WWJD? or How does Jesus think?

 

 

In the months before my sister died, she struggled with knowing what to do in unfamiliar situations. This became obvious when she travelled with us. As we walked from place to place, she lagged behind, watching us so she could copy what we were doing. While this makes me sad, I realize this also revealed her Christian character; she was willing to follow a good example. That is what Jesus wanted and the fruit of her obedience shows up in her sons and grandchildren who also follow Him.

I am also called to follow the EXAMPLE of Jesus, not go my own way or figure out my own path. I’m to watch Jesus and others who follow Him to see how I should live. But this is not merely copying; it goes far deeper.

When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He told them, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:15) As humbling as it is to wash someone’s feet, or be washed this way by another, this wasn’t necessarily a ritual. It is more about serving others in whatever need presents itself, doing what I can do to bring blessing to them.

Following Jesus involves denial of self. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it . . . .” (Matthew 16:24–26)

Giving up what I want is one thing, but admitting my weaknesses also goes against my pride. Jesus asks me to do both. In contrast to following the dictates of my intellect, emotions, and will, I’m to live in the power and motivation of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ did that, doing only what the Father told Him to do, even in Gethsemane when He said, “Not my will but thine be done.” All the more outstanding is the fact that Jesus was sinless, without that willful self-centered nature that pits itself against everything God wants.

Romans 15:5 tells me to live in harmony with others “in accord with Christ Jesus” meaning to think and act the same way as Jesus did. Paul lived that example and he encourages me to do the same:

2 Corinthians 10:1–6. “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

This requires a different way of thinking. Philippians 2:5–8 spells it out: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Thinking like Jesus produces actions contrary to the behavior of selfish me. For instance, Colossians 3:13 tells me to bear with others and if I have a complaint against someone, I am to forgive them just as the Lord has forgiven me. This means obedience also to 1 Peter 2:21–23:

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

1 John is plain: “If I say I am abiding in Christ, I ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.” Hebrews 12 defines that as an attitude of faith and obedience that can “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” and enable me to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:1–3)

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. ‘What would Jesus do?’ is answered by another question; How does Jesus think? I cannot play-act or fake this stuff. Instead, the Bible says I have His mind and must rely on His thoughts and allow Him to transform me, making faith visible as well as practical. For this, I must keep my eyes on Him.

 

Christ is the Body-builder

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19–21)

A woman (not a Christian yet) had been in Africa. She told me that the local believers spoke of missionaries coming, starting churches, but then complained because the missionaries later left them. In the past, when missionaries stayed to run things they were criticized of colonialism. Now, when the indigenous church is established and they leave, they are accused of abandonment.

While we are to care for one another, I told her that it was important that these new churches learn to rely on the Lord, not on the resources of missionaries, which often happens in poorer countries. I also said that those churches must develop so they fit into their own culture. If missionaries lead the church that will not easily happen. She was still skeptical.

I could have told her that a new church is like a child. Eventually it must stand on its own, and the people who were involved it is growth need to let it go, trusting Jesus Christ to build it and care for it. While the ‘parents’ must not be heartless and totally abandon it, they need to be aware of the fine line between trusting the Lord and being controllers.

Jesus exemplifies this. He began a church, then left, at least physically. Luke, who wrote the Gospel that bears his name, also wrote Acts, the story of the early church. He begins with these words . . .

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen . . . (Acts 1:1–5)

He said, “all that Jesus began . . .” implying that there was more work to do and more truth to teach. Jesus was not done yet. This is true in the lives of individual Christians and true of the Body of believers known as the church. He will finish the job He started.

One note: I tend to read the New Testament very personally, but need to remember that most instances of the word “you” use the plural version. God is speaking to us, not just me. His promises are for the Body of believers, not just individuals.

Paul wrote to the Christians at Philippi stating his confidence that God is capable of taking care of them: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:6–7)

He knew these people were Christians whose hearts were with him in his situation, but also shared the grace of God that he shared. For that reason, he could trust them to the Lord knowing that the Lord would bring them (plural) to maturity.

The writer of Hebrews encourages believers who are in a tough and touchy situation. They were pressured from the outside to the point they wanted to leave the faith, but he tells them Christ is better than anything they could run back to. He also points to the many faith-filled people who went before them. Since this “great a cloud of witnesses” surrounds them, he encourages them to “also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

We hold hands in this race because we run it with each other, but that is not the point made by the author of Hebrews. Instead, he tells the church to “look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:1–3)

From all this, I see for myself a lesson: while relying on one another is important, my first priority is to rely on Jesus Christ. It is His church and He will take care of it, all of it. Whatever my role is, He is in charge and can be trusted to build the church and finish what He started in it, and in me.