In the past weeks of the month of July, unintentionally on my part, we started a series of teachings on Sunday mornings with the corresponding bulletin messages, that focused on what the New Testament teaches us about Jesus in the daily life of the believer. On 7-9-17 we studied what it meant to “Walk (or live) as Jesus did“, taken from 1 John 2:6. Last week we studied Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”, and “how much of a reality is this verse part of our lives as Christians?” This week we will be studying the topic, “Doing what Jesus did”. This topic is actually the title of a book authored by John and Sonja Decker, but we will not be studying the six major points that the book deals with, Leading people to Christ, Leading Christians into the Holy Spirit baptism, Learning how to heal the sick, Hearing from God, Healing the sick by revelation, Dealing with demons. Instead we will be studying and emphasizing on the “do” or “doing”, and why what we do is important to Jesus.
The key verse of this study is, John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” When we read this verse most Christian’s would not have any objections or doubt acknowledging the fact that Jesus is with the God the Father. Acts 2:32-33, “32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God…”. If you would like other texts that support this fact, please read Acts 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 10:12. But, why do some believers doubt and even have objections acknowledging the other following facts of the same verse of what Jesus said? “…anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…” In last week’s teaching I asked this question. “If some have the faith to believe the Scriptures that Jesus is with the Father, why then, don’t they have the faith in what the Scriptures say to do what Jesus did?”
The following are eight points and questions that will help us understand why what we do and/or are doing is important to Jesus.
PLEASE LOOK UP IN YOUR BIBLES THE ENTIRE SCRIPTURE REFERENCE STATED.
- Why is doing what Jesus did important?
Matthew 5:14-16, “…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
- For who’s glory (or what reason) are we doing or want to do these “deeds“, ours or God’s?
- Does it matter to us if we are not recognized by others for the “deeds” we do?
1 Corinthians 10:31-33, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
- Doing what Jesus did is important, but if we do not have faith we will not do much.
John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
- Do we have the faith in Jesus to do what Jesus did?
- What is one of the many important things did Jesus tell me that I should be doing?
- Are we doing to others as we would want them to do to us?
Luke 6:27-31, “31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
- Doing what Jesus did is not what is most important to Jesus.
Matthew 7:21-23, 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
- Doing what Jesus did is doing God’s will.
- Jesus said, “I never knew you”, To be known by Jesus is more important that doing what Jesus did.
- The more intimate we know Jesus the more we can do what He did.
- When we do what Jesus did to others it reveals who Jesus is in us.
“The return of the Lord will usher in a judgment, which will divide people. The judgment will be based on moral character, and the character is revealed by charitable deeds or the lack of them.” – Spirit Filled Life Study Bible
Matthew 25:31-46, 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “
- Doing what Jesus did exemplifies the love of Jesus in us.
- Doing what Jesus did should demonstrate that we love Jesus.
- If we are doing what Jesus did, we should do what His Word commands.
John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey (do) what I command.”
1 John 2:3-6, “5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.”
- Doing what Jesus did and our deeds.
- Our deeds are the many things we do. Are the deeds we are doing for Jesus what He would want us to do?
John 3:20-21, “20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
- What I believe, who I am, who Christ is in me, the choices I make and the way I live are all exhibited to others by the deeds I do.
- If I say I love God, does what I do demonstrate or exhibit my love for God to others?
- Doing what Jesus did is important, but there are other important things to Jesus than what we do for Him.
- Is Jesus pleased by what He knows we are doing for Him?
“I know your deeds…”, Revelation 2:1-5, Revelation 2:18-20, Revelation 3:1-3, Revelation 3:14-17.
Pastor John
