Live as Jesus Did

Meditations on the Epistles of John & Jude 

October 7, 2021

Live as Jesus Did

I am writing to you who are God’s children

    because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

1 John 2: 12 

John has an interesting style in his writing, especially in the passage 1 John 2:12-14. His style reminds me of many contemporary praise songs. In a manner like the Taizé movement in France, contemporary songs use repetitive phrases as a means of meditation. The point is to take the time to let the truth of the phrase go deep within our spirit. John is repetitive throughout this passage (and the whole letter) for the same reason.

John’s message is as timely today as it was for his first century recipients. John was very concerned about disharmony in the body of believers. His message was quite simple:

“Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”

1 John 2:6

Or in the parlance of the theme of my daily meditations, if you say you love God, then seek the life in Christ as your way of life. As you seek to live your life as Jesus lived his, I believe there are two primary incidents in the life of Jesus that exemplify his character.

The first is to remember who was present at the table with him for the Passover supper. And whose feet did he wash? (Spoiler alert – Judas was there!)

Secondly, let us never forget his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane:

“My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Matthew 26:39b

My Takeaway: Peter was at the Passover table also. A few hours later, he denied even knowing Jesus. Yet Jesus did not kick these guys to the curb. And Jesus didn’t alter who he was to accommodate his followers. Pondering how we may incorporate these attributes of Jesus into our lives will keep us busy until that wonderful day when our faith becomes sight!

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.