Learning From the Master

This is such an exciting leg of our journey. Having  made the commitment to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to move from fandom to followers, we have the  promise of grace and peace being multiplied in our lives and having everything needed for life and godliness (II Pet 1:2).  

What an opportunity, think about it, being taught by the Master.  As students of Christ, we learn  first by observation and then by imitation. We observe the ways of Christ as we read the Word and then we demonstrate our love and commitment to Him by imitating Him: Therefore be imitators of God (copy and follow His example) as well beloved children (imitate their father) -Eph 5:1 amplified.  

Our curriculum begins as Jesus instructs us: to take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (Matt 11:29a). Of all the things that Jesus could have said about Himself, He chose to say I am meek and humble.  Our first lesson involves studying by observation and then by imitation, not the power or authority of Christ, but the humility of Christ. Humility is a character trait that is difficult to define and is probably better understood as it is demonstrated. 

The humility of Christ is demonstrated through His submission to the Father, His service to others, His suffering and His sacrifice.

Jesus demonstrated true humility as He submitted to God the Father. John 5:19 tells us: the Son of man can do nothing of Himself. Then in John 6:38 He let's us know: I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of Him that sent me.  He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him - John 7:18. I seek not mine own glory - John 8:50. 

Jesus, the Creator of the universe, humbled Himself and became nothing that the Father might be everything. Jesus said the power, the praise, my purpose and my pursuits are not mine but His who sent me. As we observe the humility of Christ by His submission to the Father, we are challenged to follow His example, to make our life not about us but about Him! Let this same attitude and purpose and (humble) mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: (Let Him be your example in humility)...And after He had appeared in human form, He based and humbled Himself (still further) and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross ! - Phil 2:5,8)

True humility for believers is the recognition that God is everything and we are nothing, and since He is everything and we are nothing; humility is allowing Him to be everything in our lives. It is the recognition that without Him nothing - John 15:5b; For in Him we, and move and have our being -Acts 17:28. The apostle Paul recognized that his confidence and competence came solely from Christ: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God - II Cor 3:5.

being taught by the Master,
Diane

 p.s.  I am convinced if the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ was to take place today, the only way He could get us to follow Him would be to have an Instagram and Twitter account. I would imagine His instagram post for this lesson would be a picture of Him in the Garden Gethsemane  where He is praying intensely asking the Father for another way other than the cross. His hashtags: #Nevertheless #Not my will but thy will

---