The Teachings of Jesus

Living Like Jesus

Lesson #7 for August 16, 2014

Scriptures: [Matthew 9:36; 25:31-46; Mark 10:21; Luke 6:32-35; 10:30-37; John 15:4-12][i].

1.    In this lesson we will discuss Jesus setting an incredibly high standard by which Christians are to live. Jesus not only lived according to that standard Himself from childhood to the end of His ministry but also gave examples from the experiences of others. The principle of true Christian love-known as agape love-was set forth by Christ Himself in the times of the Old Testament as recorded in Leviticus 19:18,33-34ii.

2.    It is interesting to notice that other ancient societies spelled out rules that might have sounded like those rules as well. Since the days of Eve, probably every mother has said to her children: “If you don’t want your sibling to do something bad to you, don’t do it to her/him.” This basic idea has been repeated in places like the Code of Hammurabi.

3.    To the Hebrew people who had just escaped from Egyptian slavery, God set forth the principle that they should love their neighbor as they loved themselves and that love should extend even to the stranger. (Leviticus 19:18,33-34) Surely, every Jewish child must have known of those commands from Leviticus.

4.    However, Jesus set a new, even higher, standard for loving. What was that standard? We are to love as He loved! (John 13:34-35)iii How is that possible for naturally-selfish human beings? What are the worst sins? See Steps to Christ 30.1.

Love was the element in which Christ moved and walked and worked. He came to embrace the world in the arms of his love.

We are to follow the example set by Christ, and make him our pattern, until we shall have the same love for others as he has manifested for us. He seeks to impress us with this profound lesson of love. Youth’s Instructor, October 20, 1892 par. 2-3; OFC 27; SDG 147.2.

5.    So, what standard did Jesus set for us?

From His earliest years He was possessed of one purpose; He lived to bless others. For this He found resources in nature; new ideas of ways and means flashed into His mind as He studied plant life and animal life. (The Desire of Ages 70.2)

Jesus was the fountain of healing mercy for the world; and through all those secluded years at Nazareth, His life flowed out in currents of sympathy and tenderness. The aged, the sorrowing, and the sin-burdened, the children at play in their innocent joy, the little creatures of the groves, the patient beasts of burden,-all were happier for His presence. He whose word of power upheld the worlds would stoop to relieve a wounded bird. There was nothing beneath His notice, nothing to which He disdained to minister. (The Desire of Ages 74.1)

Jesus worked to relieve every case of suffering that He saw. He had little money to give, but He often denied Himself of food in order to relieve those who appeared more needy than He. His brothers felt that His influence went far to counteract theirs. He possessed a tact which none of them had, or desired to have. When they spoke harshly to poor, degraded beings, Jesus sought out these very ones, and spoke to them words of encouragement. To those who were in need He would give a cup of cold water, and would quietly place His own meal in their hands. As He relieved their sufferings, the truths He taught were associated with His acts of mercy, and were thus riveted in the memory. (The Desire of Ages 87.1)

Jesus did not contend for His rights. Often His work was made unnecessarily severe because He was willing and uncomplaining. Yet He did not fail nor become discouraged. He lived above these difficulties, as if in the light of God’s countenance. He did not retaliate when roughly used, but bore insult patiently. (The Desire of Ages 89.4)

6.    What do we know about how Jesus felt about the people with whom He dealt on a daily basis during His ministry? Read Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32iv. Having learned this lesson during His childhood, as noted above, Jesus continued to look with pity and compassion on all those who swarmed about Him during His ministry. He had pity on the blind, (Matthew 20:34)[v] on the lepers, (Mark 1:40-41)vi and especially for a widow who had lost her only son. (Luke 7:12-13)vii

7.    And what did this compassion and pity lead Him to do? See Mark 10:21viii and John 11:5ix. Would it be correct to say that everything Jesus did was motivated by love? What about His discussion with the Pharisees and the Sadducees as recorded in John 8? Was it loving for Him to have said, “You are of your father the devil”? (John 8:44[x], KJV. See also John 2:13-17xi.)

8.    Jesus was questioned about His lifestyle and His actions on several occasions. Read Luke 10:30-37. One of the most noteworthy occasions was the question that came from a lawyer who apparently was also a very good Bible student. Jesus was preaching and healing somewhere on the east side of the Jordan in the final few months of His ministry. As usual, there was a very mixed group of people listening to Him including Pharisees and, no doubt, some Sadducees. The priests and the rabbis had encouraged the lawyer to ask this question to try to entangle Jesus in an argument which they hoped to win. (See The Desire of Ages 497.2.) Instead of entering into one of their long arguments, Jesus simply told the story of the good Samaritan.

