In His Steps

God alone knows the shape that we were in when we came here today. The pressures that some of us have been feeling on our minds. And the resentments that may be clinging to our inner hearts.

And the feelings of guilt and the vanity that clings to every one of us. So now we come together to draw near to the one who can take these things away from us and give us a new start. We're really gathered here this morning in the name of Jesus.

Worshipping him. Listening for some word from his mouth. Kneeling at his table to eat his flesh and drink his blood.

So that we can get up and go on our way and live like Jesus. Now that may sound extreme to say it like that. But really the purpose of our coming together like this in his name is in order that we might be renewed in the image of Jesus.

That we might be able to really, in fact, think his thoughts and speak his words. Doing his deeds. Walking in his steps.

I would like to concentrate on one passage alone today from 1 Peter chapter 2, 18 to 25. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect. Not only to the kind and gentle, but also to the overbearing.

For what is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain, suffering unjustly? For what credit is it if when you do wrong and are beaten for it, you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it, you take it patiently, you have God's approval. For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you.

Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin. No guile was found on his lips.

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten. But trusted to him who judges justly.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

When we look at Jesus hanging from the cross, we need to see this event in two ways. First, we need to see it as something that was done for us. For to this you have been called.

Because Christ also suffered for you. By dying on that cross, Jesus overcame the power of sin for us. So that sin can really no longer hold us as its prisoners.

He overcame the power of death for us. So that we don't have to be in bondage to death anymore. Death doesn't hold us as its slaves anymore.

So we don't have to walk around being afraid of death back in the back of our minds all the time. It's as if death is trying to get us someplace. And this colors everything we think and do.

We're free from that. If we allow him to do this for us. Jesus died on that cross in order to overcome the power of Satan for us.

So that Satan can no longer hold us hostage in his kingdom. We don't have to be his slaves anymore. But the crucifixion of Jesus has a second meaning.

Which must never be disconnected from the first. For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you.

Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. Jesus died for us. To make it possible for us to walk in his steps.

The proof to heaven and earth. That any man or woman has been saved by the blood of the lamb. Is that that person is walking in the steps of the lamb.

How ludicrous it would be. If I after receiving salvation through the blood of the lamb. And as I'm praising the Lord for the salvation I've received.

Should be observed by the whole world. To be making no effort whatsoever. To follow in the steps of him who saved me.

A stranger walks up to me and says. Friend. I hear from your mouth that you claim to be one of the saved.

I hear you praising the Lord for your salvation. Yet honestly I can't see any distinction between your life. And the life of many others out there who make no claims at salvation.

I hear you praising God for the blood of the lamb. But I don't see you making any effort to walk in the steps of your savior. At this point I bang my fist on the table.

And I say who are you to judge me? You know nothing of the things of God. I'm not saved by works. I'm saved by grace.

I'm not working my way to heaven. I'm a man of faith. With this the stranger walks away shaking his head.

As I mumble that I'm not after those heavenly rewards. I'm just glad to be saved. And as I continue stepping on people's heads.

And putting my fingers in my ears to block out the cries of those who are calling to me for help. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound.

That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost. But now I'm found.

Was blind but now I see. So what do I do now that I've been found? What do I do with my vision now that my eyes have been opened? I follow in the steps of the Lamb. For to this you have been called.

Because Christ also suffered for you. Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin.

Step number one. He committed no sin. He died for me.

He died for my sins. And now he calls me to walk away from my sins. To leave those sins.

He makes it possible for us to turn away from the sins we brought with us when we came today. Now we're not getting into an argument about sinless perfection. But the death of Jesus on the cross was to overcome sin.

Not just in a theoretical way. But in fact so that it's possible for us to bring the sins that we dragged in here today. Our vanity and our fears and our anger.

And come to his table and eat his flesh and drink his blood. And leave those things and walk away from them. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just. And will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus died for our sins. Now he calls us to walk away from those sins. To turn from them.

For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you. Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.

No guile was found on his lips. No guile on those lips. He never twisted the truth.

He never deceived with his mouth or in any other way. And now he calls us. To get the guile, the untruth out of our mouths.

And we're living in a world that runs on deceit. Exaggeration. Con games.

Flattery. And we have been part of that. To follow in his steps means that we now take the deceit.

And the guile and put it out of our mouths. And begin to speak the truth. Lord God help me to speak the truth in love.

Help me to put the deceit out of my mouth. On the day of Pentecost when the spirit fell. We are told they spoke with new tongues.

Now those were not just the new languages of earth. But the new language of heaven. Which is the language of truth.

For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you. Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.

When he was reviled he did not revile in return. The scribes and Pharisees reviled Jesus. The Roman soldiers taunted him.

And he held his peace. He could have burned him to a crisp with flaming words of judgment. But he said nothing.

