The disciple of Christ is a learner from Christ. “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;” said the Saviour, “for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Mt. 11:29). The believer finds strength, security, and peace in taking and submitting to Christ’s yoke. The longer we wear the conforming yoke the more we are transformed to be like Him. We learn Him (see Eph. 4:20).
Christ, God’s living Message and Messenger, is our ultimate example to follow and God’s ultimate declaration of truth to be obeyed. “The truth is in Jesus” (Eph. 4:21).
How did God choose to record His Son’s life and His work of redemption? Through four different writers, from four distinct vantage points and to four different audiences. Matthew is written to the expectant Jew waiting for the promised King; Mark is written to the Roman as an example of an obedient servant; Luke is written to the Greek and presents a perfect Man; and John is written to the world and presents Christ in His deity.
These Gospel testimonies are not complete biographies, but revelations of a Person. God did not choose to record every moment of His Son’s life, but only those He wanted us to understand. John explains, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name” (Jn. 20:30-31).
The mysteries and doctrines of grace associated with the cross are then revealed and developed in the epistles. Of the 89 chapters in the four Gospel records, 85 address the Lord’s ministry years, and 27 of these His last eight days before Calvary. Five chapters are post-resurrection. What might we learn from the Lord, our example (1 Pet. 2:21)?
THE WAY OF THE LORD
He had a human forerunner (John the Baptist) to prepare the people for the kingdom message, which began with a call to repentance (Mt. 4:17). Likewise, the believer should never remove repentance from the gospel message today. We should learn of Him.
Three different angelic announcements (to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds) and five different human declarations (Mary, Zechariah, Simeon, Anna and the wise men) clearly state that the promised Messiah had come, that He was the Son of God, would deliver the Jews from their enemies, fulfill the Abrahamic covenant, and assume the throne of David forever. However, most importantly He had come to save His people from their sins. Clearly, the Jews did not understand God’s plan of two advents for Christ to accomplish all the above.
Israel as a whole rejected Christ and thus the offer of the kingdom was withdrawn until a Gentile bride had been secured for Christ during the Church Age. Paul states in Romans 11 that God would use the Gentiles (a people not His own) to provoke Israel to jealousy. Then during Daniel’s seventh week, the Tribulation period, the Kingdom will be again offered to the Jews, but at a terrible cost, as two-thirds of them will die during this horrible period known as “Jacob’s Trouble” (Zech. 12:8-9; Jer. 30:7).
THE LIFE OF THE LORD
The Lord was born of a virgin, through the activity of the Holy Spirit, and thus the God-man was without a sin nature. He was born of a Jewish woman and thus the Lawgiver willingly placed Himself under His own law. He then proceeded to live a sinless life, thus fulfilling the law and proving Himself a worthy substitute to bear the curse of that law for all humanity (Gal. 3:13-14).
The Lord grew in wisdom and stature into manhood. The Lord learned to crawl and walk the same way we did. He learned to talk, memorize Scriptures, and to labor in a profession the same way we do. Yet He never lied to His parents, never coveted a toy–“That’s mine,” never struck another in rage, or acted in self-will. Imagine a boy who held the truth so dear He would never add to it, subtract from it, flavor it, or sensationalize it for His own gain.
It was evident in the temple at the age of 12 that He already understood His mission as He declared, “I must be about My Father’s business.” Yet knowing this, He still willingly placed Himself under His parent’s authority and labored, helping in the carpenter shop. We should learn of Him. While waiting for God’s marching orders, we should be attending to the responsibilities already given us and submit to the authority over us. This is good training for whatever service which lies ahead.
The Lord was water baptized, to identify with those He came to save and to demonstrate to John He was the Messiah. It was on this occasion that the Holy Spirit anointed the Lord. This is first of three anointings recorded. Later the thankful tears of a repentant sinner would give witness to the fruitfulness of His ministry, and rich spikenard would prepare the King for death. It was in the baptismal waters first, and then again at the Transfiguration that the heavenly Father audibly expressed His pleasure and love for His Son.
