Tag Archives: Modeling our lives after Jesus

Mirroring Christ

Living in the Spirit

August 25, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 15
O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
   Who may dwell on your holy hill?
Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
   and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
   and do no evil to their friends,
   nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
   but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
who do not lend money at interest,
   and do not take a bribe against the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be moved.

There is only one Kingdom of God. While we have many understandings of God’s Kingdom, in the final analysis, all of God’s followers will be there together. I wonder why we do not invest more time and energy in learning to live together now in God’s Shalom?

The above Psalm is attributed to David. He outlines what God expects of us. Few of us can claim to walk blamelessly. I fear truth has lost its luster as we no longer know what to believe or who to believe.  Slander is commonplace. And the love of money still holds precedence in our world.

1 Peter 2:9 describes Christ-followers as being readily recognizable by our actions.

 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

We need to remember that every action we take when we proclaim our alliance to Christ is perceived by others as reflections of Christ. Therefore, we must be very sure when we look at ourselves; we see Christ in our words and deeds.

Prayer: Clear our vision, O Lord, so that we see you in our behavior. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Jesus as Role Model

Eastertide

June 2, 2019

Scripture Reading: John 17:20-26

‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’ –John 17:25-26

What does it mean when Jesus says I made your name known to them? I will not attempt to deal with what that statement might mean in the Jewish tradition in which I understand, the name of God is held in highest esteem and is afforded the respect that demands. As one who is reading one English translation of the Greek quote of Jesus, I am on fragile standing attempting to ferret out what Jesus is attempting to say in my native language. Yet this phrase intrigues me.

How did Jesus make God’s name known to Jesus’ disciples? If we accept that Jesus is God incarnate than Jesus’ very way of being was a textbook on knowing God. Jesus communed regularly with God. Does God desire to commune regularly with us? The stories told about him indicate that he never missed the subtle layers of social interactions. He knew what his disciples were about even when they did not. For example, when James and John wanted to be promoted to high authority in Jesus’ kingdom*. Jesus also treated people equally which was unheard of in first century Israel—rich and poor, men and women, aliens and natives. (It is fascinating to me that we humans who believe all humans were created by God create hierarchies of worth regarding other humans.) What do you discern about the nature of God from the life of Jesus?

When Jesus says and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’ Is he indicating that his followers’ ways of being will make God’s name known to others, if they follow Jesus’ way of being? If so, how are we doing with that?

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we fall short of following your way of being, guide us to the right path but also help those who are observing us see you more truly even through our failures. Amen.

*See Mark 10:35-45

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.