Sermons
October 9th, 2022 by Pastor Solley100922AM Footsteps of Jesus #2
Sub. Jesus
Theme: Walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
Text: 1 Pet 2:21
“Footsteps of Jesus” #2 1 Peter 2:21
Introduction
We are going to continue to look at the footsteps of Jesus this morning and following in His footsteps. The primary purpose for Jesus Christ coming into this world was to shed His blood on the cross and provide a sacrifice for sinners such like me. We should never lose sight of the shed blood of Jesus, of the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus said he was came to “Seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus came into this world to save sinners. Never lose sight of the cross and our savior.
I. But we do find a secondary purpose for which Jesus came into this world in our Scripture text: 1 Pet 2:21 Salvation is the most important part of the Christian life but it is not the only part. Salvation in Christ is not the end but the beginning of life in Christ.
A. We find here that Jesus did leave us an example to follow: 1 Pet 2:21 That we should follow in His steps. – 1 Pet 2:21
1. A Christian, a true believer in Christ, is to be different from the world: One way to be different is to walk in His steps.
2. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch: Why? They were different. They looked different, acted different, than those who were lost in sin in that city. They were so different they were called little Christ or Christians. I believe we can safely say that they were following in the footsteps of Jesus.
3. We are as well commanded to follow in the footsteps of Jesus: 1 Pet 2:21 “We should follow His steps”.
B. We find those steps, the footsteps if Jesus in the Bible: Last week we looked at four areas, four of the footsteps of Jesus.
1. Those footsteps begin in the manger with a child that was born and include spiritual training in the home: Mary and her husband Joseph brought Jesus up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The same thing parents are commanded to do today in Eph 6:4
2. Those footsteps brought Jesus to a point of worship and devotion to God the Father at an early age: We find Jesus in the temple at the age of twelve about His Father’s business. The earlier age a young person is given to the Lord the better his or her life will be.
3. Those footsteps brought Jesus to a point of open and public declaration of who He was and is: We should never be ashamed of who and what we are as born again believers in Christ. We should never be secret Christians but let it be known what we are.
4. Those footsteps then led Jesus into trials and temptations in this world: Jesus was not exempt from the attacks of Satan and neither will we be. We have an enemy and he is always on the prowl.
5. We are commanded to follow His steps, to walk in the footsteps of Jesus: 1 Pet 2:21
II. This morning I want to look at the footsteps of Jesus in relation to the Holy Spirit of God: For the most part when we as believers in Christ think of Him, think of Jesus, our focus in on His Deity. That is as it should be fore Jesus Christ is the Almighty God of creation, is the beginning and end of all things, is the one for whom nothing is impossible, is the one who hears and answers our prayers, is the one who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. We need Jesus to be all of those things.
A. But we do tend at times to ignore His humanity: Why is Jesus our great comforter, why is Jesus able to succor all who come to Him, why is Jesus that tender and compassionate friend? Because Jesus Christ is completely man as well. He does know how we feel, did experience all that we might experience in this world, was a man of sorrows, was acquainted with grief. Jesus is man as well.
B. As such Jesus needed to have the same relationship with the Holy Spirit of God as we do today: Jesus needed the Holy Spirit, needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit and needed to be led of the Holy Spirit. Jesus needed to have that same relationship with the Holy Spirit that we need today.
1. The exception being that Jesus did not need the Holy Spirit to convict Him of sin: Jesus was born sinless, continued sinless His entire time on this earth and remains the sinless Son of God. The Holy Spirit did not need to convict Jesus of sin.
2. But in all other ways Jesus needed to have the same relationship with the Holy Spirit as we do today:
PROP: Let us consider this morning the footsteps of Jesus in relation to the Holy Spirit. TS. Then let us follow His footsteps.
Body
I. Jesus was indeed filled with the Holy Spirit: And this goes back to Old Testament prophecy. – Isa 11:1-2 ; 59:20-21 ; 61:1 ;
Matt 3:16 ; Luke 2:40 Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead, God with men, God in the flesh, was and needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. When we think of the humanity of Christ we need be careful not to take away from His Deity, Jesus is God, has always been God, will always be God. – John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
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A. But in His humanity Jesus needed the things that a filling with the Holy Spirit would provide in this world: The very same things that we need today that are provided by the Holy Spirit of God.
1. From the Holy Spirit Jesus would receive wisdom from above: Isa 11:2
2. From the Holy Spirit Jesus would receive power: Isa 11:2
3. In the Holy Spirit Jesus would have one praying for Him: Rom 8:26
4. From the Holy Spirit Jesus would receive words to say: Mark 13:11
5. From the Holy Spirit of God Jesus would receive all of these things: In His Deity they were His but in His humanity Jesus needed to receive these things from the Holy Spirit of God.
B. In order to have them Jesus needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God: That Holy Spirit was poured out upon Jesus at His birth, the visible presence of that Holy Spirit seen at His baptism. Jesus was given the Holy Spirit. But the giving of the Holy Spirit was not the filling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
1. That means Jesus needed to be emptied of Himself: And Jesus was emptied of Himself. – Heb 2:9 In order to come into this world as a man Jesus needed to be willing to be emptied of Himself, to be made a little lower than the angels.
