{"id":27063,"date":"2021-03-24T14:49:05","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T18:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=27063"},"modified":"2021-04-16T14:06:11","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T18:06:11","slug":"pastors-ponderings-christ-imitator-or-car-thief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=27063","title":{"rendered":"Pastor’s Ponderings: Christ Imitator or Car Thief???"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Holy Thursday we will remember how Jesus took off His robe and washed His disciples’ feet.\u00a0 Then He said:\u00a0 that WE should also be servants.\u00a0 Paul wrote that we should be “Imitators of Christ.”\u00a0 In this devotional, Pastor Jim challenges us to look at our own lives and to see how well we are imitating Christ’s example of love and humility….<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Greetings Friends:<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

It’s been a while since I sent out a devotion…., yet as we near the end of Lent, it is good to reexamine ourselves and see if we are using the spiritual disciplines at our disposal and growing in our relationship with God through Christ and with others.\u00a0 Below is a humble devotion which I trust will be helpful and a blessing to all of us.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\nPLEASE READ:\u00a0Ephesians 4:17-5:2<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.\u00a0\u00a0 \"\"
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.\u00a0Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.\u00a0You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off\u00a0 your old self,\u00a0which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;\u00a0to be made new in the attitude of your minds;\u00a0and to put on the new self,\u00a0created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully\u00a0to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. <\/span><\/p>\n

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,\u00a0and do not give the devil a foothold.\u00a0He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,\u00a0doing something useful with his own hands,\u00a0that he may have something to share with those in need.\u00a0Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,\u00a0but only what is helpful for building others up\u00a0 according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,\u00a0with whom you were sealed\u00a0for the day of redemption.\u00a0Get rid of\u00a0all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.\u00a0Be kind and compassionate to one another,\u00a0forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Be imitators of God<\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0therefore, as dearly loved children\u00a0and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us\u00a0and gave himself up for us\u00a0as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0
\nJesus states so clearly in John 13:34-35<\/a><\/span>…<\/p>\n

\u201cA new command\u00a0I give you: Love one another.\u00a0As I have loved you, so you must love one another.\u00a0By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.<\/span><\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The interesting thing to note is that in the original Greek language (the New Testament was originally written in Greek, for the most part), the word “love” here is a verb, which of course, is a word of action.\u00a0\u00a0 This command comes just moments after Jesus has eaten His final Passover meal with the disciples and has washed the feet of the disciples!\u00a0 It was the custom of that day to have a bowl of water and towels available so that when guests arrived at the home, the feet of the visitors would be washed.\u00a0 While it was the disciples who certainly should have been washing the feet of Jesus, yet it is Jesus who gets the bowl and towel and washes the feet of His disciples (John 13:3-15<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Then Jesus says words which are so profound, and every Christian, every would-be-disciple of Christ around the world must remember: \u00a0<\/p>\n

“\u201cYou call me \u2018Teacher\u2019 and \u2018Lord,\u2019 and rightly so, for that is what I am.\u00a0 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another\u2019s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you<\/span><\/em>” (John 13:13-15<\/a><\/span>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

That is amazing what Jesus says in John 13:15,\u00a0 “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.<\/span>“
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n

The words from Ephesians 4 above as our scripture focus for today was Paul’s attempt to teach the Christians living in the city of Ephesus how it is to follow the example of Jesus in the world.\u00a0 Paul’s words are the same as Jesus when he write in Ephesians 5:1-2…
\n“Be imitators of God,\u00a0therefore, as dearly loved children\u00a0 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us\u00a0and gave himself up for us\u00a0as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.<\/span><\/em>“<\/p>\n

\n\u00a0
\nBelow is a simple, yet profound, if not convicting story which is possibly played out too often.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\u00a0\nThe\u00a0story is about\u00a0a police officer in Los Angeles who pulled over a motorist and asked if he could see\u00a0the drivers license and registration.\u00a0 The driver asked, “What\u2019s wrong officer?\u00a0 I didn\u2019t go through a red light, and I certainly wasn\u2019t speeding.”\u00a0 The officer said, “No, you certainly were not.\u00a0 But, I did see you making an obscene hand gesture as you swerved around a motorist.\u00a0 I also observed your flushed and angry face as you shouted something at the driver.\u00a0 I also noticed how you pounded your steering wheel when the traffic in front of you came to a stop.”\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The driver, said, “But, officer is all of that a crime?”\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The police\u00a0officer said, “No it is not a crime as such. But, I noticed the bumper sticker on the back of your car which say, “Jesus Loves You And So Do I” and I just figured this car had to be stolen!”<\/span><\/em><\/div><\/div>\n

While we see some humor in that story, yet in all seriousness, as we near the end of our Lenten journey, how is our walk with Christ?\u00a0 Does every area of our life, actions, the words we use, the conversations we have, the things we post on social media reflect that we are following the example of God?\u00a0 Are we imitating God in every area of our life? Let’s finish the season of Lent strong and continue growing in our relationship with God.<\/p>\n

\u00a0
\nShalom,<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Pastor Jim<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

+\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 +<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For additional Pastor’s Ponderings articles, click this button:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pastor’s Ponderings<\/span><\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“If you were charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” (oldie but goodie…).
\nBut how well are you reflecting the Image of Christ? This devotional from Pastor Jim challenges us to take some self reflection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[131],"tags":[94,73],"class_list":["post-27063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pastors-ponderings","tag-easterweek","tag-witness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27063"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27167,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27063\/revisions\/27167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}