Sermons
October 2nd, 2022 by Pastor Solley100222AM Footsteps of Jesus
Sub. Jesus
Theme: Tracing the footsteps of Jesus.
Text: 1 Peter 2:21
“Footsteps of Jesus” 1 Peter 2:21
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning and perhaps the next few weeks about Jesus. I hope all here can echo these statements, that “Jesus is the sweetest name I know”. That you could not make it through even one hour of one day without Jesus. That there is no greater friend than Jesus. That you have a real and personal relationship with Jesus. That Jesus has washed your sins away. That Jesus is truly the sweetest name you know. I hope we all have those statement in common and they are real in our lives today.
I. The primary purpose that Jesus came into this world was to provide a way of salvation and redemption to man lost in sin: The Bible tells us “John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ; Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ; Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. ; John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. ; Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ; John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” That is the primary purpose for which Jesus came into this world. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
A. If you are not saved this morning, if you are not born again, nothing else matters: Until you realize you are a sinner in the sight of a holy God, until you understand that you can do nothing about that, until you believe that Jesus is the very Son of God, until you realize that He died on that cross just for you and that He is the only way to have sin forgiven, until you repent and call out to Jesus to save you, nothing else matters. Nothing else in this world really matters until that lost soul turns to Jesus Christ and is saved.
1. That is the primary purpose that Jesus came into this world: To pay the price for your sin and mine, so we could be saved.
2. That is as well the primary purpose that this church and other Bible believing churches exist: The church is to be a soul saving station and then a training ground for Christians. Not a social club, not an entertainment center, a soul saving station.
B. That is and always will be the primary purpose that Jesus came into this world: To pay the penalty for sin and to save souls.
II. But that is not the only purpose for which Jesus came into this world: In our text verse this morning we find a secondary purpose for Jesus coming into this world. – 1 Peter 2:21 – To give us an example of how to live, footsteps to follow. – 1 Peter 2:21 But please don’t reverse the order, don’t put the secondary before the primary as so many do. Ask some people who Jesus is and why He came into this world and you can get many different answers. He was a prophet, a good man, a holy man, He came to teach us how to forgive, to love one another and how to get along in this world. They miss the primary purpose and the result of that is to spend eternity in hell. Please don’t reverse the order, don’t put the secondary before primary as many do today.
A. But Jesus did leave us as believers in Him an example to follow, footsteps to follow: 1 Peter 2:21 So this morning I want to begin to look at the footsteps of Jesus following those footsteps from the manger to the cross and then beyond. Following the footsteps of Jesus from the empty tomb to the very throne of God where He stands today making intercessions for you and me.
B. There is much to learn from the footsteps of Jesus: Are you following in the footsteps of Jesus today?
PROP: Dear friend we have an example to follow, footsteps to follow. – 1 Peter 2:21 TS. Let is look today at those footsteps.
Body
I. The footsteps of Jesus begin with spiritual training: Luke 2:15-20 And these first footsteps have more to do with Mary and Joseph than they do with Jesus. Jesus is eternal, Jesus is God, Jesus has always been and always will be, Jesus did not have His beginning in that manger. A Son was given, the Son of God, but a child was born as well. Jesus was born a baby just like the babies in our nursery or the ones you hold in your arms this morning. Jesus needed to be carried, fed, cared for, just like your children, just like your grandchildren. Jesus brought the same joy to Mary and Joseph as your children do to you, as your grandchildren bring to you.
A. We don’t often think of Jesus in this way, as a baby that needed to be cared for: We think of the manger and then we move to adulthood when we think of Jesus. We think of the manger and then His baptism. We think of the manger and then that first miracle. But Mary and Joseph cared for Jesus, protected Jesus, provided for Jesus in the very same way we have done for our children. They had the very same responsibilities as any of you as parents in caring for Jesus.
B. Please note then where the footsteps of Jesus begin: Luke 2:21-24 That first stop was at the temple, that first stop was presenting Jesus to the Father, those footsteps began with spiritual training. – Luke 2:22 – You may think those footsteps began there because they were bound by Law to bring Jesus to the temple. They were but, this goes beyond that and speaks to the heart of Mary and Joseph.
