Putting on Christ series: Lesson 9

Putting On Christ go directly to point 17 go directly to point 18

In this series we are expanding on one simple directive from God. It is found in Romans 13 and verse 14

“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ”

In the first 8 lessons, we discussed the first 16 elements of Christ’s character.

Today we will discuss Points 17 and 18 of Christ’s character; elements that we must have if we are to be like Him.

This is all coming to mean more to us because of what we learned in the sermon in which we solved the great mystery concerning Christ and the Church.

Christ wants to be in a “one flesh” relationship with the church which is us. This being true, He is now showing us those things that make up “his flesh”.

Also, I just ran across something the other day about rabbis and disciples. Rabbis were teachers and their disciples were students. The rabbi’s goal was not to teach the disciples the content of some chosen subjects but rather to bring the disciples along to a point where they became like the rabbi.

Interesting.

I want to look at two attributes of Jesus Christ today that we should know about as we approach the Passover and the Days of Unleavened bread. We have many things that we must do at this time of year.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 says…
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

After this period of examination, we participate in the Passover services where we do certain, specific things…..we wash one another’s feet, we eat bread and take wine.

What can we learn about Christ that makes all this possible?

Point 17: He took Action

Have you ever taken a long look at creation? It seems to be without end. Millions of different plants, millions of different animals.

Have you ever studied the intricate structure of a jellyfish? Have you ever gazed in wonder at the puffer fish and the silvery brown sea bass that have a strange ultraviolet light hovering in their eyes?

Ever study the turquoise iridescence of a peacock feather? Do you remember high school biology where you looked at a sample of pond water and identified scores and scores of different one-cell animals? All of this design and variety. It speaks to great creator with a vivid imagination.

What man fails to understand is that God continues to create. He is a God of Action.

That same God being, Jesus Christ came to this earth in human form to both take action and to set us an example to take action.

Notice His ministry….it is one of constant action. So much so, that it could not be written down within the pages of the Bible.

Turn to John 21 and verse 25
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

Explanation: The meaning here is that mankind could not take in all that Christ did had it been written down.

Let me quickly quote some scriptures that speak to God’s expectation and desire that we take action.

Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Proverbs 28:19
19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

Matthews 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

James 1:22
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

James 2:18
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

We do not want to be like Stonewall Jackson’s engineer when Christ returns.

Stonewall Jackson was a Southern General in the Civil War.
Dr. J. B. Gambrel tells an amusing story from General Stonewall Jackson's famous valley campaign. Jackson's army found itself on one side of a river when it needed to be on the other side.

After telling his engineers to plan and build a bridge so the army could cross, he called his wagon master in to tell him that it was urgent the wagon train cross the river as soon as possible. The wagon master started gathering all the logs, rocks and fence rails he could find and built a bridge. Long before day light General Jackson was told by his wagon master all the wagons and artillery had crossed the river. General Jackson asked where are the engineers and what are they doing? The wagon master's only reply was that they were in their tent drawing up plans for a bridge.

Let’s not be anything like that engineer when Christ returns.

Now besides being a man of action, there was another attribute about Jesus Christ that defined exactly HOW He took action.

It is this same attribute that we should adopt when we take the bread and wine.

Point 18: He was Bold

Jesus did not mumble or whisper His message. He did not discuss for hours the safest approach for doing something.

He did not go through countless committees to get permission to make a statement.

He was bold.

He shouted. He stomped. He flung tables and chairs. He cried. He groaned.

Everything He did made a statement about what He saw His mission to be.

He crashed into people’s consciousness with deeds, attitudes, and actions that had never been done, sear, or even heard before.

One could say He used His very blood to paint His message.

That was how bold He was.

Hebrews 10:17-19 says
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Both Christ and Us can use the blood of Christ!!

Who said this:

"I am the greatest.
I said that even before I knew I was.
Don't tell me I can't do something.
Don't tell me it's impossible.
Don't tell me I'm not the greatest.
I'm double the greatest." ~Muhammad Ali, Professional Boxer

This was a man being bold. This was more than vanity…it was a positive affirmation, clearing fitting his situation and profession.

We have our own situation and profession.

Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

I now want to give you some famous quotes concerning boldness.

"Boldness is ever blind, for it sees not dangers and inconveniences; whence it is bad in council though good in execution."

"Fortune befriends the bold."

“It is wonderful what strength of purpose and boldness and energy of will are roused by the assurance that we are doing our duty."

Now I want to quote a couple of verses that speak to our need to be bold…

Acts 4:13
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:31
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

2 Corinthians 7:4
4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

Ephesians 3:11-12
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Finally, turn to 1 John 4 and beginning in verse 16

I John 4:16-17
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

These two aspects of the character of Christ are very important to our physical and spiritual lives. And they are very meaningful to us as we take the Passover in 24 days from now.

Take action and come boldly before God to take the bread and the wine.

Because when you are taking that bread and wine, you are, in fact, “Putting on Christ”

back to top