What would Jesus do? It’s a great question, for it reminds us of a requirement that Jesus makes of all His would-be disciples. “Follow Me” is the way He put it. Sounds simple enough, even refreshing. But to ask what Jesus would do if He were in our shoes, to follow Him, is a daring proposition. Following Jesus? Living in a way that is consistent with the way He lived? Perhaps, there is more here than we bargained for.
Before we tackle this subject, please allow me to preface my remarks with a few cautions. First, while we are to follow Jesus, this doesn’t mean that we are to do exactly everything that He did. For instance we simply cannot duplicate His mind-boggling miracles. He was and is the God-man; we, obviously, are not. Second, it is important to see the attending circumstances and historical context in which Jesus operated. We cannot always make a one-to-one application from Jesus’ world to our own. That Jesus walked on water does not mean that we will be able to do the same. Third, there are numerous teachings and principles in God’s Word that we must be careful to avoid placing at odds with one another. Practically speaking, this means that in your desire to be like Jesus, you should never violate your conscience or some other clear principle of Scripture. For example Jesus obviously drank wine, which indicates that the mere consumption of alcohol is not wrong. However, if you have a history of alcohol abuse, it would be foolish to participate in that which is personally risky. Never, I repeat never, place yourself in a situation that, for you, is morally or spiritually harmful.
Now, having issued these warnings, we can seek to understand what it means to follow Jesus. How can we, especially in an evangelistic sense, conduct our lives in a way that mirrors Jesus’ own life? Fasten your seatbelts, for Jesus is about to take us for a ride.
What was Jesus like?
□ Jesus loved people, especially the outcasts of society.
One of the clear impressions you get from the Gospels is that Jesus spent a lot of time with people. Most often, in fact, He was willing to identify Himself with the average folk down the street, in particular the outcasts of society–the harlots, the disreputable, the irreligious.
Indeed, Jesus’ entire ministry was an invitation to “the weary and heavy laden.” It was to these people that He promised rest. What’s more, the individuals He surrounded Himself with, those to whom He would entrust the spread of His message, were not of high society. Fishermen, tax gatherers, zealots–these are not the type that would appear on anyone’s “who’s who” list.
Thus, a sure sign that you are not following Jesus is an aloof spirit, an attitude in which you refuse to get involved in the lives of those whom God brings your way. Jesus loved people, even “bad” people. Do you?
□ Jesus didn’t believe in a quick fix strategy. Rather, He entered relationships for the long haul.
Many Christians treat evangelism in formulaic ways. Just get someone to repeat “the sinner’s prayer,” or walk “the Romans road,” or “ask Jesus into their heart.” While it is at least worth noting how absent this type of language is on the lips of the early followers of Christ, the problem is not the words themselves. The real problem is that this isn’t the way evangelism normally works. We may feel like we’ve done our duty by spouting off a few verses, but in reality we have often done very little. Sometimes, in fact, we probably hinder the cause of Christ when we throw a little truth at people and then go our merry way.
Bluntly put, Jesus simply did not do evangelism this way. Read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus certainly called people to Himself, and He was not afraid to demand repentance. Yet, it is perhaps surprising to discover how frequently He favored an indirect approach. For every time He says, “entrust your soul to Me,” it seems there are many other occurrences in which He merely spends time with people. The Son of God, the Savior of the world, did not typically cry out “believe, believe”–though surely that was His ultimate aim. More often than not, He simply hung out with people, listening to their complaints, discussing their particular struggles. In other words He spent quality time with those whom He encountered. Can the same be said of you?
□ Jesus was considered unorthodox, even radical . . . especially by the religious establishment.
One of the striking features of Jesus’ ministry was the fact that He so often broke “the rules.” It is not, of course, that He ever disobeyed God. To the contrary, Jesus always did the Father’s will. But when it came to human traditions (whether good ones, bad ones, or just outdates ones), Jesus was not afraid to go against the prevailing attitude of the day. Think for a moment about some of the scandalous things Jesus said and did.
On one occasion, He was sitting around, chatting with a bunch of shady characters. Not only did Jesus visit with them, but He actually seemed to enjoy their company. Do you remember the response of the religious leaders? “Why is He eating and drinking with tax-gatherers and sinners?” Clearly, they were not impressed by His choice of company.
On another occasion, He sanctioned the seeming waste of costly perfume, which a woman poured on Him in her effort to honor Him. Was Jesus not frugal?
Another time, He told a revealing story that indicated the true motives of many first century religious leaders. It would be an understatement to say they were unhappy with His commentary.
