Follow the Example of Christ

[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 11th of February, 2018.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Recently we’ve looked at new beginnings, being a new creation, and at our own origins.  We talked about how the first church began and how it interacted within its own body and in the community.  And from the comments I’ve heard, I believe most of us would like to see this family become more and more like the Acts 2 church.

We should keep in mind that Jesus actually set the stage for the church, by pulling a small group of men together as one and then building on that body by sharing the Gospel, the Good News of salvation.  So to be more like the Acts 2 church, we can start by being more like Jesus.

The Apostle John can explain this much better than I.  Please listen and follow along as I read the opening of John’s first letter to the far-flung Christian church, from chapter 1 verse 1 through chapter 2 verse 6, and I’ll read from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible to show how this speaks to us today…

1:1 The Word that gives life
was from the beginning,
and this is the One
our message is about.

Our ears have heard,
our own eyes have seen,
and our hands touched
this Word.

2 The One who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. 3 We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so that you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy.

5 Jesus told us that God is light and doesn’t have any darkness in Him. Now we are telling you.

6 If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth. 7 But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of His Son Jesus washes all our sins away. 8 If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts. 9 But if we confess our sins to God, He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar, because we have not accepted His message.

2:1 My children, I am writing this so that you won’t sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and He will speak to the Father for us. 2 Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.

3 When we obey God, we are sure that we know Him. 4 But if we claim to know Him and don’t obey Him, we are lying and the truth isn’t in our hearts. 5 We truly love God only when we obey Him as we should, and then we know that we belong to Him. 6 If we say we are His, we must follow the example of Christ.

--1 John 1:1-2:6 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, we’re only fooling ourselves if we think we haven’t sinned.  Father, You know those times when we step out of Your light and hide in the darkness, even if only for a moment.  Thank You for sending Your Son to us who never sinned, who always does the right thing.  Thank You for taking away our sins.  Speak to us now, Father, that we may hear Your voice and feel You moving in our lives.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.   Amen.


I have to ask:  What kind of example do we set?...


The boy's mother was furious!  "Young man, where did you learn such language?  Who taught you to talk like that?!!?"

The boy hesitated, turned and looked toward his father and asked, "Well, Dad?  Should I tell her?"


A different father was teaching his young son what a Christian should be like.  Once the lesson was over, the father received a reality check when the little boy asked, "Dad?  Have I ever met one of these Christians?"


Would any of us find it sobering if someone didn't realize we were a Christian?  If Christianity suddenly became illegal in this country, would there be enough evidence against us to convict us in a court of law?  Would there even be sufficient grounds to arrest us?


I don’t think there’s any question that we have all sinned.  If we think otherwise, we’re just fooling ourselves, or as John puts it, God’s truth isn’t in our hearts.  John goes so far as to say that if we claim we’re not sinners, then we’re making God out to be a liar, because we have not accepted His message.  His message is that of salvation, of forgiveness of our sins, through the sacrifice made on our behalf by His Son Jesus.  If we haven’t sinned, we don’t need His forgiveness or His saving grace – we don’t need God or Jesus.  But if we love God, we will obey Him, and in obeying, know that we belong to Him, that we are His.

And then John delivers the clincher:  if we say we are His, then we must follow the example of Christ.  The Apostle Paul says basically the same thing, in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11 verse 1…

1 You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

--1 Corinthians 11:1 (CEV)

Follow Paul’s example, because he follows the example of Christ.

Family, what do we call ourselves - what name do we go by?  We are the Pilgrim member of the universal body of Jesus and we call ourselves… Christians - followers of Christ.  Shouldn’t we then be more Christ-like?  If we claim we follow Him, shouldn’t we try to follow His example?

Paul says we should, and for very good reason.  Read what he wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 5, verses 1 through 5…

1 Do as God does. After all, you are His dear children. 2 Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered His life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God.

3 You are God’s people, so don’t let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy. 4 Don’t use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are. 5 Being greedy, indecent, or immoral is just another way of worshiping idols. You can be sure that people who behave in this way will never be part of the kingdom that belongs to Christ and to God.

--Ephesians 5:1-5 (CEV)

We are God’s adopted children, His people, so we should not ever let it be said that we are in any way immoral, indecent, or greedy.  Jesus loved us and offered up His own life for us.  So we should do as He did, and does still, and let love be our guide.

Now there are many ways we can show our love to others, but I think the one that may count highly in God’s eyes is to help them gain salvation.  Introduce them to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit do His work so they can be saved.  This is exactly what Jesus would have us do, what He ordered us to do.  Listen to what the Apostle Matthew recorded, in the 28th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 18 through 20…

18 Jesus came to them and said:

"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! 19 Go to the people of all nations and make them My disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world."

--Matthew 28:18-20 (CEV)

We all know this, that we are to go into the world spreading the Gospel and making disciples.  This Pilgrim family is doing more and more in this area, stepping outside these walls more and more into the greater community, showing the love of Jesus to any and all who might see.

But I want to make sure we all caught one specific point Jesus made regarding the people we encounter.  In verse 20 He says, “teach them to do everything I have told you”.  If we are to teach others to do the things Jesus told us, shouldn’t we be doing them too?  Shouldn’t we be following the example of Christ?


To follow someone’s example, it really helps to see them in action.  Since Jesus went home to be with our Father God, we can only “see” Him through the words of those who did actually see and walk alongside Him.  I think one very good way we can accomplish this is by looking at how He described Himself.  If we know more closely how He is, then we can know better how we should be.

To that effect, I intend to spend the next few weeks looking at Jesus through statements He made that all began with the words, “I am”.  I’ll be pulling all these from the Gospel account of the Apostle John, with one exception.  And I’ll be starting the series today with that one exception, and it will be brief, I promise.

Listen to a short exchange between Jesus and a man He healed, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in chapter 8 of his Gospel account, verses 2 and 3…

2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

--Matthew 8:2-3 (NKJV)

Jesus said, “I am willing”.  I don’t know of any instance recorded in our Bible when someone came to Jesus asking to be healed, to be freed of an evil spirit, to be made whole, when Jesus was not willing to help.

There is no question that Jesus had the ability.  The leper certainly had no doubts, otherwise he would have asked, “Lord, if You can, would You make me clean?”.  No, instead he stated unequivocally, “if You are willing, I know You can make me clean”.  Are we willing?  We’re all able to do something to help Jesus, to more closely follow His example.  We’re able, but are we willing?

If we truly know Jesus and have committed ourselves to Him and His service, then let us follow His example.  And if we are to follow His example, let us be willing to help others, as He was always willing.  Find it in your heart to say, “I am willing”, and follow the example of Christ.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, we are Yours.  Thank You for adopting us into Your family.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail You, when we disobey You.  Help us to do as You and Jesus do, to love as You love, to be more like Your Son.

Please hear us now, Father, as we silently speak to You straight from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, repenting of our wrongful ways, seeking Your mercy and forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, we really do want to be more like You.  Help us, Lord, to more closely follow the example You set when You walked upon this earth.  Show us how to love as You love.  Help us to always be open in our love and always willing to help those in need.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.