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1. Spiritual training was a part of what they gave to Jesus, the greatest part: Luke 2:41 They went yearly to the feast of the Passover but they were not once a year Christians. Mary and Joseph were devoted to the Lord and they made sure Jesus would be.
2. Consider Joseph and why he was given charge over Jesus: Matt 1:18-19 That is all you need to know about Joseph, he was a just man before God. – Matt 1:19 – That is why God chose Joseph.
3. Consider Mary and why she was chose to bear in her womb the very Son of God, the Messiah: Luke 1:30 , 38 That is all you need to know about Mary and why God chose Mary.
4. Do you think for a moment, Joseph being a just man before God, Mary highly favored by God, changed after Jesus was born? They were spiritual before Jesus was born and they were spiritual after Jesus was born and I believe they gave to Jesus the same spiritual training they received in their homes growing up.
5. Notice the custom of Jesus: Luke 2:41-42 Jesus received spiritual training. Jesus was given by Mary and Joseph spiritual training and if you wish to follow the footsteps of Jesus this is where it begins.
C. How few parents are willing to give to their children the things that they need the most today, spiritual things: Willing to give them anything else but not willing to bring them to Jesus, not willing to give them spiritual things. Jesus said “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” The Bible says “Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Mary and Joseph obeyed the Word of God. – Prov 22:6 – They like the parents of Samson would have asked how they were to order the child and Jesus was and is God Almighty in the flesh.
1. Parents seem more likely to give their children a cell phone today than they do a Bible: There is something wrong there.
2. Ask a child to find an app for a phone and it is no problem, ask them to find the book of Hezekiah and they will look for hours: I know there is no book of Hezekiah and that is the point.
3. Children know sports figures and do not know Bible stories as we call them:
D. These first footsteps have more to do with Mary and Joseph and their parents than they do with Jesus: Someone trained Joseph in the way he ought to go so he would be found a just man before God. Someone trained Mary in the way she ought to go so she would be highly favored by God. Jesus would have had grandparents on Mary’s side and step grandparents on Joseph’s side.
1. If parents will not have the children in the hose of God go get them grandparents:
2. Grandparents. Give them an example to follow: An example that will bring them closer to Jesus.
E. The footsteps of Jesus begin with spiritual training: Luke 2:15-20
II. The footsteps of Jesus then lead to worship and devotion to the Father at a young age: Luke 2:41-49 Jesus is twelve years of age at this time and we once more are reminded of the spiritual training he had received. – Luke 2:41-42 – What then is Jesus most concerned about at twelve years of age? What are most twelve year old boys concerned with? We must not forget who Jesus is but while Jesus is God He is also man. He would have been like any other baby and like other twelve year olds.
A. But notice the results of His spiritual training: Luke 2:46-49 Jesus at twelve is already concerned with worship, with devotion and with doing the will of the Father. – Luke 2:49
1. This very much like Samuel in the Old Testament: 1 Sam 1:24-28 Samuel is about five years old at this time, no older, and notice what the Bible says about that young boy. – 1 Sam 1:28 – The he in this verse is Samuel. – 1 Sam 1:28 – At five years of age Samuel was interested in worship, devotion, and the will of God. No wonder Samuel answered the call of God.
2. Jesus at twelve was concerned with worship, devotion and the will of the Father: Luke 2:46-49 In fact Jesus was already past Mary and Joseph. – Luke 2:50-52 – And Jesus still had growing to do. – Luke 2:52
B. There was a time when young people coming out of professing Christian homes were interested in spiritual things at young ages: That has largely changed today. I listened to a missionary speak about twenty years ago and he stated that most people of his generation coming out of Christian homes, he was in his late 80’s at the time, were saved and knew what God wanted them to do or were at least seeking the will of God by age ten.
1. I was saved at the age of ten: That after having been carried into church, this one, as a baby and being in church always.
2. When I was twelve I gave my life to Jesus for service: Shortly after that I was doing object lessons on Sunday evenings in the Baptist church we attended.