And now he calls us to follow in his steps. We are his servants. We are going to be reviled and belittled.

Our motives are going to be misconstrued. We are going to be slandered. We are going to be ridiculed.

And our response is to be the silence of God. Not a negative silence. Not a bitter silence.

But the silence of heaven. That spreads peace. Be not overcome by evil.

But overcome evil with good. For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you.

Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. When he suffered he did not threaten. Jesus could have looked down from the cross.

At that ugly mob. And said. You are going to pay for this.

And it would have been done. A judgment would have clung to that multitude forever. But instead Jesus took the judgment on himself.

Instead of threatening them with revenge. He prayed. Father forgive them.

For they know not what they do. And now he calls us. To follow in his steps.

In this too. We are going to suffer. We do right.

And what happens? We get in trouble for it. We suffer for it. But we don't threaten.

But. What if it goes on and on. And what if.

It's all very nice to talk about. You know. Not threatening revenge when we suffer.

When we are sitting in church. You know. But what if you are in a situation.

You got a foreman. Who is really on your back. All the time.

Or a teacher at school that doesn't give you a break. Or a husband. Or a wife.

Who is forever. Ever. Misconstruing your motives.

And nothing you do is any good. How do you survive? For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you.

Leading you an example. That you should follow in his steps. When he suffered.

He did not threaten. But trusted to him. Who judges justly.

He turned the whole thing over to his father. And left it there. And if we are going to survive.

The unfair things. That will be. And are.

Put on us. Without becoming. Nervous wrecks.

Or in bitter spirits. We are going to have to learn. To do exactly what Jesus did.

To turn this over to the father. Who judges justly. Lord God.

By your grace. I'm not going to threaten revenge. And by your grace.

I'm not going to hold this. Unfair thing. They put on me.

In my heart. I'm going to turn this over to you. And I'm going to trust you.

For to this you have been called. Because Christ also suffered for you. Leading you an example.

That you should follow in his steps. He himself. For our sins.

In his body. On the tree. That we might die to sin.

And live to righteousness. By his wounds. You have been healed.

By Jesus death on the cross. He imparts life to us. It's his death.

That brings us life. And now. Death working in us.

Conveys life. To the lives we touch. That's the mystery of the Christian life.

What's the purpose of our coming. And eating his flesh. And drinking his blood.

It brings us. Into direct. Almost physical union.

With the cross. And as we eat his body. And drink his blood.

Jesus lifts us up. Into himself. And in a mystery.

Joins us. To his. Atoning death.

So now you suffer. Death is working in you. In some way.

And instead of kicking against the goals. You take this. This thing you say.

Lord God. Take this thing. That I'm experiencing.

This pain. This loneliness. This misunderstanding.

This wound. This hurt. Cause it.

Father God. To abound. To your glory.

In the life of the person. I'm lifting up. Before your throne.

Grant that the pain. I'm now suffering. May bring.

In the name of Jesus. Bring life. To my enemy.

To my neighbor. To my child. To my husband.

To my wife. And it will. Be.

Done. Finally. For to this you have been called.

Because Christ also suffered for you. Leaving you an example. That you should follow.

In his steps. For you were straying like sheep. But have now returned to the shepherd.

And guardian of your souls. And we didn't return to the shepherd. And guardian of our souls.

All by our little selves. We were brought back. And just as he restored us.

To the father. He now calls us. To the means.

To be the means. By which. Other people.

Straying sheep. Like we were. And often are.

Others are restored. To the father. There are people.

All over the place. Who are going to be restored. To God.

Through us. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call. Or a letter.

Sometimes it takes. Endless visits. And tireless prayers.

Sometimes it's a word of encouragement. Sometimes it's a word of honest. Exhortation.

Or even rebuke. To follow in his steps. Is to bring the wandering ones.

Back. To the father's house. Just like he brought us back.

So today. As we come to the altar. And it doesn't matter.

What your background is. If you're here for the first time. Everybody who hungers for Jesus.

Is welcome to come to the altar. We're coming to the cross. As we eat the bread.

And drink the wine. Which in this case is grape juice. Because the Lord showed us.

For the sake of those who are. Battling alcohol. That we can all be doing it together.

But it's wine. We remember. What was done.

For us. With praise and thanksgiving. We remember.

His death. We also remember. That he is now calling us.

To follow in his steps. And as we eat this food. We receive the strength.

That we need. To enable us to follow in his steps. Then we get up.

And go on our way. And walk through the coming days. In the steps.

Of Jesus himself. Living his life. To a degree we never dreamed was possible.

And as we walk in those blessed steps. We. Take on.

His likeness. Until our lives are wrapped. In the flame.

Of his love. And of his holiness. Forever.

Let's wait upon him in silence.