JESUS LIVED FOR US (by Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke)
Jesus Christ was a gift to mankind; His whole life was entirely for us. We were His exclusive concern. His life is a flawless example of dedication to mankind. Jesus was totally free of self-interest, and He had only one purpose for being here, us, the people.
He did not serve by being a humanitarian, political or social activist. He never gave anybody one penny, simply because He never had any money. Once, when He needed a penny for a sermon-illustration, they had to lend Him one. But He gave people all He had, and that was Himself, His very heart.
Out of His hands flowed healing. When He had nothing left, and He couldnÂ’t give any more, He gave His blood, the blood of redemption, the price of our salvation. What He gave was far more than material things, or even healing. He gave Himself. In absolute abandon He met the needs of mankind with Himself.
When we had no shepherd, He became the Good Shepherd. When they had no physician, He became the Great Physician. When they had no teacher, He became the Truth. When the crowds were hungry, He became the Bread of Life, and in the darkness, they found Him to be the light of the world.
ChristÂ’s gift to the world was not a new religion, or a new theory about life, or a new formula for heaven. He gave Himself for us, "the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). Christianity is not a religion. It is Jesus. We can form doctrines around Him, but Jesus did not come to bring us theology. He came just to be here, available, never to leave or forsake us, personally.
One of the Old Testament names for God is "El Shaddai". It means God All-Sufficient. That God came to earth in the person of Jesus. He gave all of Himself, and He is all I need. Another Old Testament title was ‘Jehovah Shammah.’ It just means "The Lord Is there." If He is there that is all we want. Peter said "Unto us therefore who believe HE is precious" (1 Peter 2:7).
JESUS REFUSED TO LIVE TO BENEFIT HIMSELF
His motives could be summed up in the word COMPASSION. He was driven by love, never by fear, gain, or popularity. He lived absolutely FOR US. When He left the CarpenterÂ’s bench, He first faced fierce temptations in the wilderness. In every instance He was tempted to think about Himself. One test was to feed Himself by a miracle, another to receive all the Kingdoms on earth as a gift, the other to perform a wonderful sign that would have everybody acclaiming Him as Messiah.
The Lord was repelled by the very suggestion. He went hungry, He was crucified instead of crowned, and He was charged with blasphemy instead of being deified. When they applauded Him, He wept for them. They tried to make Him king by force, but He chose the Cross. Going to His death, He told the women of Jerusalem to weep for themselves, not for Him - they were His last thought. Christ wasnÂ’t thinking of Himself at all, and even if it meant death He would bear it for us (1Thessalonians 5:10). He was ready to save us from hell by going through that hell of torment Himself.
He met a woman at a well, and asked for a drink (John 4:7). In a couple of sentences He became concerned just about her. Jesus was far more interested in giving her a drink at the fountain of eternal life than quenching His own thirst. In fact, did she ever give Him that drink? We never read that she did. That little episode lights up for us what Jesus was.
A Christian is somebody related to God, in the family of God. They are born-again by the Spirit of God (John 3:6). It is not a case of having a religious experience, one day, or a vision, or feeling good or happy. It is a RELATIONSHIP, closeness, and a family tie. Christ lived for us - to belong to us. If Christ belongs to me, then I am saved. He gave Himself FOR us, and gave Himself TO us. Salvation means being united with Him. Jesus doesnÂ’t send salvation. He IS salvation; He doesnÂ’t send forgiveness of sins, He brings it. He forgives us and lives with us.
Christ "dwelt among us" (John 1:14). He made His home with us - or rather He made a home, and when we believe, we cross the doorstep and walk in. God is our true home. Away from Him we are away from home. That is why Christ lived for us. He wants to be with us and us with Him - at home. The Bible is full of "home." The Prodigal Son came home. Jesus went into homes. He talked about the eternal home. "In my FatherÂ’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you that where I am ye may be also" (John 14:2).
CHRIST LIVED FOR US TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE
The Bible speaks of Christ as being without sin, the spotless Lamb of God. He lived for us the perfect life, leaving us an example to follow in His footsteps.
What was His perfection? It was very simple - obedience to God. He did not live by a set of rules to govern every action of His life. He wasnÂ’t a walking encyclopedia of the law, which He consulted every second from getting up to going to sleep again. He simply did what He knew would please the Father.
