Imitate

Pastor Dave in this series on “Dear God” is taking us through a difficult period concerning current affairs. These are making the news each day. His textbook is the Bible. We have seen him holding it out towards us, telling us, last week, it is a mirror into which we must look. So, let us take a look. Today we see people protesting because of injustice. Those who march in protest do so under banners and signs. The BLM or Back Lives Matter banners are seen all over the world as people march against injustice.  What is the Christian response?  What flag do we march under?

People leading protests in not something new.  All protests are not the same. Some are good, some are bad.  In Acts 5 we read of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus on trial again. The Jewish council saw them as a dangerous movement and wanted to kill them. (V.33).  Gamaliel’s advice was “no, let us wait.“ He then told of another protest movement in v.36. “For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him.  He was killed, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.”

In Acts 21:37 The Apostle Paul is under arrest and the Roman commander asks, him speaking of another movement: “are you not the Egyptian who some time ago raised an insurrection and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness.” Paul was not of that protest movement. The worst one to us is Barabbas in the Gospels.

The way through this world of many voices and protest movements is: “Imitate.” The last words in the parable of the good Samaritan by our Lord Jesus is: “go and do likewise” Imitate. Paul says to the Philippians 3:7 “follow my example,” and again in 1 Cor. 11:1 “be imitators of me just I am also am of Christ.” Was Paul thinking too much of himself?  No, in a world where there were not a lot of mature Christian models, Paul was confident he was one. He imitated the Lord Jesus.

We all will have to have the boldness to say to others at sometimes “watch me, do as I do.”  We must imitate the Lord Jesus. Paul’s strong words to us are found in Ephesians 5:1: “Be followers of God as dear children.”

Now in the days of our Lord Jesus, there were a lot of political and religious movements.  I suppose a lot of flag-carrying and protests. Good ones and bad. Which ones did our Lord Jesus join? You would expect the good ones. You would be wrong; He did not join any. He walked through them all and did the will of his Father. He walked down the middle and imitated his Father. John 11:49: “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but The Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.”  Paul imitated Jesus, and so must we. We must let our light shine before men. The Bible is our textbook. Do listen to more of Pastor Dave’s teaching. In fact, try and not miss any.  Join us online.