Then, consider what Jesus did at a wedding feast. When the supply of wine had run dry, He miraculously provided a first century version of Dom Perrione. Here are these people, partying and having a good time, and what does Jesus do? Does He reprimand them for being “worldly”? Does He disassociate Himself from the abuses that surely took place that day? No, He contributes to the celebration. Imagine how the prohibitionists of His (and our) day would react to such an act.
It has often been said that genuinely godly individuals will appear radical to the world around them. To some degree, this is true. Obviously, the goals and priorities of Jesus’ followers can differ greatly from those of non-Christians. On the other hand, the truly radical nature of Christianity is often seen in how the religious people, defenders of the status quo, react to those whose only desire is to follow the Savior. It seems inevitable that those with an unwavering allegiance to God and His Word will be viewed by the traditionalists as a little bit “out there.”
The lesson here, of course, is not that we ought to go about seeking to ruffle everyone’s feathers. Neither are we trying to promote bizarre behavior and the like. What we’re saying, rather, is that people who are committed to Jesus don’t mind running contrary to popular opinions and unquestioned traditions, especially those that originate among those who proudly assume that they have God pretty much figured out. Ironically, Jesus, God’s incarnate Son, revealed a deity whose ways often ran contrary to the narrow assumptions of the religious elite. In this sense He was a radical. Are you?
What would Jesus do?
As we stated at the outset, it is important to be careful how we apply the example of Jesus. It is just not possible to lay out a simple prescription for imitating Him. Those who seek to follow Jesus must do so prayerfully, wisely, with the help of fellow-travelers, and always in a way that does justice to all that God has revealed. In this sense the question “what would Jesus do? must be applied on a person-to-person basis, with no two people being exactly alike.
But there are certain aspects of Jesus’ style that cannot be ignored. Whatever else might be said, He certainly lived “out side the box.” As a result, Jesus’ hopes were God-centered, His motives pure, and His determination undaunted. Though there are many other characteristics of Jesus’ life that might be emphasized, here we find that God’s Son loved people, chose long-term relationships over quick fixes and hurried evangelistic strategies, and was willing to go against the acceptable trends.
What would Jesus do? He’d go to any length in His desire to reach people with God’s love. He’d sacrifice everything in hope of leading men and women into a relationship with their Creator. He’d break any “rule” (except God’s) in His determination to rescue a lost and hopeless world. This same Jesus says, “follow Me.” Are you following?
Before we tackle this subject, please allow me to preface my remarks with a few cautions. First, while we are to follow Jesus, this doesn’t mean that we are to do exactly everything that He did. For instance we simply cannot duplicate His mind-boggling miracles. He was and is the God-man; we, obviously, are not. Second, it is important to see the attending circumstances and historical context in which Jesus operated. We cannot always make a one-to-one application from Jesus’ world to our own. That Jesus walked on water does not mean that we will be able to do the same. Third, there are numerous teachings and principles in God’s Word that we must be careful to avoid placing at odds with one another. Practically speaking, this means that in your desire to be like Jesus, you should never violate your conscience or some other clear principle of Scripture. For example Jesus obviously drank wine, which indicates that the mere consumption of alcohol is not wrong. However, if you have a history of alcohol abuse, it would be foolish to participate in that which is personally risky. Never, I repeat never, place yourself in a situation that, for you, is morally or spiritually harmful.
Now, having issued these warnings, we can seek to understand what it means to follow Jesus. How can we, especially in an evangelistic sense, conduct our lives in a way that mirrors Jesus’ own life? Fasten your seatbelts, for Jesus is about to take us for a ride.
What was Jesus like?
□ Jesus loved people, especially the outcasts of society.
One of the clear impressions you get from the Gospels is that Jesus spent a lot of time with people. Most often, in fact, He was willing to identify Himself with the average folk down the street, in particular the outcasts of society–the harlots, the disreputable, the irreligious.
Indeed, Jesus’ entire ministry was an invitation to “the weary and heavy laden.” It was to these people that He promised rest. What’s more, the individuals He surrounded Himself with, those to whom He would entrust the spread of His message, were not of high society. Fishermen, tax gatherers, zealots–these are not the type that would appear on anyone’s “who’s who” list.
Thus, a sure sign that you are not following Jesus is an aloof spirit, an attitude in which you refuse to get involved in the lives of those whom God brings your way. Jesus loved people, even “bad” people. Do you?
□ Jesus didn’t believe in a quick fix strategy. Rather, He entered relationships for the long haul.
