Sermons
January 19th, 2023 by Pastor Solley110622AM Footsteps of Jesus #6
Sub. Jesus
Theme: Following the example of Jesus.
Text: 1 Pet 2:21
“Footsteps of Jesus” #6 1 Peter 2:21
Introduction
We have been looking for several weeks now at following in the footsteps of Jesus. – 1 Peter 2:21 – Contrary to what the world thinks the primary purpose of Jesus Christ coming into this world was not to leave us an example to follow. Jesus came to give His life a ransom for many, to die on the cross, shedding His blood for the remission of sin, to seek and to save the lost, to draw all to Him, and to give as many who will repent of sin and trust Him and Him alone for salvation eternal life. That is why Jesus Christ left heaven above and came into this sin cursed world, so you and I could be saved. Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That is why Jesus Christ came into this world.
I. But for those who do call upon Christ for salvation, for those who are born again, we do have an example to follow: We are commanded to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. – 1 Peter 2:21 – The word should here tells me what is expected of me as a believer.
A. But where do I find the footsteps of Jesus? Jesus walked on this earth 2,000 years ago, where can I see His steps? I see them in the Word of God and we have looked at several of the footsteps of Jesus even from the manger to the cross.
1. At footsteps of spiritual training: Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple and presented Him to the Father. (40 days old.)
2. At footsteps of early dedication and worship: Jesus was at His Father’s business at twelve years of age.
3. At footsteps of publica declaration of who Jesus is: At His baptism.
4. At footsteps of trial and temptation:
5. At footsteps of being filled with and led of the Holy Spirit:
6. At the footsteps of a servant: The one who deserved to be served became a servant to all and still serves today.
7. At footsteps of pure speech: There was no guile found in the mouth of Jesus.
8. At footsteps of suffering: Those footsteps took Jesus all the way to the cross.
B. That is a partial list of the footsteps we are to follow: 1 Peter 2:21
II. This morning I want to look at footsteps of a changed life: The footsteps of Jesus include a new life, a changed life. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever, that Jesus Christ changes not. (Heb 13:8) That my friends is in His Deity. Jesus Christ who is eternal God, who is Jehovah God of the Old Testament, who is God today, never changes. Praise His name.
A. But in His humanity there were many changes in Jesus: Not in His nature, in His deity Jesus never changes.
1. There were changes in Jesus physically from His birth in the manger to His presentation in the temple: A baby changes from birth to forty days old. From birth to age twelve there were changes in Jesus as He grew. There were changes from age twelve to age thirty when it began to be made known to the world that Jesus is the Messiah. Physical changes as Jesus suffered on that cross. There were no changes in the nature and Deity of Jesus, but there were physical changes that took place in His humanity.
2. And there were changes in Jesus after the cross: Not in His Devine nature, but there were changes in Jesus Christ after the cross.
B. And there is to be a change in the believer in Christ after salvation: Notice in our text passage. – 1 Peter 2:21 , 24-25 – We see that being born again, being dead to sin, we are to live unto righteousness. – 1 Peter 2:24-25 – Because we are saved our life is to change.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. It is clear that our lives are to be changed because we have been born again.
1. A changed life will not bring salvation in Christ: But salvation in Christ will bring a changed life.
2. Our lives are to change because we have been born again: And we have been given footsteps to follow.
PROP: The footsteps of Jesus show a change after the cross. TS: We are to change after we meet Jesus at the cross.
Body
I. There were changes in Jesus after the cross: Again, His Devine nature has never changed from eternity past and will never change. Jesus Christ is the same, He changes not, not yesterday, not today, and not for ever, Jesus Christ is the same.
A. But there were changes in Jesus after the cross, after He came forth from the grave: These changes are clear to see in the Bible.
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1. One whom He did so much for and who was so given to Him did not know Him: John 20:14-17 There must have been a change in Jesus to the point that Mary looking at Him did not know Him. There must have been a change in Jesus.
2. The same with two of His disciples walking on the road to Emmaus: Luke 24:12-19 They were talking about Jesus to Jesus and did not know it was Jesus. The word holden in this verse means they did not take it in that it was Jesus. – Luke 24:16 – There must have been a change in Jesus.
3. Jesus appeared in the upper room: John 20:19 Jesus simply passed through a wall or a closed door. It scared the disciples to the degree that Jesus has to tell them that it was Him. – John 20:19-20 – There was a change in Jesus.
4. Jesus appearing on the sea shore was not recognized at first: John 21:4-7 There must have been a change in Jesus.
5. Jesus when it was time to take His place at the right hand of the Father, went: Acts 1:6-10 Jesus went up into the air. There was most definitely a change in Jesus. No wonder they just stood there gazing up into the clouds. There was a change in Jesus.
6. Jesus was, still is, and will for eternity be the man Christ Jesus: 1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
B. But after the cross there was a change in Jesus: Not in His Divine nature, not in His Deity, but there was a change in Jesus.
