Magyar Egyház, 1972 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1972-05-01 / 5. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 MAGYAR IN JESUS’ STEPS When you attend a Christian worship service, it is almost sure that you will hear this urgent call: “Follow Jesus Christ”. But what is the real meaning of following Jesus Christ? Jesus himself told us very simply how we should follow him. He said: “I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15. Or listen to what apostle Peter said: “Jesus left you an example that you should follow in his steps.” I. Pet. 2:21. So, the following of Jesus means that we behave, we feel, we act the same way as Jesus did. Let us have a few concrete examples from the Bible about tlie behavior, the feeling and acting of Jesus Christ in order to see whether or not we follow him in his steps. JESUS AND PRAYING. For Jesus, God was a real, personal God, his Father. He prayed to Him regularly. Just one of the many Biblical records: “Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God”. Luke 6:12. If we follow Jesus in his steps, we also pray every day to God as our real, personal God whom we can call: “Our Father. . .”. JESUS AND THE HOUSE OF GOD. When Jesus chased out of the Jerusalem temple those who were there only to make material profit for themselves, he declared this great truth: “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Mark 11:17. If we follow Jesus in his steps, we also regard our church as the House of Prayer, consecrated to the worship of God and we go there regularly, as Jesus did, unless sickness or circumstances make it impossible. JESUS AND SINNERS. Once the Pharisees murmured against Jesus, saying: “Why do you eat and drink with sinners”? And Jesus answered them: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:32. Jesus never felt that it was “below his dignity” to associate with the most wretched human beings. He wanted to lift them up to himself. CHURCH If we follow Jesus in his steps we do not declare ourselves to be “superior” or “too good” or “too refined” to associate with everybody. Walking in the steps of Jesus, we love all men as our brethren and we feel responsible to lift them up, to lead them to Jesus. JESUS AND SEEKING SELF-GLORY. Once Jesus said: “I do not receive glory from men”. John 5:41 and “If I glorify myself, the glory is nothing.” John 8:53. Jesus definitely was not a man who was boasting about his greatness and excellency and definitely he did not want to be celebrated and glorified by men. If we follow Jesus in his steps we give all glory to God because we cannot accomplish anything good without his help. Those who truly walk in the steps of Jesus, are sincerely humble people and they do not seek self-glory. Walking in the steps of Jesus, means, of course, a lot more than what we mentioned in this short article. However, daily praying to God — love and attendance of the church — love of the whole mankind — sincere effort to lift up our unfortunate fellowmen, both spiritually and materially, and humbleness are the definite marks of those who walk in the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stephen Kovács Sending Forth the Twelve Apostles. Matt. 10:5-16.
