Relate to Others as Jesus Did

Well, I wanted to cover a little bit of information today. I know we talked about these seminars that we're having several weeks ago and how it is that we can prepare for that.

But I want to go over some information that was sent to us regarding how each of us individually should perhaps view our role, view our responsibility, as we attend a seminar where we are anticipating and hoping that new people will be in attendance.

And actually, of course, ours is three weeks from now, and so we've got a few weeks here to prepare.

But I'd like to just point out here in 1 Corinthians 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 3 is something we need to keep in mind.

1 Corinthians chapter 3, actually, Paul is making these statements regarding even some of the problems, some of the problems that the Corinthian church was facing, some of the divisions that the Corinthian church had. Unfortunately, they've had those in the past.

You know, we labor with some of that more recently here today. But here in verse 5, Paul points out who really is a Paulus. Who then is a Paulus?

Actually, who or what is Paul? You know, he was saying that even about himself.

He answers that in verse 5 by simply saying that, well, they're simply servants.

Servants through whom you came to believe. And so was the Paulus anything? Was Peter anything?

Was Paul anything? Well, they were people. They were people who were involved in doing the work of God. But ultimately, he points out that any one of us, including himself, were all simply servants through whom others come to believe as the Lord assigned to each. He says, I planted in a Paulus watered, but ultimately God. God is the one who gives any growth. And so neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything but only God who gives the growth. So this is ultimately the answer. Ultimately, the answer that we need to keep in mind that God is the one who opens people's minds. He's the one who draws people to Jesus Christ.

See, that's why any of us are a part of the Church of God today, is because God drew us to Jesus Christ. That's what he says. We can read that in John 644.

He says, no man can come to me except the Father which sent me will draw him. That was Christ's statement, that God would draw us to Jesus Christ. And so, as we think about what it says here in Corinthians, as Paul points out, you know, the God is the one who provides the growth. You know, it's not depending on me or you, but it is depending on God. And we want to simply be servants. We want to be servants who are representing Jesus Christ. That's what we are to do. That's our job. If we're to be ambassadors for Christ, if we're to be servants of God, then we want to reflect the attitude and the outlook that Jesus Christ had.

Now, before I go into some additional information here just about how it is that Jesus Christ approached people, how He approached individuals, how He related to them, I want to just point out that in our Bible seminar, this is in a sense designed to be a little different than a church service. We're not planning to have music, hymns. You know, we're planning a format where we'll have an opening prayer, where we will have the first seminar, which will be about 45 minutes. I'm going to say 45 because I know it's supposed to be 45 to 50, and I better say 45 so that I'll be sure to stop on time. But we'll have our first section of the seminar, about 45 minutes, and then we'll have a 10-minute break or so just for drinks or people running to the bathroom and back. And then the second seminar, which Tom is going to give, that's right, Tom, okay, he appears to know that that is the plan, and we have 45-50 minutes to be able to conclude that. So within the two-hour time frame, we anticipate being able to have the seminar. We'll have a closing prayer, and then following that, we'll have the snacks and the little drink items that we will have available just for us, as well as anyone else who's happened to be there. So that is the format that we've been asked to use from the home office. I know there are a lot of different formats that could be used, but that at least is what my understanding is, that we're asked to be used. And so that's what we'll plan, and we'll try that, see how it works. We may make some adjustments to that as we go forward, because we want to have these on an ongoing basis. But it is something that all of us should realize that, well, we are having a little different service, a little different session, again, more like a Bible study. But, as I mentioned, you know, we want to reflect the way that Jesus Christ is, and of course what he tells us here in John 13 is a key note to how it is that Jesus wants us to be.

He tells us in John 13, and of course this statement was made at the time that he was observing the Passover, and he was changing the symbols, and he was actually using the illustration of the foot-washing service with his disciples. But here in John 13, he says in verse 34, I give you a new commandment that you love one another, and just as I have loved you, you should love one another.

For by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. See, that is in essence the key note of what do I need to pray for? What do I need to ask for? If I'm going to properly represent Jesus Christ, I want to be able to offer the hope that lies within me.

We talked about that earlier, but even perhaps even more than that, we want to be loving and kind. We want to be outgoing. We want to be courteous. We want to be reflecting what Jesus says here that if you're going to be my disciples, then you're going to have love for one another. And that's not just love for each other right here, but love for other people, love and appreciation for other people, and in a sense even acceptance of other people who undoubtedly have different beliefs than we may have. And yet they are, we hope, going to come to see something. See something that is extremely important, and what that is, is to see Jesus Christ.

You know, if the Father draws people to Jesus Christ, He's not just drawing people to the United Church of God. That's not, you know, we need to have that as a, I think, a correct understanding that, you know, God can draw people to Jesus Christ, and yet we want to just reflect that. You know, it's not just drawing them to us, drawing them to the Church directly, the United Church of God.

