An Example

Jeremiah 17:5,7 -Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD."

       

Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet. He had a very big heart for Israel and could see the destruction they were headed for. They had turned their backs on God. They worshiped wooded idols which could not hear their prayers. Their hearts had hardened to the things of God. When we abandon God we lose proper guidance. Without that guidance, one seeks their own way.

Like God wanting His people Israel to return to Him, Jesus wants us, another form of wandering Israel, to seek Him. He had a big heart for people. He knew the destruction people were headed for. His heart so broke out of love for us all that He chose to die for us. He wanted then as He wants now, to be the Shepherd to the lost sheep. He set an example. 

We are like Israel when we seek our own ways in life: whatever makes me happy, whatever satisfies me. Me, me, me...not God. As difficult as it may be to hear, these are the people who God refers to as wicked people. He spits them out because they are distasteful. They do not take seriously the things of God. The LORD spoke to Jeremiah and He told him He will give man what he deserves, according to what he believes is right. 

If a person desires God, desires Jesus, and desires what He has to give, He will bless him. God does search hearts. Don't think He doesn't know whose hearts are focused on Him and on what He says. He also knows which people believe in their hearts that what the Bible says was for some ancient civilization, for that land and people called Israel, but today's culture is different...and who or what is Israel today anyway? 

Jesus came to be our example. He lived, He died and He rose again, a popular worship song states. It goes on to say, Hallelujah, for all He's done. As our example He taught the choices we make are important, as difficult as some might be. He taught how we need to give up some of the things in our lives that we so dearly cling to. He is to be our all in all. I believe He blesses us more when we give up what we think we need in this world.

He also showed us by example how we are to be set apart. He was not so well liked by those who knew Him growing up. His claims of being the Savior of the world was a hard word to swallow, even for His family. Mark 3:21 - But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”  There is division among families today for this very reason. There are scoffers.

The religious leaders were threatened by His claims and His different views. If He was who He said He was, He needed to be taken out! And so the people, all people, did just that. Hebrew priests and Roman authorities, Jews and Gentiles...people in general. Who was this Man? How could He make such claims? Even today there is division among churches because of doctrinal differences.

He set an example. He may have been crucified. He may have died but He rose again. What is that example for us? It's that phrase that Jesus used...Jesus...about being born again. This is one of those doctrines that sets churches apart. It separates by placing relationship (in Jesus Himself) over religion (man made rules). It's an issue among family and friends. But...it's an example Jesus set. It's what caused some people to scoff and others to want to kill Him. 

He is the example. He died so we might live. But in order to live we have to receive Him...by faith. And what is faith? That which cannot be seen...not our works...but what we believe in our hearts...not religion but relationship...with our Example.

It's believing what He tells us in His Word. If He tells us we must be born again, we must be born again. And if He describes what that is, it's what we must do. We cannot pick and choose what we want to believe from what He says.

He wants us to be blessed, not cursed. We cannot trust in the things of this world; we cannot live apart from God, which is living in our own way, doing only what we want to. We will have to give up some of our own things, our own ways, to follow Him. It's not about being like the others, keeping up with the Jones', but it's about separating ourselves, not always fitting in with the others. 

Jesus set Himself apart and He taught His disciples to do the same. We can't call ourselves Christians and not adhere to His beliefs and examples. Either we believe what He tells us or we believe what man tells us. Do we believe this as Jeremiah did:

Jeremiah 15:16-17 - Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because of Your hand, for You have filled me with indignation.