This was no imaginary scene, but an actual occurrence, which was known to be exactly as represented. The priest and the Levite who had passed by on the other side were in the company that listened to Christ’s words. (The Desire of Ages 499.1)

How do you suppose the priest and the Levite felt as they heard their story being told by Jesus? Did they wonder how Jesus found out about the story? Jesus asked the lawyer:

Luke 10:36-37: 36 “In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor towards the man attacked by the robbers?” 37 The teacher of the Law answered, “The one who was kind to him.” (GNB)

The attitude that the Jews had toward the Samaritans was illustrated by the fact that the lawyer would not even mention the Samaritan by nationality.

9.    This parable adapted from a true story should teach us that anyone in need is our neighbor. We should not be asking, “What can my neighbor do for me?” but rather “What can I do for my neighbor?” When someone mistreats us, how do we respond?

10.    Think of those who might have mistreated you or, at least, treated you unfairly in the past. How have you responded to that treatment?

11.    What did Jesus go on to say almost at the very end of His ministry, three days before His crucifixion, about our relationship to the poor and needy? (Read Matthew 25:31-46xii.) This very familiar parable can be confusing to some. It seems as if the criteria for salvation is good works. That was not Jesus’s point. Jesus was trying to tell us that faith works! It is the faith-our relationship with God-that saves us. But, having love for God and growing to love Him more every day because of the example He has given us in the life and death of Jesus, we come to love our neighbors as He does. The resulting actions are the result of our faith and our salvation and not the cause of that salvation.

12.    There will be some in the judgment who claim to have done many good things-even casting out devils and performing many miracles-in the name of Jesus. (Matthew 7:21-23)xiii But, Jesus will sadly turn to them and say: “I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!” (GNB)

13.    So, who are those people that Jesus will call “the least of these, my brethren”? (Matthew 25:40) Ellen White discussed this parable.

Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. (The Desire of Ages 638.2)

14.    Maybe the toughest command that God ever gave to practicing Christians is found in Luke 6:27-28xiv and Matthew 5:44xv. Is it really possible to love your enemies? Jesus identified three characteristics of enemies: 1) They manifest hostile attitudes toward us; 2) They may speak bad words about us; and 3) They may actually abuse us, even persecute us. (Matthew 5:44)

15.    He tells us to respond in three appropriate ways: 1) Treat them well, 2) Speak well about them, and 3) Pray for them. What does it do to us as humans to treat our enemies in these ways? (Romans 12:21)xvi The only possible way to accomplish that apart from a hypocritical, offensive, lying behavior is to consistently look to Jesus and practice being like Him. As Abraham Lincoln suggested, if we turn our enemy into our friend, have we destroyed our enemy?

16.    So, why did Jesus say we need to love our enemies? (Luke 6:32-35)xvii That is the way we come to be like God. Once again, Jesus gave three arguments in favor of this: 1) Doing these things separates us from the low standard of the world; 2) We will be rewarded by God for that kind of behavior because it actually changes us to become more like Him; and 3) That kind of behavior is powerful evidence of our Christianity. (Luke 6:35; John 13:34-35)xviii We must never forget that God loved us even when we were still His enemies. (Romans 5:10)xix

17.    It would be naturally human to say these standards are impossible for human beings. But, God has made them possible by providing the means to accomplish it.

This standard is not one to which we cannot attain. In every command or injunction that God gives there is a promise, the most positive, underlying the command. God has made provision that we may become like unto Him, and He will accomplish this for all who do not interpose a perverse will and thus frustrate His grace.—Ellen G. White, Mount of Blessing, p. 76.2.

18.    In His final hours with His disciples, Jesus used a vine to illustrate how these things are to be accomplished. We must have such a close connection with Him that it is like the attachment of a branch to the vine. That kind of relationship will transform us from selfish, evil, sin-loving, human beings into gracious, kind, loving Christians.

19.    So, who are the people that we should be reaching out to every day?

All around us are poor, tried souls that need sympathizing words and helpful deeds. There are widows who need sympathy and assistance. There are orphans whom Christ has bidden His followers receive as a trust from God. Too often these are passed by with neglect. They may be ragged, uncouth, and The Teachings of Jesus - #7 - page 3 of 4 seemingly in every way unattractive; yet they are God’s property. They have been bought with a [387] price, and they are as precious in His sight as we are.

They are members of God’s great household, and Christians as His stewards are responsible for them. “Their souls,” He says, “will I require at thine hand.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons 386.5-387.0.

It is not the greatness of the work which we do, but the love and fidelity with which we do it, that wins the approval of the Saviour. It is the use which we make of our talents which determines our woe or weal. We may have faith to remove mountains, and understand all mysteries, and give our bodies to be burned, yet without charity-that love which finds utterance in good works, that feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, and visits the afflicted-we are “as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.”[1 Corinthians 13:1-3]xx—Pamphlet 69 13.3 (1878); Ellen G. White, In Heavenly Places, p. 325. [Content in brackets is added.]

20.    Many Christians living in so-called Christian nations today might say that they do not really have any enemies. But, the time is coming soon when people will be seeking to end our lives! How can we be prepared for that day?

21.    How can we come to truly love and desire becoming more like Jesus? Is it really possible to learn to love our enemies? If we come to be more and more like Jesus by studying His life, what happens to our natural selfishness?

