He Always Sets The Example

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Father, our Heavenly Father, loves His son, who is our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. He tells us this plainly, allowing his voice to be heard. With those words, God the Father set the example of how we should feel about Jesus.  Jesus than went on to set the example for us all, all throughout his ministry.

On the night he was betrayed, just before his capture, or more accurately, his surrender, he prayed.

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17:1‬ ‭NIV‬

He continued:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How are we to live? To glorify God, by the way we live our lives, just like Jesus did. He set the example for us.

He continues in prayer:

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” John‬ ‭17:13-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He goes on to pray for his apostles and disciples, and acknowledges that there is an “Evil one.” He lets us know, without doubt, that the evil one exists and that we need Gods protection.

Keep in mind, that as he prayed this prayer,  he was about to be beaten, flogged, spit upon, hit, cursed, and crucified. Yet what was his priority? Simply said: Us!

He continued in prayer:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17:20-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now he is praying for us, for you and I.  All the work the apostles, Paul, and future evangelicals would do to reach us- he prays we receive. Why does he do this ? Let’s continue.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Could this be the very reason he was willing to go to the cross for us?  Could he simply have gone through his entire life on earth, for us?  To be with us?

While we are not worthy, any of us, we must take it as his word.  Why?

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Not only is his word the truth, but HE is the truth.

Before the ultimate sacrifice, his suffering, death, and resurrection- all his thoughts were on God the Father and us.

He always sets the example.

Love one another as brothers.

Barnabas

 

Special thanks to Barnabas for this guest submission.