II. So is there to be a change in one who comes to a true and genuine saving knowledge of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 2:21 , 25-25 The Bile tells us we are to follow His steps. – 1 Peter 2:21 – The Bible tells us that because we have been born again we are to die to sin and live unto righteousness. – 1 Peter 2:24 – The Bible tells us we are to make Him the Bishop of our soul. – 1 Peter 2:25 – When these verse become real in our lives, when these verses become real to us as Christians our lives will change.
A. We can read the verses that point to a changed life: Two of them we did introducing the message and there are many, many more.
1. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2. Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
3. Col 3:9-10 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
4. Col 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
5. Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
6. Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
7. 1 Cor 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
8. I could go one with verses like this all afternoon: We can read them, know them, even memorize them, but until they become real in our lives they will be just verses on a page.
B. They become real to us when we make Jesus Christ the bishop of our soul: 1 Peter 2:25 The word bishop means overseer. That Greek word is found five times in the New Testament. It is translated as overseers in Acts 20:28, as bishops in Phil 1:1, and bishop in
1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:7 , and in 1 Pet 2:25. – 1 Peter 2:25
1. In 1 Pet 2:25 we find the only time it comes with a capital letter: 1 Peter 2:25 Every other place the word is found, overseers, bishops, or bishop the word begins with a small case letter. This is the only place a capital letter us used. – 1 Peter 2:25 – Why?
2. Because in Acts 20:28 , Phil 1:1, 1 Tim 3:2 and Titus 1:7 God gave overseers to the church: And the church does need an overseer, a bishop.
a. Today this is a pastor, the office of bishop today is a pastor. He is to be called of God, ordained of God, and placed by the Holy Spirit of God in a local church. The church needs a pastor.
b. That is Bible. Eph 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: There are no apostles today, no prophets getting new revelations from God, but there are pastors and a local church needs a pastor.
c. The movement to remove the office of pastor and for a church to have no pastor is not of God.
3. But the pastor is not, nor should he want to be, the bishop of your soul: If he wants to be, tries to be the bishop of your soul he has overstepped the office of pastor and does not understand his calling. The pastor is not the bishop of your soul.
a. This pastor does not want to be the bishop of your soul. I want to preach, be an example, be a help.
b. But I am not nor do I want to be the bishop of your soul.
C. You need to make Jesus Christ the bishop of your soul: It does not say savior here, it says bishop. – 1 Peter 2:25 – That means the one who oversees everything in your life both spiritual and physical. That you make Jesus Christ your overseer. – 1 Peter 2:25 – We will never lived a changed life until we make Jesus Christ the bishop of our soul. But how do we do that?
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III. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when we give Him our heart: Mark 12:30 Not speaking to the Christian concerning salvation, speaking to the Christian about turning your heart over to Jesus Christ. Does Jesus Christ own your heart today? You know Jesus loved you enough to die for you and to save you, you trusted Him as savior. We do love Jesus because of that. But have you given Him all of your heart today? Does Jesus Christ own your heart today?
A. Notice what Jesus said about the heart: Matt 6:19-21 Our hearts are to be fixed, centered, on heavenly things. – Matt 6:20 – There are many things we might give our heart to in this world and not all of them bad. My wife has my heart, my son and daughter have my heart, my grandchildren have my heart, this church has my heart, my church family has my heart. Bu Jesus is to own my heart and nothing or no one is to come before Jesus Christ in my heart or in yours. Jesus is to own hearts. – Col 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
1. I put my heart on display each and every day: Matt 15:18-19 Is it possible for the things named in verse nineteen to be in the heart of the Christian? – Matt 15:19 – They are in our hearts because that is the heart of the natural man, that is our flesh.
a. Christian, have you ever had an evil thought? – Matt 15:19
b. Christian, have you ever told a lie? – Matt 15:19
c. Christian, have you ever thought someone deserved to die, lusted, coveted? – Matt 15:19
d. Those things are in our hearts and they do come out when Christ does not own our heart.
2. But when Christ owns our heart, when He is the bishop of our soul, our overseer, those evil things are suppressed and the good things of God come out: When my treasure is in heaven, my heart will be also, and the good things of God will come out.
3. And this brothers and sisters is a constant struggle taking place within the heart of all people: Who is going to own my heart today, oversee my heart today? Will it be the things of the world or will it be Jesus Christ?
B. If I choose not to follow the command of Jesus concerning my heart I will never live a changed life: Mark 12:30 My flesh is going to rule over me, the world will have such an attraction to me I will follow it, my life will be no different than those who are lost and headed to hell if Jesus does not own my heart. Who owns your heart today?
C. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when we give Him our heart: Mark 12:30
IV. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when our minds are given to heavenly things: Mark 12:30 Notice the mind follows the heart. – Mark 12:30 – When Christ owns our heart, when Christ is the overseer of our heart, our minds will be settled on Him as well and on heavenly things.
