If we are going to walk in Jesus’ name, we have to follow His example. This daily devotional looks at the practical aspects of denying ourselves and walking as He did.
Nuggets
- Following Jesus’ example means we deny ourselves.
- Following Jesus’ example means we walk as He did.
Devotions in the In Jesus’ Name series
For the past couple of weeks, we have been talking about doing what we do in Jesus’ name. We’ve covered a lot of ground.
This devotion is going to look at following Jesus’ example. To me, it ties into the last devotion on walking in Jesus’ name.
We are looking at Wilkinson’s sermon entitled Doing All in the Name of Christ. Let’s start in.
Resource
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
Self-Denial
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Mt. 16: 24 ESV)
Following Jesus’ example means we deny ourselves.
When we follow Jesus’ example and walk in His name, we have to deny ourselves. Self-denial is the giving up anything that is contrary or in competition with that which Jesus teaches or calls us to do.
What elements in included in self-denial?
- Self-denial comes out of obedience.
- It is a product of our walk with Jesus.
- It also comes out of our concern of others.
Self-denial comes from our faith. Faith is a gift from God that enhances the conviction that the doctrines revealed in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them, a belief which impacts our lives and distinguishes us from others.
Glossary
Just as it is our choice to place of our faith in Jesus, we choose to deny ourselves. God is not a dictator. We have to choose what we are going to do.
Shouldn’t we be called to self-denial? Jesus denied Himself. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2: 5-7 ESV).
Self-denial is going to be different in every person. That is because our self-interests are different.
We have to remember what God will never ask us to deny our personality. We aren’t asked to give up us.
We are required to give up sin. Sins are actions by humans that disobey God and break one of His reasonable, holy, and righteous laws and commandments, goes against a purpose He has for us, or follows Satan’s promptings.
- Holy means to be set apart — because of our devotion to God — to become perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
- Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
- Sanctified means to be set free from sin.
- Righteous means we are free from sin because we are following God’s moral laws.
- Pure means not being sinful or having the stain of sin.
- Virtues are standards of moral excellence.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
Glossary
We are required to deny our sinful nature and worldly influence.
Consistently Walking
“The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked” (I Jn. 2: 6 CSB).
Following Jesus’ example means we walk as He did.
We are to imitate Jesus’ example by walking as He did. Spurgeon described it this way. He wrote, “We cannot be Christians unless we are in Christ; and we are not truly in Christ unless the life of Christ is lived over again by us according to our measure.”
Resource
We generally think about being made in God’s image. We also need to remember we are also in Jesus’ image.
We are to imitate Jesus. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom. 8: 29 ESV). He imitated God.
Glossary
We are to be wholly holy. Sanctification is the evidence of justification
Sanctification is the transformation of mind, body, and soul, which begins with regeneration; gradually changes our nature and morals through the promptings of the Holy Spirit; and ends with perfected state of spiritual wholeness or completeness.
- Regeneration is being changed from spiritually dead to spiritually alive and the internal new birth and requickening that God brings about through the work of the Holy Spirit to give us new character.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
- The spiritually alive are those who have ABCDed, so they are no longer separated from God.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
- Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
Justification is the act through the merits of Christ that makes us free from sin because we are following God’s moral laws. Jesus justifies us when we put our lives in His hand.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Glossary
Candlish equated walking with Christ to abiding in Christ. Walking is the term used to describe how we live our lives. Abiding in Christ means to permanently be in God in mind, spirit, and heart; resting in Him; and completing His purpose for our lives.
Resource
Walking is all about obedience. It is voluntarily completing the Father’s Will, just a Jesus did.
It is going to get rough. Jesus had to be obedient unto death.
Do you think we will have a walk in the park?
When our trials are swirling around us, we need to put our faith in Jesus. He is worthy of our imitation.
Jesus is asking of us only what He has already accomplished — obedience.
Did you catch the great big implied if in this verse? If we want to remain in Him, we will have to walk as He did.
If we don’t walk as He did, we will not remain in Him.
Walking and remaining go hand in hand.
I know. We aren’t going to be perfect as Jesus was.
That is our goal. It won’t happen in this lifetime. That will happen in our eternal life.
Our goal in this life is our attitude toward following Jesus’ example. If we genuinely attempt to and repent when we don’t, we are truly His.
Making the Connections
Think about what Jesus endured. He was wrongly accused by the religious leaders of the day.
What did they think? They thought their service was going to be enough to get their ticket to Heaven punched.
It wasn’t. The Pharisees didn’t have a personal relationship with God. They were not imitating Jesus.
Person of Interest
They were more interested in their worldly pursuits and rewards than with God’s kingdom.
Isn’t that sad? Religious leaders who are not religious at all.
A close second these days are congregation members who are going to hear Matthew 7: 21. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Mt. 7: 21 ESV)
Jesus won’t know them.
What are some things that we need to deny? Thompson wrote, “We must renounce our own wisdom, will, mind, pleasure, etc.”
Resource
The operative word in that sentence is our. We have to submit all of us to God’s Will.
How Do We Apply This?
- Deny all sin, even those that the world has compromised, and self.
- Gladly count everything for loss for Christ.
- Deny those things that are stumbling blocks to others.
- Follow God’s laws and commandments.
- Hold tight to God’s promises.
- Determine what we can cheerfully and humbly submit to God.
- Set our thoughts on things above.
- Find ourselves in God.
- Don’t conform to the world.
- See God in all things.
- Submit to God in all things.
- Love one another as God loves us.
- Actively imitate Jesus.
- Be humble and meek as Jesus was.
- Be wholly devoted to God.
- Be content in whatever situation in which God puts us.
- Hear the doctrine, teach our experience with it, and practice and behave what we teach.
Resource
To read a devotion in the On Things Above series, click on the button below.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Father God. Thank You for sending Jesus to give us an example of how we are to follow Your Will. We know we cannot be totally perfect in doing this. Forgive us when we repent. Help us to turn to doing Your Will. It is in Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.
If you have not admitted that your relationship is not right with God,
have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior,
and have not confessed your sins,
please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
Related Links
Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
Don’t know what your spiritual gifts are?
Take this Spiritual Gifts Inventory
The Disciple’s Job Description
Complete Job Description
Individual Description
The Disciple’s Job Description
Complete Job Description
Individual Description
Job Duty #4
Proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16: 15)
Job Duty #6
Make Disciples (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Job Duty #1
Be a Living Sacrifice (Romans 12: 1-2)
Job Duty #2
Work Out Our Salvation (Philippians 2: 12)
Job Duty #3
Bring Him Glory (Matthew 5: 16)
Job Duty #4
Proclaim the Gospel (Mark 16: 15)
Job Duty #5
Love People (John 15: 12)
Job Duty #6
Make Disciples (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Job Duty #7
Other Duties as Assigned
(Ecclesiastes 3: 1)
It Was Enough
Vocalist: Elaine Guthals
Keyboard: Chris Vieth
What do you think?
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