… has given us everything we need for a godly life …
Summary: What is a godly life? It is a question we should spend some time thinking about. Jesus is God, so we know that we should be like him, but are we to be like him in every way?
What do you need to live a godly life? Do you know? Do you know what a godly life looks like?
If we could all sit down and talk about what we think a godly life looks like, I wonder what we would agree on. I am guessing most of us would agree that Galatians 5:22-23 describes at least some things we would want to shoot for: “… love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” But what does that look like in real life? How do we plug the details of godly living into our particular situation?
Do you get frustrated when other people do not agree with you? Are you easily irritated when things do not go your way at home? Do you feel like your spouse, or boss or coworker is picking on you?
How do we live a godly life when the news is all bad? What does it mean to be godly when people are getting dragged out of their cars and beat up for no reason at all?
First things first. Can we agree on what it means to live a “godly life?” As Christians, we believe Jesus is God, so it seems reasonable to me to define a godly life as the kind of life Jesus lived.
Unfortunately, there is a problem with modeling ourselves after Jesus. There is one major difference between Jesus and us: Jesus is God, and we are not.
Some things Jesus did do not translate well into our daily life. Jesus was on a mission and that mission involved making it clear that he is the Messiah. The parts of his story that involve the Messiahship are parts that do not involve us. When people try to model themselves after Jesus the Messiah, they are not being godly. Instead, they are setting themselves up for a spiritual comeuppance.
There are parts of Jesus’ life that we can and should model ourselves after. His devotion to the Father’s will. Prioritizing God’s will over physical wants and needs. Exercising self-restraint and humility.
First on my list of things I need to live a godly life is discernment. I need to discern what parts of Jesus’ life I should try to emulate and which parts I should simply worship.
Second on my list is everything else. How can I listen to God’s Spirit and obey as I should?
Peter says that Jesus’ divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. All the power is there, I just have to learn how to use it. I feel like a monkey sitting in the cockpit of a jet airliner. Look at all the pretty lights! What’s this for? Click-click-click… Oops!
We have been given everything we need. Now the challenge is learning how to use what we have been given. Maybe Peter will help us with that as we go along…
Application: As you read about the life that Jesus lived here on earth, think about the things he did that were related to his role as Messiah and about the things he does that are good examples for our godly living.
Food for Thought: What aspects of Jesus’ life on earth would you categorize as being specific to his Messiahship?
09-03-2021, What aspects of Jesus’ life on earth would you categorize as being specific to his Messiahship?
Luke 7:21: “And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.” There are more than 300 other prophecies Jesus fulfilled with 100 percent accuracy—something no psychic, medium, or other religion can guarantee. God promised He’d send a Savior for the world. And He did.
1) The Messiah would be resurrected, Psalm 16:8-11, “Fulfilled”: Acts 13:35-37
2) The Messiah would bring in a new covenant, Jeremiah 31:31, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 26:28, Luke 22:20, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 8:6-13, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 12:24
3) The Messiah would be forsaken and pierced, but vindicated, Psalm 22:1-31, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 27:35, 39, 43-44,46; Mark 15:34; John 19:23-24, Hebrews 2:11-12
4) The Messiah would be the rejected cornerstone: Psalm 118:22-24, “Fulfilled”: Mark 12:10-11, Acts 4:9-12, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:6-8,
5) The Messiah would do life-affirming redemptive deeds: Isaiah 61:1-2, “Fulfilled”: Luke 4:16-21
6) The Messiah would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 1:22-23, Luke 1:31-35
7) The Messiah would come according to a timetable: Daniel 9:24-27,
“Fulfilled”: Matthew 24:15-16, Mark 13:14-15, Galatians 4:4
8) The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 52:13-53:12, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 8:16-17, Matthew 20:28, Matthew 26:28, Matthew 27:59-60, Mark 10:45, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, John 12:37-38, Acts 8:32-35, Romans 10:16, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 2:21-25
9) The Messiah would bear our sins and suffer in our place: Isaiah 52:13-53:12,”Fulfilled”: Matthew 8:16-17, Matthew 20:28, Matthew 26:28, Matthew 27:59-60, Mark 10:45, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, John 12:37-38, Acts 8:32-35, Romans 10:16, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 2:21-25
10) The Messiah would not remain dead, but see his seed, prolong his days and be exalted: Isaiah 53:10-53:12: “Fulfilled”: Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 2:21-25, Luke 9:22
11) The Messiah would be preceded by Elijah the prophet: Malachi 4:5-6, “New Testament”: Matthew 11:14-15, Matthew 16:14, Matthew 17:9-13, Mark 6:14-16, Mark 9:11-13, Luke 1:16-17, John 1:21
12) The Messiah would be a prophet like Moses: Deuteronomy 18:15-19, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 13:57, Matthew 21:46, Luke 24:19, John 1:21, John 1:25, John 6:14, John 7:40, Acts 3:22, Acts 7:37
13) The Messiah would be pierced: Zechariah 12:10, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 24:30, John 19:31-37, Revelation 1:7
14) The Messiah would come riding on a donkey: Zechariah 9:9, “Fullfilled”: Matthew 21:1-7
15) The Messiah would be called out of Egypt: Hosea 11:1, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 2:13-15
16) The Messiah would be called God’s Son: Psalm 2:1-12, “Fulfilled”: Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22, Acts 4:25-28, Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 5:5
17) The Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver: Zechariah 11:12-13, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 26:14-15, Matthew 27:3, Matthew 27:9-10
18) The Messiah would be the Son of Man: Daniel 7:13-14, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 9:6, Matthew 12:8, Matthew 13:41, Matthew 16:13, Matthew 16:27, Mark 8:31, Luke 6:22, Luke 9:22, John 1:51, John 3:13-14, Acts 7:56
19) The Messiah would be a willing sacrifice : Genesis 22:1-18, “Fulfilled”: John 3:16, Hebrews 11:17-19
20) The Messiah would be the Passover lamb: Exodus 12:1-51, “Fulfilled”: John 1:29, John 1:36, John 19:33, John 19:36, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, 1 Peter 1:19
21) The Messiah would be the star coming out of Jacob: Numbers 24:17, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 2:2, Revelation 22:16
22) The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem: Micah 5:2, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 2:1-6, John 7:40-43
23) The Messiah would be greater than David: Psalm 110:1-4, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 22:41-45, Mark 12:35-37, Luke 20:41-44, Acts 2:34-36, 1 Corinthians 15:25-28, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 4:14-5:10
24) The Messiah would be a descendant of David: 2 Samuel 7:12-16, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 1:1, Luke 1:32-33, Acts 15:15-16, Hebrews 1:5
25) The Messiah would be the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace: Isaiah 9:6-7, “Fulfilled”: Luke 1:32-33, Luke 1:79, John 14:27, Acts 10:36, Romans 9:5, Philippians 4:7, Colossians 2:3, 2 Thessalonians 3:3
26) The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger: Malachi 3:1, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 1:76
27) The Messiah would be the coming one to whom the scepter belongs: Genesis 49:10, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 2:6, Matthew 2:11, Romans, 1:5, Romans 15:18, Romans 16:26, Hebrews 7:14, Revelation 5:5
28) The Messiah would be acclaimed: Psalm 118:25-29: “Fulfilled”: Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9-10; