JESUS OUR EXAMPLE.
John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” If we want to do what Jesus did then we must go through the same process as He did in finding His purpose.
As we continue to look at finding your purpose as a process, I want to remind you of what I taught in the last post (104) before we continue.
- First, we need to recognize the humanity of Jesus Christ. Because of His humanity, we can have faith that we can be conformed to be like Him. He is our example!
- Second, there is a difference between a follower of Jesus and a disciple of Jesus. A follower is a “babe” in Christ, or a carnal Christian” (1 Corinthians 3:1-4, Hebrews 5:12-14). Whereas a disciple is a soldier in Christ. A soldier not because of fierceness, but because of a disciplined life. (2Timothy 2:1-5) The point is that a true disciple is a mature Christian. Maturity in Christ is not measured in months or years but in obedience.
THE BIBLE AS OUR PATTERN FOR LIFE.
All Christians would agree that the Bible gives us the pattern of life that represents God’s righteousness. As Christians, we understand that we are to live like Jesus Christ in character. We are to be conformed to the image of Christ by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
- Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
THE LORD IS A GIVER OF GIFTS!
The Lord gives us the gift of Jesus, Jesus gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives us the fruit of the Spirit and supernatural gifts of the Spirit. We can’t work or earn any of the Lord’s gifts; we can only trust and obey. It is a faith venture.
The Bible shows us what God expects from us and how by cooperating with the Holy Spirit, He can lead us through our “New Life in Christ”.
We must first learn how to produce the Fruit of the Holy Spirit outlined in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” All of these attributes of the Holy Spirit are present in us in seeds-form. It is up to us to yield and obey the prompting of the Spirit to allow the seed to grow and bear fruit. Remember Romans 12:2… we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. We actively allow the Word of God and the Spirit of God to transform us.
THE SEAL OF THE FATHER IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The evidence of our salvation is the Holy Spirit of God living in us. Christianity is not a religion of rites, traditions, and formalities, but a living relationship with our Lord. The Holy Spirit is the evidence of our “sealing” by the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21 “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
- Ephesians 1: 13” In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
- Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
ALL DISCIPLES ARE FOLLOWERS, BUT NOT ALL FOLLOWERS ARE DISCIPLES.
The work of the Holy Spirit always begins with our character first. We must deal with “first things first.” We are first followers of Jesus and then learn how to become disciples of Jesus.
A Disciple’s primary focus or goal is to bring glory to the Father. After all, that wasn’t that Jesus’ purpose, to bring glory to the Father. Jesus did this through His character and supernatural signs and wonders.
While a Follower or Believer in Jesus Christ has been sealed by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit has also empowered a Disciple.
Sealing represents redemption or salvation, whereas empowerment represents Power (signs and wonders); the capacity for Agape love (unconditional love) and a spirit-centered mind (sound mind). 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” You see being a disciple is about character and power in the Holy Spirit.
As Water Baptism is a sign of our surrender to Jesus for our salvation; the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a sign of our surrender to the Holy Spirit for service.
THE CENTRAL QUESTION OF CHRISTIANITY!
Since Jesus was fully human, how did he perform supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles which confirmed the Kingdom of God? And, since we are to be conformed to be like Jesus, how do we demonstrate the Kingdom of God on earth in the same way?
Jesus, in His humanity needed the authority and power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill His mission.
If Jesus is to be our pattern the answer to this question is found in the following sequence of events in Jesus’ life.:
- Jesus received the Holy Spirit at His water baptism.
- Jesus received the authority and Power of the Holy Spirit in His wilderness experience.
- Jesus received His Mission Statement following His wilderness experience which made clear His purpose.