FOLLOW THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The feet of worldly people run to evil but the feet of the Lord Jesus are precious and beautiful. We will walk in the way of peace if we follow the Lord Jesus Christ’s footsteps.
Rom 3:15-1715Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known:
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Luk 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Where Did the Lord Jesus Christ Go?
1) The Lord Jesus Christ went to various places to preach the gospel.
~The Lord Jesus Christ went to various places to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Mat 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Mak 1:38-3938And He said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. 39And He preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
Luk 4:43 And He said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
~The Lord Jesus Christ preached diligently and seldom ate or rested. He preached to the house of Israel first, and later to the Gentiles.
Mak 3:20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
Mat 15:21-22, 2821Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
~The Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to preach in the same manner.
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mak 16:15 And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
~The Bible records how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Rom 10:14-1514How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
2) The Lord Jesus Christ entered the temple of God.
~The Bible records various instances where the Lord Jesus Christ entered into the temple of God.
Luk 4:16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as his custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Mak 3:1 And He entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
Jhn 2:13-1713And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 17And His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Mak 11:27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as He was walking in the temple, there come to Him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders.
~The Lord Jesus Christ like to be in the temple of God since young.
Luk 2:46-4946And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
~Believers should have the zeal and love for entering into the temple of God.
Psm 84: 1-2, 101<To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.> How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 10For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Psm 122:1 <A Song of degrees of David.> I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
Isa 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
~We should not turn away our feet from the Sabbath to indulge in our own pleasures. Instead, we should go to the temple of God to worship Him.
Isa 58:13-1413If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
3) The Lord Jesus Christ went to various places to pray.
~The Lord Jesus Christ went to various places to pray, including in the mountains.
Mat 14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone.
Luk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
Luk 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples.
Luk 22:39-4139And He came out, and went, as He was His custom, to the Mount of Olives; and His disciples also followed Him. 40And when He was at the place, He said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.
4) The Lord Jesus Christ entered believers’ homes.
~The Lord Jesus Christ entered believers’ homes to preach and to heal the sick.
Luk 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house.
~Households whom the Lord Jesus Christ had visited received His grace.
-Whole household was saved (Luk 19:1-9)
Luk 19:9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
-Healed the sick (Mat 8:14-15)
Mat 8:15 And He touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
-The dead was resurrected (Luk 8:51-54; Jhn 11:11-44)
Luk 8:54 And He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
Jhn 11:43-4443And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
-To come at the Lord Jesus Christ’s feet to hear and understand the Word is a great blessing (Luk 10:39-42)
Luk 10:41-4241And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
5) The Lord Jesus Christ walked towards the path of the cross.
~The Lord Jesus Christ walked towards the path of the cross to fulfil God’s salvation plan.
Mak 10:32-3432And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him, 33Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34And they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.
Mat 20:17-1917And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, 19And shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again.
Jhn 19:17 And He bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
-The Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples to take up the cross and follow Him (i.e. to follow Him in the path of affliction) in order to receive glory in the end.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
-We must not choose the wide and broad way that seems to be an easy path but will lead to destruction.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
6) The Lord Jesus Christ goes before His sheep.
~The Lord Jesus Christ goes before His sheep. His sheep follow Him as they know His voice.
Jhn 10:4 And when He put forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice.
~The Lord Jesus Christ set examples for His disciples so that they would follow His footsteps.
Jhn 13:14-15, 3414If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
7) The Lord Jesus Christ has put all enemies under His feet.
~The Lord Jesus Christ has overcome His enemies, completed God’s salvation plan and received everlasting glory.
1Co 15:25 For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.
~The Lord Jesus Christ promised His disciples that they would overcome their enemies.
Luk 10:18-1918And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Conclusion
Pro 4:26-2726Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Our feet have trodden in the evil path and were defiled. In order to cleanse our feet, we must depart from wickedness and walk in the way of holiness. We must follow the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ that will lead us to the glorious heavenly kingdom.
(Extracted from: The Holy Spirit Times 1963 – Issue No. 150)