TO HAVE THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: Om die gesindheid van Jesus te hê
Translator: Lynda Botha
I once listened to a Christian program on the radio, where they talked about a few things regarding Christianity.
Amongst some other things, they also discussed the former minister Adriaan Vlok, who washed the feet of Mr. Frank Chikani.
People were able to contact the studio to ask questions or to give their opinions on what Minister Vlok did.
I don’t want to go into the matter why Mr. Vlok did what he did, except to say, that in my opinion I think that this action portrayed a beautiful testimony on how a child of God should behave.
What astounded me, was that not one single person who contacted the studio, reflected the attitude of Jesus but they all quoted the Bible.
This brings me now to what I want to share with you today.
We all know, or so I believe, that Christians should portray the attitude of Jesus to the people around us.
ROM 6:3 “Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death?”
ROM 6:4 “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”GAL 2:20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Now it seems to me, that most Christians don’t even know what the attitude of Jesus should be like.
Jesus' attitude, Jesus' image, yes, Jesus' whole being can be summed up in one word and that is LOVE.
EPH 5:2 “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”
This "us" that Paul is talking about, is not just me, my family, friends, nation or race, as these callers seemed to believe on that radio program.
Oh, no!
JOHN 3:16: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
JOHN 3:17: “God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”
Do you see?
It's not just about me and my family, friends, people, nation or race.
Jesus was nailed to the cross for the whole world.
In the Amplified Bible we read verse 17 as follows:
JOHN 3:17: “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world (that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world), but that the world might be saved through Him.”
So, you see my friend:
If I have Jesus’ attitude in me, then I have His love in me.
Then I don’t just love myself and my family, friends, nation or race.
Then I don’t just look after myself and my family, friends, nation or race.
I must remember that I have been commissioned to carry out this assignment and that I must not only carry this out towards my own people but to all people our Lord sends on my path.
MAT 28:19-20 “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you…”
Then, with Jesus' attitude, or rather Jesus' love in my heart, it is no longer just my family, friends, nation or race, it includes all people and it does not matter what language you speak or what your skin colour is.
Therefore, for me it is about carrying out His assignment within my life.
In Mark 15:16 the assignment is as follows:
MARK 16:15 “And then He told them: "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
I also remembered what Jesus told His followers, in other words me, shortly before He walked the path to the cross for all the people around the world:
JOHN 15:10 “When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”
JOHN 15:11 “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”MAT 22: 36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 “Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
38 “This is the first and greatest commandment.”
39 “A second is equally important: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
40 “The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”JOHN 15:13 “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”.
JOHN 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Then, to conclude:
This is for me the wonderful "cherry" on top.
I am a disciple of Jesus and all the other people of all other nations which we led to be disciples of Jesus is not just my neighbour, but in Christ my brothers and sisters. No matter what colour, nation or race they are.
I talked about the "cherry" on top.
What makes me so excited about my great variety of family in Christ?
Just read this:
ROM 8:16 “For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”
ROM 8:17 “And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.”
How wonderful!
All this splendour that you have just read about, I can now share with you and my other brothers and sisters in their variety as well.
They are all together with you and me co-heirs of Christ! And we'll all be glorified with Him!
Of course, it cannot be any other way. Because, that is what Jesus' crucifixion meant for everyone and when I say everyone, I believe I'm correct by using the wording "everyone" in the widest sense of the word. For, it is written – and the NLT says it so well:
GAL 3:28 “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
GAL 3:29 “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are His heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
You see –
One thing our Lord taught me very clearly over the years.
ROM 2:11 “For God does not show favouritism.”
The Amplified Bible:
ROM 2:11 “For God shows no partiality (no arbitrary favouritism; with Him one person is not more important than another).
Greetings,
Sakkie