Good Morning MABC family!
I hope you are enjoying your Labor Day Monday! With the break in the heat, it is a great time to enjoy some natural Vitamin D…sunshine!
Last night I was reading in Matthew chapter 4 about Jesus beginning his ministry. He calls his team together beginning with Peter and Andrew, then James and John. What struck me last night, even though I have read this passage so many times was that both sets of brothers immediately or at once dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus. I am sure that in the time since his baptism by John the Baptist that Jesus had been teaching and doing many works that were being spoken of but to just drop everything at the invitation from Jesus? Kind of mind boggling to me.
It got me thinking though. What was it about Jesus that so moved these men to act as quickly as they did and maybe even irresponsibly in the minds of many? There had been others who people thought were the Messiah. The Pharisee Gamaliel named two others of note in Acts 5:33-42. They turned out to be fraudulent. So, what was it about Jesus that drew men to him? It couldn’t have been his movie star/celebrity appearance. Scripture is very clear about that. Isaiah 53:2 says “There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” Couldn’t have been his physical stature like Saul that made him standout (1 Samuel 10:23).
We must look at the gospels and study the nature of Jesus. We study his life and way of living. I don’t have the time to include all the scripture references here but he is described as having compassion for people by feeding them and healing the sick. He is merciful and forgiving. Just think of his words on the cross in regard to those who crucified them. He was a man who came to serve and not be served. He came for those who were “sick,” not the healthy. He came to seek and save the lost. He was loving. He had great character. Character is defined as “qualities of honesty, courage, or the like, integrity.” He was a strong but humble leader. What I notice most is that he was relational. He had an intimate relationship with his followers and those he engaged with.
Our goal as a follower of Jesus is to be more like him. Would those around you say that you display the same qualities as Jesus? Would they say that you demonstrate some of the qualities? Any of the qualities? Is there any particular quality of Jesus that you need to work on, to improve in? Would you say from Matthew chapter 4 to Acts 3 we have seen Peter become more like Jesus? If we are to make a difference in our “neighborhood” and in the lives of our “neighbors” we must strive or press on toward the goal…of representing Jesus to those who need our message of hope and love.
Pastor Rick
