Imitating the Example of Jesus

Scripture:  I Peter 2:21-25 - For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,[a] leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Luke 23:34-38 -  Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.
and they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.” 38 And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
     
The cross of the Lord Jesus was not just the place that He obtained forgiveness for
our sins, but He also demonstrated how forgiveness is to be given to others who hurt us.
There is no other area in our lives that reveals where we are or how far we have come like
forgiving others.  What is most likely true is that we have developed styles of avoidance,
suppression, or revenge because we allow the pain of the offense to mean more than the
pleasing of Christ.  It is easy to say forgive just like Christ, but how many of us let the sin
done against us create sin in us.

The true measure of ourselves in this matter is not what we think, or even what we feel,
but the example and expectations of our Lord Jesus Christ.  At this point some would say
that feelings do matter, and I agree, but because they matter they become my sacrifice unto
God to obey His will (Matt. 26:38, 39).  I sacrifice the authority of my feelings for the rule of
God’s will and expectations being done in my life.  It is easy to say I want to be like Jesus
until we have these moments and times that challenge us to go against the grain of our
flesh driven desires and impulses.  We are reminded by the words of the Lord Jesus that the
offense is not a matter between me and the offender first and only, but it must be settled
first between me and the one I call “FATHER”.   A spiritually heathy heart is one that lives
regularly before God and never wants to allow anything, even the offenses of men to come
between them and their fellowship with God.  The example of the Lord Jesus reveals that
the key is to never allow anything to get rooted without remembering it is never outside
of God’s expectation for us.

The ones that have hung you on the cross because you have obeyed the will of God have
not just sinned against you, but they have sinned against the one that God has sent or
positioned into their lives.  If they saw you as God sees and knows you and realized that
your presence is a gift from God, their sin would be seen in the light of God’s grace and not through the veil of their own ungodliness.

The point is that suffering because others have sinned against us never occurs outside of God’s will for us.  When people cause us suffering through their intentional sin against us, they may mean it for evil, but our focus must be kept on the sovereign purposes and pleasure we want God to experience from our lives.

Prayer: Father, like the disciples, I acknowledge that forgiveness as a way of life is hard at times, and there have been times I have struggled with immediate forgiveness.  But when I remember Your complete and immediate forgiveness of me, I am humbled and provoked in my heart not only to forgive like You forgave me, but to desire to be like You more and more.  In the Name of Jesus thank You, amen.

(by Pastor Wayne Cockrell)