Walking in the Masters footsteps!
I’m going to talk to you today about Walking in the Masters footsteps!
First of all: the master that I’m talking about is Jesus Christ
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace.
John 17:3 says this is eternal life, that we may know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He have sent.
John 3:18 "He who believes in Jesus is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
In Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
The footsteps are the life that He is calling you into….. a Christlike life
Jesus was walking next to the sea one day and saw fishermen
Mat 4:19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
He did the same in mat 9:9
As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.
And to us here today
Mat 16 :24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
The words “Follow Me” means: to walk where I walk, to do what I do, to say what I say. We call it a Christ like life.
Truly friend that’s all that matters for me: “Touching Jesus”
“Touching Jesus is all that matters
and your life will never be the same
There is only one way to touch Him
Just believe when you call on His name”
·This song calls us to believe when we call on His name.
·That’s what the Bible is about, to believe when we call on His name.
·This is precisely what peter does in the last part of Acts 9.
·He’s walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
·We have two miracle’s here that are nearly identical of two miracles that Jesus did.
·Peter shows us where the Child of God’s power is.
·I’ll show you the secret here today….
Let’s read
Acts 9: 32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralysed.
·Here is a man with a problem, He’s not only bedridden but also paralysed.
·His name means laudable which means creditable so he sounds like a good man. (names bare characteristics)
·I want you to think of the people who is living with him in the same house.
·Let me tell you it is as hard for them as it must be for him.
·They can’t just jump out of bed and come to church like you did this morning. They may have to get up two hours earlier than you did today. There are more things to do. I sometimes wonder how some of us might feel if we have to wake up two hours earlier each Sunday to get to church. What will our excuse be? I’m tired, Got back pain, etc.
Let me get to my next question: What would you have done if you were Peter?.
·We meet people like Aeneas every day.
·They might not be physically paralysed but also Spiritually.
·What paralyse the Spirit? Fear, unbelief, unforgiveness, hurts.
What would your advise be to a person like this?
Peter gives the answer.
34.And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately. 35So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
·Peter points Aeneas to Christ. Jesus the Christ heals you.
·Then he gives him a command. Arise and make your bed.
·Arise means take action and make your bed not to return back to it…
You may say “Wow, Peter was amazing,”
But the fact is that Peter knew the secret………………
He knew how to walk in the footsteps of the Master…
Let’s compare this miracle with John 5 at Bethesda.
John 5: 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
7The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
8Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." 9And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
·Can you see what Peter did?
·He used the same power that Jesus did.
·He said "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you” not I Peter, but rather Jesus.
he remembered Jesus saying "Whatever you ask in... My name.
·The secret my friend is to know Jesus, and then to walk in His footsteps.
Again let’s look at the rest of this chapter and compare it with Jesus.
Dorcas Restored to Life
36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.
·Notice that she was a doer not a talker.
37But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed.
·So she is dead.
·The widows stood there weeping. What did Peter do?
·He put them all out.
And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. 43So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.
·Notice he knelt down and prayed.
·Then He commanded her to Rise.
·Again he spoke with authority.
Compare this with Luke 8 daughter of Jairus
49While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher."[9]
50But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." 51When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in[10] except Peter, James, and John,[11] and the father and mother of the girl. 52Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." 53And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54But He put them all outside,[12] took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." 55Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
·Can you see what Peter did?
·He did what Jesus did for he was there (v10) and saw Jesus doing this.
·Friend this was no new teaching or revelations, He was walking and doing what Jesus did.
·Jesus put the mourners outside and commanded the girl to rise.
·All I’m asking you today is to believe in Jesus walk in His footsteps and do the works that He did.
John 14:12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you ask[3] anything in My name, I will do it.
·It’s not in your power but His power.
·Peter received it on the day of Pentecost.
This is not a new teaching Jesus taught this when He was on the earth
John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
·Friend I want to call you into action today.
·There are paralysed people out there.
·There are dead people out there.
·People are killing themselves driven by fear, rejection and many other things.
·What are you doing?
·The last two verses in Matthew calls us to action, Calls us to walk in His footsteps.
·You don’t need to be a special person.
·You don’t even need special training.
·He will tell you what to do, you can even use His words --- Peter did!
Yohanan tells about a missionary in India, who went to the Buddhists yearly pilgrimage to a river to over to their God. This man walked past a woman sitting next to this river, crying out of her heart. He stopped and started to talk to her. She told him that her husband is very sick and that she is there to offer to their god. The missionary told her about Jesus and his love for her. She stopped for a moment and then started to cry even more intense. She asked him why he didn’t come an half an hour earlier for she offered her six months old baby to the river.
Will you start today? Will you? All He asks is to follow Him and your life will never be the same.