2. That means Jesus would set His will aside and be given to the will of the Father: Luke 2:48-49 ; John 4:34
3. Jesus emptied Himself of self so He could be filled with the Holy Spirit:
C. The footsteps of Jesus in relation to the Holy Spirit involve a filling:
II. Jesus then was led of the Holy Spirit of God: Matt 4:1 Because Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit Jesus was able to be led of the Holy Spirit. Same thing in Luke 4:1 – And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
A. Jesus never went anywhere, did anything by accident or by chance: Jesus was constantly being led of the Holy Spirit in everything He did and everywhere he went.
1. Why go to that desert place? Matt 4:1 Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
2. Why go to the wedding at Cana? Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
3. Why show up at the pool of Bethesda: Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
4. Why be in that house where the one was let down through the roof? Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
5. Why go to the tombs where legion roamed? Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
6. Why wait to go to Lazarus when called instead of going at once? Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
7. Jesus never went anywhere, did anything by accident: Always Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
B. That true even when the Holy Spirit would lead where one would not normally go: Always Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit because Jesus emptied Himself of self and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
1. Jesus went where He would not normally have gone because He was led of the Holy Spirit: John 4:1-5 No Jew would go through Samaria, they would go around no matter how much it added to the journey. But Jesus must needs go because He was Spirit led.
2. Who would want to go to Judaea when people wanted to stone Jesus there? John 11:7-8 Jesus would go because he was Spirit led.
3. Who would submit to the cross? Jesus would go because he was Spirit led.
4. Even when the Holy Spirit would lead where one would not normally go Jesus went: Jesus was being led of the Holy Spirit.
C. The footsteps of Jesus in relation to the Holy Spirit involve a leading:
III. We as born again believers in Christ are given the Holy Spirit, He is poured out upon when we are born again: This was the promise of Jesus. – John 14:16-18 ; Rom 8:14-16 ; 1 Cor 3:16 – We do not have to wait for the Holy Spirit, there is no second blessing brought down because of praying for the Holy Spirit, He is ours from the moment we are born again.
A. God’s Holy Spirit is our assurance and guarantee of salvation: Eph 1:13-14 Just as the Holy Spirit of God was poured out upon Jesus so has He been poured out upon you if you are born again. That moment of salvation we receive the Holy Spirit.
B. Now we must decide what we are going to do with the Holy Spirit? The Bible tells me that I can grieve the Holy Spirit, that I can frustrate the Holy Spirit, that I can sin against the Holy Spirit. What am I going to do with the Holy Spirit?
1. If I choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus I am going to be Spirit filled and Spirit led: Those are the footsteps of Jesus.
2. But what am I going to do with indwelling Holy Spirit in my life?
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IV. We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit: Eph 5:18 This verse has nothing to do with the consumption of alcohol and everything to do with being filled with the Holy Spirit.
ILL. The illustration is that just as people who consume alcohol are controlled and changed by the alcohol they consume. The greater amount consumed the greater the hold that alcohol has on one and the more it changes them. In that same way the Christian is to be controlled and changed by the Holy Spirit of God. We are commanded to be filled, controlled by and changed by the Holy Spirit of God. – Eph 5:18 – This has everything to do with being Spirit filled and Spirit controlled or led.
A. To be filled of the Holy Spirit one must be willing to be emptied of self: Jesus emptied Himself so He could be filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus stated His meat was to do the will of the Father. Jesus allowed Himself to be made a little lower than the angels. Jesus emptied Himself so He could be filled with the Holy Spirit.
1. And so do we as believers in Christ need to empty ourselves if we are going to be filled with the Holy Spirit: We need to realize that life is not about us. I need to realize that life is not about me.
2. To be filled one must first be emptied: Before one is born again our lives are filled with the world, with self, with any number of things that do not want to be influenced by the Holy Spirit. After we are saved and the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives that changes. Now there is the spiritual life, we have been quickened by the Spirit, made spiritually alive. – Eph 2:1
3. But I do, you do, we need to empty ourselves before we can be filled:
B. Many things need to be removed from our lives and they are clearly seen: Eph 2:2-3 All that is not of God needs to be removed.
1. Most of the time these are open and known sins that we need to separate from:
2. Other things not so easily seen: Perhaps not even bad things but they still need to removed at least to the point that they do not interfere with my walk with Christ or the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life. For example…
a. I like to hunt and there is nothing wrong with hunting. But I need to keep a proper balance so that hunting does not come before Christ, does not hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life. I need to keep a proper balance.
b. I like sports and there is nothing wrong with sports. But I need to keep a proper balance so that sports do not come before Christ, do not hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life. I need to keep a proper balance.
c. I have grandchildren and spend as much time with them as I can and nothing wrong with that. But I need to keep a proper balance so that those precious one do not come before Christ, do not hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life. I need to keep a proper balance.
d. I need to spend time with my wife and nothing wrong with that. But I need to keep a proper balance so that she does not come before Christ, does not hinder the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life. I need to keep a proper balance.
3. There are things, some sin and some not, that need to be removed or kept in proper balance so they do not hinder my walk with Christ or the filling of the Holy Spirit in my life: Things need be kept in proper balance.