That is how to live. He lived for us to show us how to live. To please God is all that is wanted. We may have great moral problems, and we donÂ’t know which is the right thing to do. Well, there is only one reason why we should be good at all and that is to be like Jesus and to please God.
He did not serve by being a humanitarian, political or social activist. He never gave anybody one penny, simply because He never had any money. Once, when He needed a penny for a sermon-illustration, they had to lend Him one. But He gave people all He had, and that was Himself, His very heart.
Out of His hands flowed healing. When He had nothing left, and He couldnÂ’t give any more, He gave His blood, the blood of redemption, the price of our salvation. What He gave was far more than material things, or even healing. He gave Himself. In absolute abandon He met the needs of mankind with Himself.
When we had no shepherd, He became the Good Shepherd. When they had no physician, He became the Great Physician. When they had no teacher, He became the Truth. When the crowds were hungry, He became the Bread of Life, and in the darkness, they found Him to be the light of the world.
ChristÂ’s gift to the world was not a new religion, or a new theory about life, or a new formula for heaven. He gave Himself for us, "the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). Christianity is not a religion. It is Jesus. We can form doctrines around Him, but Jesus did not come to bring us theology. He came just to be here, available, never to leave or forsake us, personally.
One of the Old Testament names for God is "El Shaddai". It means God All-Sufficient. That God came to earth in the person of Jesus. He gave all of Himself, and He is all I need. Another Old Testament title was ‘Jehovah Shammah.’ It just means "The Lord Is there." If He is there that is all we want. Peter said "Unto us therefore who believe HE is precious" (1 Peter 2:7).
JESUS REFUSED TO LIVE TO BENEFIT HIMSELF
His motives could be summed up in the word COMPASSION. He was driven by love, never by fear, gain, or popularity. He lived absolutely FOR US. When He left the CarpenterÂ’s bench, He first faced fierce temptations in the wilderness. In every instance He was tempted to think about Himself. One test was to feed Himself by a miracle, another to receive all the Kingdoms on earth as a gift, the other to perform a wonderful sign that would have everybody acclaiming Him as Messiah.
The Lord was repelled by the very suggestion. He went hungry, He was crucified instead of crowned, and He was charged with blasphemy instead of being deified. When they applauded Him, He wept for them. They tried to make Him king by force, but He chose the Cross. Going to His death, He told the women of Jerusalem to weep for themselves, not for Him - they were His last thought. Christ wasnÂ’t thinking of Himself at all, and even if it meant death He would bear it for us (1Thessalonians 5:10). He was ready to save us from hell by going through that hell of torment Himself.
He met a woman at a well, and asked for a drink (John 4:7). In a couple of sentences He became concerned just about her. Jesus was far more interested in giving her a drink at the fountain of eternal life than quenching His own thirst. In fact, did she ever give Him that drink? We never read that she did. That little episode lights up for us what Jesus was.
A Christian is somebody related to God, in the family of God. They are born-again by the Spirit of God (John 3:6). It is not a case of having a religious experience, one day, or a vision, or feeling good or happy. It is a RELATIONSHIP, closeness, and a family tie. Christ lived for us - to belong to us. If Christ belongs to me, then I am saved. He gave Himself FOR us, and gave Himself TO us. Salvation means being united with Him. Jesus doesnÂ’t send salvation. He IS salvation; He doesnÂ’t send forgiveness of sins, He brings it. He forgives us and lives with us.
Christ "dwelt among us" (John 1:14). He made His home with us - or rather He made a home, and when we believe, we cross the doorstep and walk in. God is our true home. Away from Him we are away from home. That is why Christ lived for us. He wants to be with us and us with Him - at home. The Bible is full of "home." The Prodigal Son came home. Jesus went into homes. He talked about the eternal home. "In my FatherÂ’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you that where I am ye may be also" (John 14:2).
CHRIST LIVED FOR US TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE
The Bible speaks of Christ as being without sin, the spotless Lamb of God. He lived for us the perfect life, leaving us an example to follow in His footsteps.
What was His perfection? It was very simple - obedience to God. He did not live by a set of rules to govern every action of His life. He wasnÂ’t a walking encyclopedia of the law, which He consulted every second from getting up to going to sleep again. He simply did what He knew would please the Father.
That is how to live. He lived for us to show us how to live. To please God is all that is wanted. We may have great moral problems, and we donÂ’t know which is the right thing to do. Well, there is only one reason why we should be good at all and that is to be like Jesus and to please God.
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