It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.—Ellen G. White, Desire of Ages, 83.4.

22.    If we are kind and loving toward transgressors, are we encouraging them in their sin? Many Christians today are more wealthy in terms of this earth’s goods than their neighbors. How should we relate to those poorer neighbors? (1 John 3:16-19)xxi

23.    When Jesus was on this earth, He reached right through cultural Jewish barriers and extended His hand of love to Romans, Greeks, Syro-phoenicians, Samaritans, demoniacs, lepers, and anyone else He thought was in need. What groups of people would be on your list today?

24.    The Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide recounts a story from many years ago. When Adventism swept through the Solomon Islands, two rival chiefs from cannibalistic tribes both became Christians and ended up worshiping in the same church. One of those chiefs had actually murdered the father of the other chief and cannibalized him. When the time for communion came, the son of the chief who had been cannibalized became enraged to think that he was taking part in the communion service with the man who had killed and eaten his father. He stormed out of the church; but after a short time, he decided to return; and eventually, the two of them were reconciled to become victorious Christians. They emerged from the church that day, one liberated from his shameful actions, and the other from his thirst for revenge.

25.    Could we actually get to the place where we could forgive someone who had killed a relative? Revelation 14:4xxii says that the remnant will follow Jesus wherever He goes. Jesus went to the cross. Are we prepared to follow Him that far?

© 2014, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.

Info@theox.org

Last Modified: July 5, 2014

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i-Matthew 9:36 As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, 32 and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left. 34 Then the King will say to the people on his right, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, 36 naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.' 37 The righteous will then answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' 40 The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, "Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a drink; 43 I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.' 44 Then they will answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help you?' 45 The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.' 46 These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life."

Mark 10:21 Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, "You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me."

Luke 6:32 "If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! 34 And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! 35 No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Luke 10:30 Jesus answered, "There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. 31 It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by on the other side. 32 In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. 34 He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. "Take care of him,' he told the innkeeper, "and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.' " 36 And Jesus concluded, "In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor toward the man attacked by the robbers?" 37 The teacher of the Law answered, "The one who was kind to him." Jesus replied, "You go, then, and do the same."

John 15:4 Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. 6 Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. 8 My Father's glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples. 9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you.

ii-Leviticus 19:18 Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself. I am the Lord. 33 "Do not mistreat foreigners who are living in your land. 34 Treat them as you would an Israelite, and love them as you love yourselves. Remember that you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

iii-John 13:34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples."

iv-Matthew 9:36 As he saw the crowds, his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were worried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 14:14 Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd, his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick.

Matthew 15:32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I feel sorry for these people, because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away without feeding them, for they might faint on their way home."

v-Matthew 20:34 Jesus had pity on them and touched their eyes; at once they were able to see, and they followed him.

vi-Mark 1:40 A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. "If you want to," he said, "you can make me clean." 41 Jesus was filled with pity, and reached out and touched him. "I do want to," he answered. "Be clean!"

vii-Luke 7:12 Just as he arrived at the gate of the town, a funeral procession was coming out. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart was filled with pity for her, and he said to her, "Don't cry."

viii-Mark 10:21 Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, "You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me."

ix-John 11:5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

x-John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

xi-John 2:13 It was almost time for the Passover Festival, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 There in the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and pigeons, and also the moneychangers sitting at their tables. 15 So he made a whip from cords and drove all the animals out of the Temple, both the sheep and the cattle; he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins; 16 and he ordered those who sold the pigeons, "Take them out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" 17 His disciples remembered that the scripture says, "My devotion to your house, O God, burns in me like a fire."

xii-Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, 32 and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left. 34 Then the King will say to the people on his right, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, 36 naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.' 37 The righteous will then answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' 40 The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, "Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a drink; 43 I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.' 44 Then they will answer him, "When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help you?' 45 The King will reply, "I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.' 46 These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life."

xiii-Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who calls me "Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do. 22 When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, "Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God's message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!' 23 Then I will say to them, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!'

xiv-Luke 6:27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

xv-Matthew 5:44 But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

xvi-Romans 12:21 Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.

xvii-Luke 6:32 "If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that! 34 And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! 35 No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

xviii-Luke 6:35 No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

John 13:34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples."

xix-Romans 5:10 We were God's enemies, but he made us his friends through the death of his Son. Now that we are God's friends, how much more will we be saved by Christ's life!

xx-1 Corinthians 13:1 I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. 2 I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains - but if I have no love, I am nothing. 3 I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned - but if I have no love, this does me no good.

xxi-1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others! 17 If we are rich and see others in need, yet close our hearts against them, how can we claim that we love God? 18 My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. 19 This, then, is how we will know that we belong to the truth; this is how we will be confident in God's presence.

xxii-Revelation 14:4 They are the men who have kept themselves pure by not having sexual relations with women; they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from the rest of the human race and are the first ones to be offered to God and to the Lamb.

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