Blog

In order to imitate Jesus, we have to make sure that we know what His mission on earth was about. This devotion begins looking at the different tasks Jesus performed in accomplishing His mission.

Nuggets

Jesus used His life as well as His words to reveal God to us.
Jesus glorified God in all He did.
When Jesus was on earth, He extended that kingdom to the physical realm.

Note: I am having a lot of computer problems. My laptop is trying to crash. I have a new computer ordered, but it may take it a while to get here.

Now I am having trouble with my website. So, this devotion is not going to look like it normally does. Bear with me, please.

Let’s Get Started

I know I am Dictionary Chick. I want to make sure we are all on the same page as to what terminology means — especially if these are read by someone who hasn’t grown up in church or has a different concept than I have of what the meaning is.

So, when I was looking up the definition of mission in the Holman Bible Dictionary, it made the statement as to what Jesus’ mission was. Since we are to imitate Him, our missions should imitate His.

The Holman Bible Dictionary indicated that Jesus’ mission is as follows:

“The mission begins with Jesus who was sent to earth to reveal the Father (John 1:18; John 14:9), to glorify Him (John 13:31; John 14:13; John 17:1, John 17:1, 17:6), to bring the kingdom of God on earth (Matthew 12: 22-32), and to make God’s love and mercy known to a lost world. He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).”

Resource
Holman Bible Dictionary’s definition of missions
https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/m/missions.html

Jesus may have only been on earth for three years, but He made the most of His time. Because He had such a varied mission, we are going to have to break this devotion into two.

Let’s Put It into Context

Evangelism is sharing, as led by the Holy-Spirit, the good news of God’s kingdom to ensure all sinners have heard of God’s love and mercy so that they may choose to accept Jesus as their Savior. Sinners are all people who have not made a genuine profession of faith — who have not sincerely ABCDed.

I really liked how the Holman Bible Dictionary linked evangelism with a deep-rooted concern for people. This concept — even though evangelism isn’t mentioned anywhere is Scriptures — permeates them.

Resource
Holman Bible Dictionary’s definition of evangelism
https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/e/evangelism.html

On the other hand, missions, according to the Holman Bible Dictionary, is “a task on which God sends a person He has called, particularly a mission to introduce another group of people to salvation in Christ.” While — again — the term missions is not used in the Scriptures, evangelism is accomplished through missions.

Resource
Holman Bible Dictionary’s definition of missions
https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/m/missions.html

To Reveal the Father

“No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side — he has revealed him” (Jn. 1: 18 CSB)

One of the tasks of Jesus’ mission was to reveal God to us. No one had seen God face to face since Adam and Eve committed the original sin. One of the consequences of that sin was separation from God — both physically and spiritually.

Glossary
The Original Sin

Since that time, a lot of people had lived and died. Satan had been ruling the earth. Therefore, many did not know — or did not correctly know — God.

Jesus came to rectify that. Why? Mellor explained that, “without the guidance of revelation no one has ever reached any fair conception of the unity, spirituality, and moral character of God.” Knowing the character of God is important.

Resource
Mellor’s The Invisible and Revealed God
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/mellor/the_invisible_and_revealed_god.htm

What all did Jesus reveal to us about God?

There is only one God.
God is a spirit.
God is good.
God is love.
The expectation of obedience to God’s laws and commandments
God’s plan of salvation to restore mankind to Him
An exhibit of the power of God

Resource
Jones’ The Revealer of God
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/jones/the_revealer_of_god.htm
Guyse’s Christ the Declarer of the Father
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/guyse/christ_the_declarer_of_the_father.htm
Benson’s The Father Manifested in the Son
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/benson/the_father_manifested_in_the_son.htm

Caird reminded us that Jesus used His life as well as His words to reveal God to us. He knew it was important to use both.

Resource
Caird’s Christ, the Revelation of the Invisible God
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/caird/christ_the_revelation_of_the_invisible_god.htm

It is really important that Jesus reveal the character of God to us. Imitating Him is how we become holy and righteous. Holy means to be set apart, perfect, and pure. Righteousness is the result of a solid relationship with God built by a sincere life of conscientious obedience to God’s laws and commandments. It is more the right principles under which we live.

How can we imitate God if He is not revealed to us?

Glossary
Imitate

To Glorify the Father

“After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you’” (Jn. 13: 31 NLT)

All I wanted to do was look up the definition of glory. Come take a journey with me.

Glorify: to make glorious by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration
Glorious: possessing or deserving glory
Glory: worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving

Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definition of glorify
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glorify
Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definition of glorious
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glorious
Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definition of glory
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glory

I would say we circled around that.

Okay, we’ve talked about glory before. Glory is the expression of the qualities of God resulting from the authority of God.

To read a related devotion, click on the button below.

What Is the Foundation of Salvation?

So, if we mash all of this together in Elaine-speak, when we glorify God, we are acknowledging God is deserving of worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving by bestowing honor, praise, or admiration on Him.

Simeon stated that Jesus glorified Himself by completing the plan of salvation and all God asked Him to do. His actions redeemed mankind and restored our relationships with Him when we admit our sins, believe Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, and confess God as Sovereign Lord.

Resource
Simeon’s God Glorified in His Son
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/simeon/god_glorified_in_his_son.htm

ABCD

Jesus glorified God in all He did. He not only obeyed God’s laws and commandments, but He also taught his disciples — and us — to do so also. He did this by submitting to God’s Will, even when it cost Him His life.

But Jesus still had to ask God to glorify Him. He didn’t think He deserved it for His obedience. He didn’t think He was entitled because He had given up His life.

Resource
Spence’s The Heavenly Glorification
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/spence/the_heavenly_glorification.htm

God glorified Jesus by accepting His sacrifice and highlighting and rewarding Jesus’ obedience. Maclaren reminded us that God was glorified in the death of an innocent man.

Resource
Maclaren’s The Cross the Glory of Christian and God
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/maclaren/the_cross_the_glory_of_christ_and_god.htm

In all Jesus did, He submitted to God’s Will. He followed God’s instructions and completed all the tasks God had for Him. That gave God the honor and glory.

To Bring God’s Kingdom to Earth

“If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Mt. 12: 28 CSB)

The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom that describes His sovereign reign. When Jesus was on earth, He extended that kingdom to the physical realm.

Glossary
Kingdom of God

The thing is, Jesus has now told us about the kingdom of God. We can’t be neutral. We have to make a choice.

Are we submitting to God as Sovereign Lord? Or are we following the worldview and Satan?

We have to choose. A “no choice” is credited as a choice for Satan.

Stewart explained how a “no choice” works. He wrote, “The human heart cannot be in a state in which neither Christ nor the world has the supremacy. Man must have a master and a God, etc.”

Resource
H.C.H. and Stewart’s No Neutrality in Religion
https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/stewart/no_neutrality_in_religion.htm

In part, this may be seen as we have to choose one with whom to align. On the other hand, Jesus will always see it as “If you are not for me, you are against me.” He is looking for our complete allegiance.

Our choice not only affects us. Worse, by our not choosing God, it also may be influencing someone else to not choose God.

Father God. We thank You that we have Jesus as an example, showing us how we are to live for You. It is our desire to imitate Him, thereby imitating You. Amen.