Wjhy he came 5

When we were much younger, there was this popular saying of “do what I say but not what I do “. This was used to describe people who doled advice they would not generally use and as such, were judged for the hypocrisy of their words. Somehow if God did not come in human form, we could accuse him of demanding from us what he has not been through himself and as such the coming of Jesus in addition to providing a platform for identifying with humanity also served to show us  an example.

This reason of his being an example affords us the privilege of a role model. Paul while speaking to  the Galatian church asked them to imitate him as he imitated Christ ( 1 Corinthian 11:1).There are several instances Jesus served as an example to us.

There was a song we used to sing about prayer in the Sunday School “Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer, prayer is the master key”. Jesus showed an example to us by laying a pattern of consistent prayer (Mark 1:35). Even with increasing popularity, he often withdrew himself to pray (Luke 5:16). He prayed so much that his disciples actually asked him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1).We are told he prayed out of reverent submission (Hebrews 5:7).

Jesus also showed us an example in going to a place of worship regularly. He was taken to the temple as a child ( Luke 2:21-40), as a boy(Luke 2:41-52) and even on Sabbath days( Luke 4:16) and the book of Hebrews enjoins us not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25).Whenever we gather with other believers, power is released (Obadiah 1:17, Psalms 84:7,Hebrews 12:22).

He was also an example of what it meant to be a good citizen by paying his taxes and to be a good church member by paying the temple tax.

Jesus was not too busy to be sociable as we see him attending a wedding party (John 2:1-12 ). He even performed his first miracle there. .He was friendly and had friends,( John 11), and had time to play and touch little children  who were brought to him(Matthew 19:14).Jesus also showed us an example of what it means to be a real man, he was man enough to cry (John 11:35) when he lost a friend.

Another example Jesus showed us was the need to be able to cross barriers and treat people equally. He crossed  cultural and racial barriers by talking with the Samaritan women (John 4), ate and drank with tax collectors who were regarded as outcasts in his days ( Matthew 11 :19).He knew the art of delegation and at one time sent seventy disciples out to preach Luke 10 :17-19).

These are just a few examples I have mentioned but studying the life of Jesus personally will cause us to see how he was

Lest I forget, Jesus showed us an example of what it is to provide for our families. While he was on the cross, he provided life insurance for his widowed mother whom he told the John to take home as his own mother (John 19 :25-27) .

We really do celebrate the coming of Jesus as we have come to see that his coming was in no way accidental, he came because he was sent and so as to fulfil prophecy, he also came as part of the redemptive plan of God, identifying with us humans while showing us examples of how to live our lives.

I am so glad that Jesus came, what about you?

In His Service.

Grace Tom-Lawyer