Saturday, 13 January 2024
A PRACTISE FOR US
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is In the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him (John 1:18).
The word declared in our opening verse is from the Greek "exegeomai" and it means to rehearse or unfold. So, what that verse is saying is that Jesus rehearsed divinity to us. How He lived, and the things He did, as recorded in the Scriptures, was a practice for us to see and know how to live the life of the Kingdom.
No wonder the Bible says He has given us an example that we should follow His steps: "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus rehearsed the God-life to us. He rehearsed righteousness to us.
He came to live before us so we could know what God is like. John 1:14 says, "And the Word was made (became) flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth." He said in John 14:9, "...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." Amazing words!
God wants you to have the same consciousness. He wants you to think and talk like Jesus. How much of the person and character of Jesus is expressed in and through you? Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour."
The word "followers" is from the Greek "mimetes," meaning to be an imitator, to copy another. The only reason we can imitate God is because we've seen Him in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to unveil Him. For example, we often talk about how God loves us,but we couldn't describe that love until we saw Jesus in action. Now we can walk in love, as Christ also loved us. Christ showed us how to practice God's love. Hallelujah!
CONFESSION: I walk in love and righteousness and display the character of Christ to my world. I think, talk, and act like Jesus, expressing the God-life in me and impacting my world with the divine nature of God in me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
1 John 4:17; John 13:15; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 John 2:6
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 10:1-23 & Genesis 31-33
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Acts 9:1-9 & Esther 7-8