Many Christians treat evangelism in formulaic ways. Just get someone to repeat “the sinner’s prayer,” or walk “the Romans road,” or “ask Jesus into their heart.” While it is at least worth noting how absent this type of language is on the lips of the early followers of Christ, the problem is not the words themselves. The real problem is that this isn’t the way evangelism normally works. We may feel like we’ve done our duty by spouting off a few verses, but in reality we have often done very little. Sometimes, in fact, we probably hinder the cause of Christ when we throw a little truth at people and then go our merry way.
Bluntly put, Jesus simply did not do evangelism this way. Read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus certainly called people to Himself, and He was not afraid to demand repentance. Yet, it is perhaps surprising to discover how frequently He favored an indirect approach. For every time He says, “entrust your soul to Me,” it seems there are many other occurrences in which He merely spends time with people. The Son of God, the Savior of the world, did not typically cry out “believe, believe”–though surely that was His ultimate aim. More often than not, He simply hung out with people, listening to their complaints, discussing their particular struggles. In other words He spent quality time with those whom He encountered. Can the same be said of you?
□ Jesus was considered unorthodox, even radical . . . especially by the religious establishment.
One of the striking features of Jesus’ ministry was the fact that He so often broke “the rules.” It is not, of course, that He ever disobeyed God. To the contrary, Jesus always did the Father’s will. But when it came to human traditions (whether good ones, bad ones, or just outdates ones), Jesus was not afraid to go against the prevailing attitude of the day. Think for a moment about some of the scandalous things Jesus said and did.
On one occasion, He was sitting around, chatting with a bunch of shady characters. Not only did Jesus visit with them, but He actually seemed to enjoy their company. Do you remember the response of the religious leaders? “Why is He eating and drinking with tax-gatherers and sinners?” Clearly, they were not impressed by His choice of company.
On another occasion, He sanctioned the seeming waste of costly perfume, which a woman poured on Him in her effort to honor Him. Was Jesus not frugal?
Another time, He told a revealing story that indicated the true motives of many first century religious leaders. It would be an understatement to say they were unhappy with His commentary.
Then, consider what Jesus did at a wedding feast. When the supply of wine had run dry, He miraculously provided a first century version of Dom Perrione. Here are these people, partying and having a good time, and what does Jesus do? Does He reprimand them for being “worldly”? Does He disassociate Himself from the abuses that surely took place that day? No, He contributes to the celebration. Imagine how the prohibitionists of His (and our) day would react to such an act.
It has often been said that genuinely godly individuals will appear radical to the world around them. To some degree, this is true. Obviously, the goals and priorities of Jesus’ followers can differ greatly from those of non-Christians. On the other hand, the truly radical nature of Christianity is often seen in how the religious people, defenders of the status quo, react to those whose only desire is to follow the Savior. It seems inevitable that those with an unwavering allegiance to God and His Word will be viewed by the traditionalists as a little bit “out there.”
The lesson here, of course, is not that we ought to go about seeking to ruffle everyone’s feathers. Neither are we trying to promote bizarre behavior and the like. What we’re saying, rather, is that people who are committed to Jesus don’t mind running contrary to popular opinions and unquestioned traditions, especially those that originate among those who proudly assume that they have God pretty much figured out. Ironically, Jesus, God’s incarnate Son, revealed a deity whose ways often ran contrary to the narrow assumptions of the religious elite. In this sense He was a radical. Are you?
What would Jesus do?
As we stated at the outset, it is important to be careful how we apply the example of Jesus. It is just not possible to lay out a simple prescription for imitating Him. Those who seek to follow Jesus must do so prayerfully, wisely, with the help of fellow-travelers, and always in a way that does justice to all that God has revealed. In this sense the question “what would Jesus do? must be applied on a person-to-person basis, with no two people being exactly alike.
But there are certain aspects of Jesus’ style that cannot be ignored. Whatever else might be said, He certainly lived “out side the box.” As a result, Jesus’ hopes were God-centered, His motives pure, and His determination undaunted. Though there are many other characteristics of Jesus’ life that might be emphasized, here we find that God’s Son loved people, chose long-term relationships over quick fixes and hurried evangelistic strategies, and was willing to go against the acceptable trends.
What would Jesus do? He’d go to any length in His desire to reach people with God’s love. He’d sacrifice everything in hope of leading men and women into a relationship with their Creator. He’d break any “rule” (except God’s) in His determination to rescue a lost and hopeless world. This same Jesus says, “follow Me.” Are you following?
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