #SeekFirstTheKingdom #ServeOneAnotherIn Love #NotMyWayYHWH