That's who we are a part of. That's where we represent. That's where we worship together in spirit and truth. We strive to do that as well as we can. And yet we want to ask, you know, that God will draw people closer to Jesus Christ and hopefully closer to us as we reflect the attitude and outlook that Jesus had. I'd like for us to look at several verses here in the book of John because they express a way that Jesus related to new people.

If we go to John chapter 1, you find, actually here in the first few chapters of the book of John, you've got numerous examples, and these are examples that John was inspired to write down about Jesus.

He gives a description of the way that Jesus was that is a little differently explained than any of the other gospels. But here in John chapter 1 verse 35, it says, the next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, this was John the Baptist, and had some of his disciples there with him, and yet as Jesus walked by, he exclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God. Now he pointed out who Jesus was, and the disciples who heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

They had been up to that point following John the Baptist, and yet as he pointed out who they really need to follow, because that was what his job was, he wants to point out who Jesus Christ is. When he pointed that out, it says, they followed Jesus, and Jesus turned when he saw them following, and he said to them, What do you need? Or what are you looking for?

And they said to him, Well, rabbi, which means teacher, where do you stay? Where do you live? Where are you staying? And he said, Well, come and see. And so they came and saw where he was staying.

And they remained with him that day, and it was about four o'clock in the afternoon. And one of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. And he first found his brother Simon and said to him, We found the Messiah. We found the Messiah, which is translated the anointed one. And so he brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, Well, you are Simon, son of John, and you're going to be called Caiaphas or Peter. And so, you know, this brief example is one that perhaps has a lot of different lessons.

But I would hope that we can realize that, well, what was happening for Andrew and Peter in this case, were that they were being shown who the Messiah was. They were being shown who Jesus Christ was. And that was John's job. And John did that by just pointing out who he was. But in order to see how it is that Jesus related to these people, what was it that he did?

See, when these people came to Jesus, he saw them following him. He says, What are you looking for?

He just simply asked them a question. You know, what do you need? What questions do you have?

What would you like to know? What would you like for me to tell you? And it appears that they stayed with him for several hours. It appears that they gave him, you know, a certain amount of respect because they were coming to see, well, he had something to give. But the example, you know, just clearly shows that, you know, he asked them a question, you know, just about what would you like to know? What would you like to learn? And then he was able to provide that information.

I mean, that was very inoffensive. It was certainly very meaningful and clearly something any of us can learn to do. Here in chapter two, you've got another example of what Jesus did. And I think most of you are familiar with this example, the first part of chapter two, where he was at a wedding and he was asked by his mother to change, you know, they ran out of wine and helped them, give them something. And of course, his mother says in verse five, do whatever he tells you. And so standing there, there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rights of purification, each holding 20 or 30 gallons. And Jesus said to them, we'll fill the jars with water.

So they filled them up to the brim. And then he said to them, now draw some out and take it to the chief steward. And so they did. And when the steward tasted the water that had become wine, he didn't know where it had come from, the steward called by bridegroom and said, well, usually people serve good wine first. And then the inferior wine after the guest had become drunk, but you have kept the good wine until next.

See, this was a miracle that Jesus was able to perform. And yet amazingly, and I didn't read it there in verse, what is it, verse nine, even though the steward didn't really know where the wine came from, you've got a little section there, it says the servants knew where the wine came from. You know, they were the ones who were really impressed. I'm sure they were dumbfounded that because they knew, you know, we went out and we picked up the hose or however it was, they did it at that time, maybe dipping pails. And we filled up this water. And then whenever we served it, it was wine. It was good wine. And I'm sure they were the ones who were most impressed.

But something that we can also learn from the way that Jesus conducted this miracle, in this case, is it simply he was interested in providing for the needs of other people. See, he was willing to serve them or help them. It doesn't appear that he's preaching to them anything about the kingdom of God or about what he's doing or about what their purpose is. He's not doing that at all.

He's simply providing the physical needs that the people had. And see, that's something that, you know, we can do. That's something any one of us can do. We can find if we see someone who needs some assistance or they need some help, then we can try to provide that if we're able to do so.

But Christ is willing, you know, care for needs of the people. And that, of course, I think is another example of how we should also view our interaction in relating to new people. Chapter 3 has an illustration of Christ with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was, you know, a leader in the Jewish community.

And yet, let's read through here, what was it that Nicodemus was looking for? He came to Jesus at night and he said, Rabbi, we know that you're a teacher who's come from God, for no one can do the things you do apart from the presence of God. See, he was acknowledging that the Jewish leadership that he was among, you know, they all knew Jesus was special. They didn't want to say he was the teacher from God, that they ought to be responding to him worshiping, but they said, we can say you're a teacher. You clearly are able to teach. But he went to verse 3. Jesus said, Verily I tell you, Nicodemus, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.

