Christlikeness
Welcome back to my blog.
Feels like ages!! This week we will look at how our mentor and example, the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good.
Our discussion will focus on Christlikeness.
The grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Compassionate Saviour.
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 was directed at exposing the double standards of Jews especially the Pharisees. They agreed with His teachings but held on to their traditions.
They agreed with grace and mercy but held them back when they were faced with situations that required them. They were not fair, they were biased. They turned a blind eye on short comings pertaining to certain gender at times. Their mercy and grace was only available conditionally.
The unfortunate woman in John 8. She was sentenced to death for a crime she didn’t commit alone. The other person because of the Jewish laws and traditions, was not even mentioned.
How did Jesus solve this problem? He exposed their evil hearts. Their evil double standards, their hypocrisy. He said, he who has no sin, let him throw the first stone. Jesus knew that every single one of them had sinned privately in hiding, in many ways, not necessarily the same way this poor woman had. Immediately the Holy Spirit entered their evil hearts and revealed to them their own sins. None of them could throw the stone at her. They turned and left.
2. The prostitute who loved much in Luke 7. Shunned and despised by the religious people of the time. No one dared be near her, speak to her or even greet her, let alone touch her or allow her to touch them. Jesus came, the Saviour, the Messiah, with His love and mercy. The woman sensed it, she threw herself at his feet, she had nothing to lose, this was her only chance, the only time she felt warmth radiating from someone’s face. She risked being pushed away. She experienced this so many many times.
3. The Samaritan woman in John 4. She Belonged to the outcast. In modern day terms she would be regarded as a bastard , mixed race, etc. Jesus didn’t see this in her. He saw an evangelist. The one who would take the Gospel to a lost people. He bypassed the Jewish traditions and rules that said Jews are not to be seen with, speak to or associate with the Samaritans. It was punishable by death. The mercy and grace in Jesus would not allow Him to leave her in that state she was and knew that her miraculous conversion will bring many to God.
4. Jesus mixed with the worst of the worst of sinners. Tax collectors, Zacchaeus in Luke 19.
5. His mercy and grace drew the demon possessed, Mary Magdalene out of whom He cast 7 demons. She was among the women who followed and accompanied Jesus to Golgotha, all the way, when everyone, all His disciples except John deserted Him when He was captured. Mary Magdalene was the first to see the risen Lord. He didn’t see in her, a possessed woman who obviously must have been involved in some form of sin to be in-dwelt by evil spirits. No, He saw, a brave woman, a child of God, who will be with Him in the most difficult and trying times when everyone deserted Him. A woman who would be so concerned about Him, that she would visit His grave to check if everything is still ok, when everyone else, forgot about Him.
We too, can be like Him. We can learn to see everyone, all people, from all walks of life, backgrounds, creed, social statuses, beliefs, past life styles, good or bad histories or track records, as worthy of our mercy, deserving of our kindness and our grace.
By so doing, granting them the opportunity to meet with The Saviour and be forgiven and become ambassadors of His Kingdom. The Gospel of Truth.
Are we willing to be stained by the dirty? Are we willing to be misunderstood when we are seen with the worst? Do we have enough of the mercy and grace of God to bless others with? To lead them into the saving arms of The Lord.
The Bible says:
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, the emphasis here is ALL. Romans 3:23 Paul said: “ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 1 Tim 1:15
There is a fine line between self righteousness which is a Pharisaical way of belief and the Compassion that we received from the Lord Himself so we can in turn never forget that everyone deserves it just as we did.
Jesus found us all in the wilderness of sin, in the pig sty’s. He had compassion on us, He never condemn us. He took us out of there, washed us clean with His own blood and presented us spotless to His Father.
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17
Let us today, do a little heart homework. Check ourselves, see if indeed, we are walking towards being like Christ, and not in self righteousness. The sin of self righteousness is the worst ever.
Jesus saved us from it. Let us not forget that we are the righteousness of God in Christ. 1 Cor 5:21. And not of our own works.
May the peace of God that surpasses understanding be with you now and forever. Amen.
Have a great week ahead.
Many blessings.
