Jesus, Our Example
Jesus is our example. One of the reasons He came to this earth was to show us and tell us the Way to live. We, as His true disciples, are to walk in the same manner as He walked, which means to live as He lived (1 John 2:6).
How, then, did Jesus live? Jesus did not live to please Himself (Rom. 15:3). Instead, He lived to glorify God. Jesus’ purpose was to do God’s Will on earth as it is being done in heaven and to accomplish that which He was prophesied to accomplish in the word of the prophets (John 4:34; Luke 24:44).
People asked Jesus how they could do the works of God and He told them they must believe in Him whom God has sent (John 6:28-29). Very few know that the word believe means adhere to the teachings of, put your trust in, take action and live the message of Jesus Christ. Believe also means obey (John 3:36; 11:25-26).
Jesus said He was among us as one who serves (Luke 22:27). He instructed His disciples to be servants of all (Mark 9:35). He said, "For he who is least among you, this is the one who is great" (Luke 9:48). Jesus took the form of a servant to show us how to serve one another in love (Phil. 2:7). He was a servant to others for the glory of God (Matt. 5:16). He said His Way is easy and pleasant (Matt. 11:30). So the one who is great in the eyes of God is the one who serves others in love, just as Jesus did (Matt. 20:26-28).
Jesus is making disciples who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). People who obey Him and worship the Father by practicing good works of love in serving others, are the ones who let their lights shine (Matt. 5:16). They are the righteous ones in God’s eyes because they practice righteousness continually for God (1 John 3:7, 10; 3 John 11). If it is with difficulty that the righteous - those who practice righteousness daily for God - are saved, what will become of the godless people and the sinners - those who will not practice righteousness for God by serving others (1 Peter 4:18; Matt. 25:41-46)?