And of course, Nicodemus said, well, how can that be? How can anyone be born after having grown old in one enter a second time in a mother's womb and be born? And Jesus said, well, Verily, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and also born of the Spirit.

And so he concludes in verse 7. He says, you must be born from above. Now, here, clearly, Jesus was talking about a spiritual concept. He was talking about a necessity for eternal life. He was talking about something that Nicodemus didn't seem to understand. He didn't seem to comprehend, well, what is it that Jesus is actually talking about? And yet, in this case, you know, he could tell that Nicodemus had come and he had really wanted to know. See, Nicodemus would not have risked coming and talking to Jesus at night. He did that secretly. He knew that wouldn't be accepted by, you know, my peers, by my group. They wouldn't be, you know, they would look down upon me for doing that. And there could be people who are reluctant to even think about, you know, the things of God and things that are really, really important. And yet, in this case, Jesus's example was very direct. He was very direct because he knew the answer. And of course, you know, as we've talked earlier, you know, we want to be able to explain the hope that lies within us. And that hope is the kingdom of God. That hope is Jesus Christ in our lives. That hope is Christ living in us.

And as Jesus pointed out, you know, being born from above, being born again, is necessary to be a part of the kingdom of God. If people don't realize that, if they don't recognize that fact, well, then hopefully they would think about it. Nicodemus thought about it. He didn't understand it well, and Jesus had to explain more about it. But nonetheless, Jesus provided an answer to Nicodemus that was on the level of what he could understand. And that's what we hope that we're also able to do here in chapter 4. You find another example of Jesus interacting with someone who doesn't even know who he is, this Samaritan woman at the well. And actually, it's kind of funny because this woman, he's going to show her some really amazing things, and yet Jesus actually leads her. You in a sense, in one way, let me see if I can pick this out, this woman was almost arguing with Jesus. Let's see.

In verse 20, she said, our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship it's in Jerusalem. And so Jesus said to her and he answered what he needed to tell her about how it is that salvation is going to achieve. But in a sense, she was almost quarrelsome. And yet, actually, she was learning. She started off realizing and perceiving that, well, he's Jewish. I know I'm Samaritan. I'm here at this well that is close to Samaria, Jacob's well. And I know he's Jewish. And yet, after he talked to her a little bit, she called him Sir. And after that, she says, I think you're a prophet. And beyond that, we see Jesus even pointing out to her, I'm the Messiah. See, this is the first place he's pointing that out. And of course, you know, perhaps that's not something that we would have to point out to others, because, you know, I think people ultimately would be able to learn that. But see, what it was that Jesus said to her was that, you know, if you knew who I was, if you knew what I have to give, if you knew the help that I am able to provide, you would ask for the living water that I am able to give, and that that living water would completely satiate you. It wouldn't be water like you're drawing out of the well, where you have to come back every every day or every every time to replenish. You know, I have eternal life to give. And that, verse 14, he says, I will give water that will become a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. And the woman said, Sir, give me this water so that I may never thirst. And wouldn't have to keep coming here to draw water. See, Jesus was very comfortable with his relating to other people.

And he was, he would think about how to answer any questions or any situations that came up in the appropriate way. Now, he didn't try to tell the people there at the banquet or the wedding in John 2. He didn't try to tell them anything. He just performed a miracle. He provided for their physical needs. They weren't really asking for anything. And yet you see that Andrew and Peter were asking, you know, well, where do you live? What are you doing? How do you function? And Nicodemus had come there wanting to learn something. He said, I acknowledge who you are. I know you have something to give. And so for those who were inquiring, he was trying to answer, or he did answer and answered in an appropriate way. And yet, what we find here in chapter 4 is just simply that Jesus pointed this woman. And he actually, in a sense, when you read through the whole section, you see that he was leading her to where she would see what she really needed.

And of course, she concluded and came back to her village and told them, well, you know, could this be the Messiah? Is this the individual that we would hope to learn about? You know, that was what she ultimately concluded. You see another example here in chapter 5.

Okay. Jesus is interacting with a man here, a man who clearly needed help.

Verse 2, by the sheep gate, there was a pool. Verse 3, And there lay many invalutes, blind and lame and paralyzed, and one man had been there for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he'd been there a long time, he says, do you want to be healed? Do you want to be made well? And of course, the sick man tried to explain, well, sir, I don't have anybody who put me in the pool. And whenever I'm trying to get down there, someone else gets in and beats me there, and so I don't get healed. And Jesus simply said, stand up and take your mat and walk. You know, he was able to provide for the physical healing.

