What manner of man is this?

‘The men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?’

How often do we marvel at the greatness of our God and the wonder at the beauty of Jesus?

Friends, we may call ourselves Christians or followers of Christ but who is this God man that we follow?

Who was Jesus when He was here on earth?

He was compassionate…

‘when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them.’

He was a man who often sought to be alone with His Heavenly Father in prayer…

‘He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.’

He was a servant…

‘For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

He was kind and loving…

‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’

Jesus was forgiving…

‘Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’

He was humble…

‘And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’

Yet not afraid to speak out against wrong…

‘Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.’

He was gracious and true…

‘And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us….full of grace and truth.’

Jesus was obedient…

‘Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.’

His love was unconditional, outcasts, lepers, adulterers, tax collectors, were all recipients of His love and mercy…

‘when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’

Friends, following Jesus isn’t just about reading our Bibles and going to church, it’s about seeking grace each and every day to live as Jesus lived and to love as He loved.

Is that easy? No, in fact it’s impossible except by God’s grace but we don’t have to do it alone, if we’re true believers we have Jesus living inside of us to help us. Paul said…

‘I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’

Friends, is this our prayer? Do we ask God to help us to crucify self so that Christ may live in us? Is our prayer “no more ME, just ALL Christ IN me”? Because it’s the only way we’ll ever truly follow Jesus.

“O crucify this self, that I

No more, but Christ in me, may live;

Bid all my vile affections die,

Nor let one hateful lust survive.

In all things nothing may I see,

Nothing desire, or seek, but thee.”

.

Matt 9:36, Luke 6:12, Mark 10:45, John 15:13,14, Luke 23:34, Phil 2:8, Matt 23:28, John 1:14, 4:34, Mark 2:16,17. Gal 2:20