THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
Text: 2nd Corinthians 4:5-11
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the
Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkenss, hath shined in our hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that
the excellency of the power may be of God, and not
of us.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair,
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not
destroyed;
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the
Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be
made manifest in our body.
For we which live are alway delivered unto death
for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might
be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
KJV
Introduction-
This is an astounding passage of Scripture, for
it declares that we who are Christians are to be re-
living the life of Jesus over and over again in our
lives every day. It declares that God wants to
manifest(display, make clearly visible, exhibit-
Webster’s dictionary) the life of Christ in us to
the world.
Someone once called Christians "little Christs,"
and that is what we are called to be. God’s pur-
pose in saving us is not just to give us a fire
escape from Hell, but to use us as his instruments
to let Jesus be seen in us, so that others will
believe in Him, and trust Him as Savior.
Jesus lives again, and again, and again as believer
by believer is added to the family of God. I won-
der, how much of Jesus does the world see in us?
And, just what was the life of Jesus like? Let’s
think about it.
I.Undoubtedly, THE LIFE OF JESUS WAS A LIFE LIVED IN
COMPLETE SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF GOD THE FATHER.
He Himself said that He did not come down from
Heaven to do His own will, but the will of the
Father who had sent Him. He was a man with a
mission, and He would not falter. He would see
to it that His mission was accomplished in this
world before He returned to the Father.
Jesus also claimed that He always said and did
those things that the Father told Him to say and
do. He was led of the Spirit, completely. He
received the Spirit without measure, unlike us.
He was always Spirit-filled. He never lived in
obedience to the flesh. He was tempted in all
ways that we are, yet without ever commiting sin.
Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice, they
know Him, and they follow Him. We must deny self,
take up the cross, and follow Him, or we cannot
be His disciple. This old idea of "easy believeism"
just won’t cut it. God doesn’t accept those
who do not surrender to His will. A person can
sign all the decision cards they want to, they can
go to every conference, and attend every Bible
study, they can be baptized a thousdand times, and
join every church in the country, but they won’t
be saved, until Christ becomes their Lord.
We are to walk in His steps. We are to seek to
imitate Him in all we say and do. (1st Peter 2:21)
As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God.
Acts 10:37-38 tells us that Christ "...went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed
of the devil; for God was with him." What He did,
He did with the empowerment of God.
II.Secondly, THE LIFE OF JESUS WAS A LIFE OF MIGHTY
WONDERS AND DEEDS.
He healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight
to the blind, cast out demons, made crippled legs
walk, forgave sin, and brought deliverance.
The strange thing is that Jesus said that those
who follow Him would do even greater things than
He did. That’s truly amazing.
John 14:12-"Verily, verily I say unto you, He that
believeth on me, the works that I do, he shall do
also; and greater works than these shall he do,
because I go to my Father."
The only way I see we could do greater works than
He did is to live longer than He did on this earth
and touch more lives personally with our presence.
His something like three year ministry touched
many lives, and performed many wonders, but it was
limited in it’s extent by time.
III.Thirdly, THE LIFE OF JESUS WAS ALSO A LIFE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS.
He lived among us, yet He was different from us.
He was the sinless, spotless, blameless Son of
God, who always did and said that which was in
accordance with the will of God, and the good of
mankind.
Peter tells us about Him "...who did no sin,
neithter was guile found in his mouth."
We are called to holiness. We are to "walk
honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and
drunkedness,"- not in immorality or indecency.
IV.Fourthly, THE LIFE OF JESUS WAS A LIVE OF INFINITE,
INCOMPREHENSIBLE LOVE.
"Having loved His own which were in the world,
He loved them unto the end."
Ephesians 5:1-2a-"Be ye therefore followers of
God as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ
hath loved us."
No greater love has ever been manifested.
V.Fifthly, THE LIFE OF JESUS WAS A LIFE OF HUMILITY,
AND HUMBLE SERVICE.
As the writer of Philippians tells us, "He was
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
Philippians 2:5-8,
"Let this mind be in you...took upon Him the form
of a servant..."
Col. 2:6-"As ye therefore have received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."
VI. Sixthly, THE LIFE OF JESUS WAS ALSO A LIFE OF
UNJUST, UNDESERVED SUFFERING.
We get upset sometimes when we suffer for doing
right, and we question, and have a hard time un-
derstanding, yet why did the perfect Lamb of
God suffer so? He certainly did not deserve it.
He chose to lay down His life for us.
Another amazing text is Col. 1:24-
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and
fill up that which is behind of the afflictions
of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which
is the church."
Christ was called upon to suffer unjustly for
others. We are also called to suffer for Christ.
Invitation-My friend, do others see Jesus in you?
If they don’t, could it be that He’s not really
present in your life? We need to accept Him and
receive Him, and then live for Him. Do it now,
please, for your sake, and for the sake of all
those you love, but mostly do it for Christ’s sake.
He loved you, and died for you. He wants you to
live for Him.