After the “father of lies” failed in three attempts to convince Jesus to bow before him, the Lord chose and trained twelve men (though one was a traitor). The Lord believed in growing the church (still future) through making disciples. We should learn of Him.
He preached two major sermons to the multitude at either end of His public ministry (on the Mount, Mt. 5-7, and a Woe to the Pharisees, Mt. 23). He gave two major discourses to His disciples (at Olivet and in the Upper Room) just prior to His death. The fact that not more major messages are recorded gives evidence that His life spoke louder than words. We should learn of Him!
He often taught of Himself metaphorically and through analogies. His seven “I am” statements profoundly declare His deity, yet also inform us of His character, abilities, and redemptive work. His 25 major parables are matchless in unveiling truth, yet draped in a way that rebellious hearts could not understand.
The Lord was full of compassion for the hurting and needy. On several occasions, such as with a leper and two blind men, He reached out to touch those He was about to heal. Why did He do this when only a word would have accomplished the miracle? The Lord knew that for some a gentle touch would soothe a need deeper than the surgeon’s knife could find. We should learn of Him.
Many of the Lord’s miracles were not specifically recorded in Scripture, but 40 distinct miracles are: 19 healings of physical illness or death, twice affecting the weather, twice denying physical laws, thrice using fish miracles, once withering fig tree, twice feeding the masses, once turning water to wine, seven times commanding demons from their human hosts, once each disappearing from a mob and driving back His foes in Gethsemane, and effecting His own resurrection.
Yet in all these miracles never did He use His power to satisfy His humanity. His meekness is demonstrated in suffering hunger, thirst, sleeplessness, sorrow, and attack, never using His divinity to alleviate the condition or remove the situation. It was within His power to escape suffering, but the Lord tasted every trial that He might “weep with those that weep.” We should learn of Him!
He was transfigured once. For a brief moment, flesh could not veil His divine essence and the outshining glory which illuminated creation again glowed on earth (see 2 Cor. 4:6). The Lord’s prayer life was extraordinary–often sacrificing sleep to rise before morning light or on occasion to span the entire night with solitary communion with His Father. We should learn of Him.
What do we find the Lord doing when His hour of supreme trial arrives at Calvary? Praying! His prayers were fervent and personal, but the longest would take less than three minutes to read. We should learn of Him.
THE GIVING OF THE LORD
The Lord met intense opposition in that final week. Before He had taken His first breath it is likely that He had ridden on an ass into Bethlehem. Now the triumphant King would ride on an ass once more, but into Jerusalem to suffer and die. That day brought one challenge after another. Pharisees, scribes, priests, a lawyer, Sadducees, and the Herodians all confronted Him–and left defeated. After that no more frontal assaults would come; the enemy retreated to work his evil in the hearts of men.
The evening of His betrayal the Lord of glory washed twenty-four feet, and then instituted a Supper so His disciples would remember His example of humility in service and His sacrificial death. We should learn of Him and remember Him!
A few hours later He was arrested and brought to trial; six to be exact: three religious trials and three civil trials. The accusations: that He had claimed to be God and a king. Both true! Yet, Herod and Pilate found no fault in Him. But God’s holiness demanded more than human justice could muster on this occasion, and an innocent Man was sentenced to death in spite of the “Not guilty” verdict. The Son of Man was bound twice in His life: once in the womb to be born and once by the cords of evil men to be murdered. The Lord was born to die. We should learn of Him, for the Christian has been reborn to die, to die to self and live to Christ (2 Cor. 5:14-15).
THE DAY OF THE LORD
The Lord received a mock crown, a hand-me-down robe and a reed scepter prior to death, and a borrowed tomb afterwards. To give evidence of His resurrection on the third day, at least 11 separate accounts are recorded, each one giving us the hope of glorification.
The extent to which He was humbled justifies the measure of His exaltation. In a coming day, all shall declare that the One holding a rod of iron with a nail-scarred hand, with diadems upon His head, dressed in royal apparel, is the Son of God, the King of glory! Yet, beloved, we have the privilege of being the forerunners of His grace now. Let us learn of Him, and, like Him, let us be about the king’s business.