He was able to provide the nurturing that this man needed. Now, it doesn't seem all he did was asking, do you want to be healed? And in a sense, you could say, well, you know, Jesus started that discussion. He asked him, do you want to be healed? Do you want to be made well? And so, I guess we could take from that, that's certainly asking a question or asking, you know, about someone showing interest, showing caring, showing compassion. It doesn't say that Jesus taught very much here in this case about this man who he healed. It doesn't say that he told him anything more than just, he said, go and sin no more. That was one thing that he told him a little later on whenever he saw him later in the temple. But Jesus was filled with compassion. And so, he was outgoing and he was desirous of providing, you know, what these individual needs. And again, that I think is another example of what we can keep in mind. In chapter 6, you see a very common illustration of Jesus feeding the 5,000. And we can go through that parable and we can think about the miracle that he had performed and how it was that he showed over and over who he was and how he was God, how he was able to provide. And yet, here in John chapter 6, it's interesting to see verse 5. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, where are we going to buy bread for these people to eat? And it says in verse 6, he said this to test him for he himself knew what he was going to do. And of course, Philip became confused. He said, we don't have near enough bread. You know, we've just got a little bit of bread, a little bit of fish. And of course, you know, Jesus told him what to do and how it was he was going to provide for them. But actually, what you find was that Jesus told the disciples, he told Philip, you know, I want you to meet the needs of the people. In this case, he was simply again meeting the physical needs. He was offering something to eat. He was offering something to eat that would sustain them for a very short period of time. And as we know, when you read through the remainder of chapter 6, he told some very important things to others about himself and about him not only being able to provide the physical food and the physical drink, which we've seen mentioned here in chapter 4 and chapter 6, but that he can provide the spiritual nourishment, the spiritual drink and food that they so desperately needed. See, that was what Jesus was doing. But the way that he did it, the way that he taught his disciples what he told the disciples to say, he insisted that the disciples meet the needs of the people. And so that's, again, I think another example of what it is that Jesus did that we can also learn to do as we look at our relationship with other people.

What we see is that Jesus reached out to others. He reached out if they were in need, and he was able to help them, which he obviously was able to do, then he provided that. If they had a question, well then he answered that question, and he of course knew how to do that in a way that would be helpful to them. If they were as Nicodemus was, even having a deeper question, then they provided, he provided that information to them as well. And he actually was, you know, touching these people, all of them in different settings and different circumstances, touching them at the point of their need. We just simply need to look for, you know, the needs. I try to identify the needs that people have. Many of them will be physical. Many of them will be the same needs that we have. Some of them might be spiritual needs. Some of them might be inquiring or asking about spiritual needs. And if so, then we want to be able to explain that. We want to be able to help them or to at least show them that Jesus Christ is the answer. He is the one who, you know, we want to point people to. And so I think it's important to keep these in mind as we look forward to this seminar here in several weeks. Christ is the one that we want to point to. Here in 1 Peter chapter 2 we can conclude this with just an encouragement that Peter gives because Peter was encouraging the church quite a bit later, actually, later when he was writing, you know, these epistles that he wrote.

And yet here he talks in verse 9 about the people of God. He says, you are a chosen race.

1 Peter 2 verse 9. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. You are God's own people.

See, that's something that we appreciate. That's something that we are grateful for. That's something that we thank God for, that he has chosen to draw us into a relationship with Jesus Christ that allows us to be nurtured by the Holy Spirit and to be guided into a relationship with God that we love, that we appreciate, but that we also want to share. That we want to share. He says, you're a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of God who called you out of darkness into this marvelous light. Because once you were not a people, and now you are the people of God, once you've not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. See, what are we to proclaim? Well, not ourselves. That's what we're not proclaiming ourselves. We're proclaiming what God has done for us. And we're proclaiming what God can do for others. And if we turn over to chapter 4, there's another verse that I'll conclude with here, because it says in chapter 4, and it's talking about the different gifts that we have, that we should serve one another with the gifts that we've been given. In verse 11, it says, Whosoever speaks must do so as one speaking the words of God. Whoever serves should do that with the strength that God supplies. So as we interact, as we speak, as we serve, as we give, as we do that, we should do that so that the latter part of verse 11, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. See, that's the guide. That's the example.

That's the pattern that we have and that we're to exemplify as we interact with others.

And so I hope that this helps to be able to kind of lay a groundwork for what we are looking forward to here in several weeks. We want to follow the example of Christ. We want to learn from that. We want to benefit from that. And I know that as we ask God to help us be His representatives, His examples, His ambassadors, that He will empower and He will enable us to do that as we have opportunity to do here with this upcoming seminar.