Tag Archives: Example of Jesus

Christian Living

JESUS PRAYED. DO YOU? — JOSH ALLEN

The apostles taught that Jesus is the Christian’s example in all things. To Paul, He is the pattern to imitate (1 Cor 11:1); to Peter, He is the Shepherd in whose footsteps Christians are to follow (1 Peter 2:21,25); to John, He is the Servant who led by example (John 13:13-17). Today, let us consider, He is our pattern in prayer.  

A survey of His life reveals Jesus was a prayerful person:

  • He prayed alone before His day began (Mark 1:35).
  • He prayed alone in the afternoon (Matthew 14:23; Luke 9:18, Lk 5:16).
  • He prayed with His disciples in the afternoon (Luke 9:28-29).
  • He prayed alone at night, all night (Luke 6:12).
  • He prayed in public (Matthew 11:25-27; John 11:41-42, 12:27-28).
  • He prayed before important decisions (Luke 6:12-13).
  • He prayed at pivotal moments in His life (e.g., after His baptism, Luke 3:21-22).
  • He prayed in moments of deep agony (Lk 22:42; Matthew 27:46).
  • He prayed before meals (Mk 8:6; Mt 26:26; Luke 24:30).
  • He prayed to teach others (Matthew 6:9-13).
  • He prayed for others (Lk 22:31-32).
  • He prayed for His disciples (John 17:6-19).
  • He prayed for His future disciples (John 17:20-26).
  • He prayed for children (Matthew 19:13-15).
  • He prayed for His enemies (Luke 23:34).
  • He prayed to heal (Mark 7:34-35).
  • He prayed with thanksgiving (John 11:41-42; Luke 10:21-22).
  • He prayed with loud cries and tears (Hebrews 5:7).
  • He prayed the same prayer multiple times (Matthew 26:39,42,44).
  • He prayed short prayers (John 12:27-28).
  • He prayed long prayers (John 17:1-26; Lk 6:12).
  • He prayed while standing (John 17:1).
  • He prayed while kneeling (Lk 22:41).
  • He prayed while prostrate on the ground with His face in the dirt (Matthew 26:39).
  • He prayed according to the Father’s will (Mt 26:36-44).
  • He prayed with His dying breath (Lk 23:46).
  • He prayed before He ascended back to Heaven (Luke 24:50-53).

The prayer life of Jesus illustrates the command to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus was continually prayerful. He placed a priority on prayer in His life. Do we?

Christian Living

DO GOOD! – BOB PRICHARD

The headline for the million holiday leaflets printed by Russian charity Mercy Capital Foundation had a simple message: “Do good!”  Or at least that is what it was supposed to say. The printer made a typographical error, and the headline, in Russian, said not “Do good!” but “Exterminate Beavers!” The print shop refused to reprint the leaflets with the correct wording, because as they said, no one would notice the typo. Maybe “Exterminate Beavers!” and “Do Good!” are similarly spelled in Russian, but you could hardly get a more opposite idea, unless of course, it is your trees that the beavers are destroying (WORLD, October 29, 2016, p. 13).

You can’t go wrong with the admonition to “Do Good!” Surely that would please the Master. As Peter summarized the ministry of Christ to the household of Cornelius, he said that God was preaching peace by Jesus Christ, “who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:36-38).

Would Peter describe your life as one of preaching peace and going about doing good?  Are you bringing people closer to the Lord and His church? Are you walking with Him or against Him?

After Zacchaeus demonstrated his repentance, Jesus said, “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). In the temple at 12, Jesus said, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). And the Father’s business meant that He was going about doing good.

We must be doing good, even if the world does not appreciate us.

“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:14-16).

Ultimately, as we go about doing good, the purpose is not so that we may be glorified, but that God will be glorified. “Ye are the light of the world. … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5: 14, 16).

Do good, and leave the beavers alone!