3. I regret that I did not always stay dedicated and consecrated to the Lord during some teen years: But Jesus did bring me back and it was not a difficult decision knowing what Jesus wanted me to do with my life.
4. But very few young people are even remotely interested in what Jesus wants them to do with their lives today: They are so caught up in the world and what they want to do that God’s will is not even in their thoughts at all.
5. A lack of spiritual training is leading to a lack of spiritual interest: And then people wonder why the church loses young people. For the most part the church never had them.
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C. The footsteps of Jesus then lead to worship and devotion to the Father at a young age: Luke 2:41-49
III. The footsteps of Jesus then lead to public declaration: Matt 3:13-17 ; John 1:28-36 The identity of Jesus was kept hidden for quite a long time. The angels announced His coming into this world to the shepherds, he was presented in the temple at eight days old and it was known who Jesus was. Then silent years until Jesus was twelve and we see Him about His’s Father’s business. Then more silent years until His baptism at about the age of thirty.
A. Why those silent years and why His identity hidden for so long from so many we are not clearly told in the Bible: I believe because the fulness of the time has not yet come for the cross. Jesus first went through a testing time as a young boy, as a teen, as a young man and as one who took on the leadership and responsibility of the home after Joseph died. Jesus went through a testing time.
B. But now it was time for a public declaration and Jesus became known, the Messiah became know: John 1:34-36 The fulness of time was now come for Jesus to be revealed, the march to the cross set before Him. And Jesus my friend was not ashamed of who He was and is. Hidden for a time it was now time for Jesus to be revealed.
1. Jesus made it known who He was and is: John 2:11 He made known His glory, made known who He was and is.
2. Jesus did not keep His identity a secret: Mark 2:7-11
3. The footsteps of Jesus lead to an open declaration:
C. Why does the professing Christian today seem reluctant to make it known who they are and what they are? We are not to be like Jonah who decided to be a secret Christian. We are not to be like Lot and be a secret Christian. We are not to cower in fear of who we are and what we are.
1. We should not be ashamed: Rom 1:16 When many at that time were trying to keep their faith a secret because of persecution Paul cried with a loud voice “I am not ashamed”. – Rom 1:16
2. Elijah called for those who were of God to stand with him and none stood up: Yet God tells him that there were seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to the idol. Why didn’t they stand up?
3. Don’t be ashamed dear brothers and sisters in Christ of the one we have believed in: 2 Tim 1:12
4. What reason would I ever have to be ashamed of Jesus, ashamed of being a Christian? 2 Tim 1:8-9 He is not ashamed of me although I have often given Him cause, why should I be ashamed of Jesus when He has never given me cause?
5. Why are we so ashamed of making our identity known as born again believers? I know we say we are not. But…
a. Do your co-workers known you are a Christian? Are you known as a Christian in the work place.
b. Do your class mates known you are a Christian. Are you known as a Christian on the campus?
c. How often do those who are lost in your family get tired of hearing you talk of Jesus? Or do you ever talk of Jesus?
6. We should never be ashamed of being a Christian and we should make it known: And it doesn’t need to be with the wearing of tee shirts, holding flags, waving banners and the like. It can be in normal ways and in normal tones but we need to make our identity known. How else is the world going to see Jesus Christ?
7. The world needs to see Jesus in us:
D. The footsteps of Jesus then lead to public declaration: Matt 3:13-17 ; John 1:28-36
IV. The footsteps of Jesus lead to Satanic opposition: Matt 4:1-10 Surely if one were to follow the first three steps, walk in those steps they would be exempt from troubles and trials. If there is the proper spiritual training from the beginning, if there is that desire to worship and devotion to the will of God, if there is that open declaration, wouldn’t God be so pleased with us that we would be shielded from all opposition and persecution? Wouldn’t we then be spared of the trials and troubles of this life.