A. The Bible is clear on what things we should think upon: Phil 4:8 That is quite a list. – Phil 4:8 – The Bible has a lot to say about our minds and the things we are to think about.
1. Just as there is a battle raging over our hearts so is there a battle raging over our minds: If our hearts are not given to Christ then our minds will not be given to Christ.
2. I cannot think on these things if my heart is not settled on these things: Phil 4:8 When my mind is not settled on these things then it becomes worldly and it moves me toward the things of the world.
3. When my mind is moved toward the things of the world I will act just like the world: It is an easy pattern to see in the Bible.
a. Moses had his mind moved away from what God said and to the actions and complaints of ungrateful people and it caused him to strike the rock in anger acting just like the people and it cost him the Promised Land.
b. David has his mind moved away from the things of God when he saw Bathsheba and it took him into sin he never could have imagined he would commit. He did act like all the other kings.
c. Peter had his mind moved away from Jesus and it caused him to deny his Lord.
d. Demas had his mind moved away from the things of God and he loved this present world.
4. There is a battle raging over your mind this morning: And God would give us a sound mind, one settled on these things. – Phil 4:8
B. When my mind is given to things of the world I will do the things of the world: The Bible will become a book of do’s and don’ts to me and I will not like it.
1. Why does God want me to do all of these things when no one else does them and everyone else has so much fun?
2. Why can’t I do what everyone else is doing?
3. That is how the battle of the mind goes when it is not settled on right things:
4. What Satan does not show you when he presents things in your mind is the end of all that fun: He doesn’t show you what the actions of the world and of sin bring to you. Looks good in the mind but not so good in the end.
5. My life will look just like the lost if Christ does not have my mind:
C. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when our minds are given to heavenly things: Mark 12:30
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V. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when we begin to serve Him: Mark 12:30 All of our heart, all of our mind, and then all of our strength. – Mark 12:30 – This points to serving the Lord. There is a change in the Christian when we make Jesus the bishop of our heart, when we make Jesus the bishop of our mind, and then when we make Jesus the bishop of our service. Serve Jesus.
A. We hardly ever act like the world when we are found serving Jesus: We are not acting like the world here this morning as we worship the Lord, as ones serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Those who serve the Lord through special music are not acting like the world:
2. Those who are teaching and taking care of the nursery are not acting like the world:
3. I am not acting like the world as I bring forth the Word of God:
4. You are not acting like the world as you take in the Word of God:
5. And we are not acting like the world as we present our bodies a living sacrifice: Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. We are not conformed to the world as we serve Jesus Christ. – “ And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
B. That is why adopting the worlds methods into the local church is so wrong: We are to be different, separated from the world.
1. No rock music or so called Christian rock music here: Our music is to be different.
2. The preacher dressed like a representative of Jesus Christ here: No jeans and tee shirt.
3. No coffee house in the lobby: We came here to worship the King of kings and Lord of lords.
4. Only one Bible used here, the KJB 1611: We stand upon God’s Word.
C. And if I am a servant of Christ tomorrow as I should be my life will be different: So will yours.
1. You will be a different type of worker if you are found serving Christ: You will be different in the work place.
2. You will be a different type of employer if you are found serving Christ: You will be a different type of boss.
3. You will be a different type of student if you are found serving Christ: You will be different in the school.
4. Your life will change if you are found serving Jesus Christ:
D. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when we begin to serve Him: Mark 12:30
Conclusion
Having looked at the footsteps of a changed life this morning what can we say?
I. There were changes in Jesus after the cross: Again, His Devine nature has never changed from eternity past and will never change. Jesus Christ is the same, He changes not, not yesterday, not today, and not for ever, Jesus Christ is the same.
II. So is there to be a change in one who come to a true and genuine saving knowledge of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 2:21 , 25-25 The Bile tells us we are to follow His steps. – 1 Peter 2:21 – Jesus becomes the Bishop of our soul.
III. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when we give Him our heart: Mark 12:30 Not speaking to the Christian concerning salvation, speaking to the Christian about turning our heart over to Jesus Christ. Does Jesus Christ own your heart today? You know Jesus loved you enough to dies for you and to save you, you trusted Him as savior. We do love Jesus because of that. But have you given Him all of your heart today? Does Jesus Christ own your heart today?
IV. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when our minds are given to heavenly things: Mark 12:30 Notice the mind follows the heart. – Mark 12:30 – When Christ owns our heart, when Christ is the overseer of our heart, our minds will be settled on Him as well and on heavenly things.
V. Jesus Christ becomes our bishop, our lives change, when we begin to serve Him: Mark 12:30 All of our heart, all of our mind, and then all of our strength. – Mark 12:30 – This points to serving the Lord. There is a change in the Christian when we make Jesus the bishop of our heart, when we make Jesus the bishop of our mind, and then when we make Jesus the bishop of our service. Serve Jesus.