C. What happens when I do hinder the Holy Spirit of God, when I am not filled as I should be? It hinders His working in my life.
1. For me personally messages become very hard to put together and no assurance of what to say: Luke 12:11-12 No proper filling.
2. My prayer life is hindered: Rom 8:26 seems an empty promise. Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
No proper filling.
3. Decisions become hard to make because wisdom seems to be gone: He is the Spirit of wisdom.
4. The power of God seems to be gone: He is the Spirit of might.
5. It even seems as if Satan will overtake us: Eph 6:12-13
6. All because we have not emptied ourselves and are not filled as we should be:
D. We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit: Eph 5:18
V. We also need to be led of the Holy Spirit of God: If the very Son of God was Spirit filled and Spirit led how much more do we need led of the Holy Spirit. Just some things about His leading. If not filled it will be impossible to be led by the Holy Spirit.
A. But am I willing to be led of the Holy Spirit as Jesus was? Rom 8:14 Jesus was and is the Son of God and was led of the Holy Spirit, I am a son of God through Christ, am I willing to be led of the Holy Spirit as Jesus was? Willing to emptied of self and filled with the Holy Spirit is a step toward the higher Christian life as they say. Then being willing to be led of the Holy Spirit is another step into the higher Christian life. That is a term one used to hear often forty years ago. Not so much in these last days. But are we willing to follow the steps of Jesus?
B. Where is it that the Holy Spirit will lead? I find these things in the Bible and they are all good.
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1. The Holy Spirit will lead into truth: John 16:13-14 The Holy Spirit will never lead you away from Christ, always to Christ. The Holy Spirit will never lead you away from the Word of God, always to the Word of God. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” The Holy Spirit will never lead you contrary to the words of Jesus and the Word of God. They are one and the Holy Spirit will always lead you to Jesus Christ and the Word of God, never away.
2. The Holy Spirit will lead you into a peace that the world cannot understand: John 14:27 You can find peace in this troubled world because the Holy Spirit will lead you to that peace of God that passes all understanding.
3. The Holy Spirit will lead you to understanding the Word of God and to wisdom that comes from above: 1 Cor 2:9-13 Spiritual understanding does not come from text books, is not gained in Bible college, is not found in a commentary. Spiritual understanding comes from being given to study of the Word of God and leading of the Holy Spirit of God.
4. The Holy Spirit will lead you into a separated walk and a different way of life: Eph 4:28-32 Old things pass away and all things become new only by the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. – Eph 4:28-32
5. The Holy Spirit leads you into a fruitful life: Gal 5:22-25 There will be fruit on your tree if you are led of the Holy Spirit.
6. The Holy Spirit will lead you to a walk in the will of God: And what could be better than walking in the will of God.
7. Every child of God ought to strive to be filled with and led of the Holy Spirit: What could be better than that?
C. The Holy Spirit may also lead you to places you would not normally want to God: Jesus was driven of the Spirit, led of the Spirit into that mountain of temptation. Jesus needed to go through Samara. Jesus was led to the cross. The Holy Spirit may also lead you to places you would not normally want to God.
1. Such was the case with Peter: John 21:17-19 All of the apostles died horrible deaths except for John and he may have suffered more than all the others.
2. We will at times be led into the valley of the shadow of death:
3. We will at times be led into trials and troubles:
4. We may be led into sickness and loss:
5. But when this leading of the Spirit leads to the glory of God we can give thanks as well:
6. Every child of God ought to strive to be filled with and led of the Holy Spirit: What could be better than that?
D. We also need to be led of the Holy Spirit of God: If the very Son of God was Spirit filled and Spirit led how much more do we need led of the Holy Spirit. Just some things about His leading. If not filled it will be impossible to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
The footsteps of Jesus lead to being filled with and led of the Holy Spirit of God, are we willing to follow those steps?
I. Jesus was indeed filled with the Holy Spirit: And this goes back to Old Testament prophecy. – Isa 11:1-2 ; 59:20-21 ; 61:1 ;
Matt 3:16 ; Luke 2:40 Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead, God with men, God in the flesh, was and needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. When we think of the humanity of Christ we need be careful not to take away from His Deity, Jesus is God, has always been God, will always be God. – John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
II. Jesus then was led of the Holy Spirit of God: Matt 4:1 Because Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit Jesus was able to be led of the Holy Spirit. Same thing in Luke 4:1 – And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
III. We as born again believers in Christ are given the Holy Spirit, He is poured out upon when we are born again: This was the promise of Jesus. – John 14:16-18 ; Rom 8:14-16 ; 1 Cor 3:16 – We do not have to wait for the Holy Spirit, there is no second blessing brought down because of praying for the Holy Spirit, He is ours from the moment we are born again.
IV. We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit: Eph 5:18 This verse has nothing to do with the consumption of alcohol and everything to do with being filled with the Holy Spirit.
V. We also need to be led of the Holy Spirit of God: If the very Son of God was Spirit filled and Spirit led how much more do we need led of the Holy Spirit. Just some things about His leading. If not filled it will be impossible to be led by the Holy Spirit.