A. Notice when this trial and Satanic opposition come upon Jesus: Matt 3:16-17 ; Matt 4:1 I am not sure what the blab it and grab it crowd does with these verses other than ignore them. The teaching that says the better we do for God the better God must do for us. The teaching that says sow your seeds of promise and God has to bless you and shield you. What do they do with theses other than ignore them? – Matt 3:16-17 ; Matt 4:1
1. Jesus had been trained and was devoted: Jesus stood apart from sin and was completely devoted to the Father.
2. Jesus declared openly who He was: His baptism was also a part of that declaration.
3. The Father was well pleased with the Son: Matt 3:17
4. Jesus was filled with and led by the Holy Spirit of God: Matt 4:1
5. Those footsteps led Jesus into Satanic opposition: Matt 4:1 Why? Because Satan and opposes all that are of God and in the plan and purpose of God Satan is permitted to operate as the prince and power of the air until he is cast into the Lake of Fire.
6. Satan opposed none more than Jesus, attacked none more than Jesus:
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B. Don’t think it a strange thing when you face Satanic opposition: Even when you are following your training, even when you are devoted to Jesus, even when you worship Jesus, even when you make it known you are a Christian. Don’t think it strange when you face Satanic opposition today for Satan hates you.
1. And Satan is still the prince and power of the air: Eph 2:1-2 Satan did not lose that title when you got saved.
2. We continue in a battle after we are saved: Eph 6:11
3. We still face spiritual wickedness in high places: Eph 6:12
4. And we stand against a foe we cannot overcome:
C. But there has also been made a way of escape: Matt 4:1-10 It is very interesting to me how Jesus answers the opposition and attack of Satan here and what Jesus could have done. Jesus could have called twelve legions of angels. Jesus could have banished Satan at that moment to the lake of Fire. But what did Jesus do? – Matt 4:4 ; Matt 4:7 ; Matt 4:10-11 – Jesus answered with the Word of God.
1. How powerful is the Word of God? Sharper than any two edged sword. Able to divide asunder. Satan could not stand against it.
2. That is why the Bible needs to be a part of your life: That is why you need to treasure it, read it, learn the Bible.
3. And that is why it should bother you when men try and change the Bible:
a. To change the Bible is to give Satan the advantage.
b. To change the Bible is to attack Jesus. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. If Jesus is the Word and one attacks the Word it is an attack on Jesus Himself.
4. Your way of escape, your path to victory is the Word of God:
C. The footsteps of Jesus lead to Satanic opposition: Matt 4:1-10
Conclusion
Having looked at these footsteps of Jesus today, what can we say?
I. The footsteps of Jesus begin with spiritual training: Luke 2:15-20 And these first footsteps have more to do with Mary and Joseph than they do with Jesus. Jesus is eternal, Jesus is God, Jesus has always been and always will be, Jesus did not have His beginning in that manger. A Son was given, the Son of God, but a child was born as well. Jesus was born a baby just like the babies in our nursery or the ones you hold in your arms this morning. Jesus needed to be carried, fed, cared for, just like your children, just like your grandchildren. Jesus brought the same joy to Mary and Joseph as your children did to you, as your grandchildren bring to you.
II. The footsteps of Jesus then lead to worship and devotion to the Father at a young age: Luke 2:41-49 Jesus is twelve years of age at this time and we once more are reminded of the spiritual training he had received. – Luke 2:41-42 – What then is Jesus most concerned about at twelve years of age? What are most twelve year old boys concerned with? We must not forget who Jesus is but while Jesus is God He is also man. He would have been like any other baby and like other twelve year olds.
III. The footsteps of Jesus then lead to public declaration: Matt 3:13-17 ; John 1:28-36 The identity of Jesus was kept hidden for quite a long time. The angels announced His coming into this world to the shepherds, he was presented in the temple at eight days old and it was know who Jesus was. Then silent years until Jesus was twelve and we see Him about His’s Father’s business. Then more silent years until His baptism at about the age of thirty.
IV. The footsteps of Jesus lead to Satanic opposition: Matt 4:1-10 Surely if one were to follow the first three steps, walk in those steps they would be exempt from troubles and trials. If there is the proper spiritual training from the beginning, if there is that desire to worship and devotion to the will of God, if there is that open declaration, wouldn’t God be so pleased with us that we would be shielded from all opposition and persecution? Wouldn’t we then be spared of the trials and troubles of this life.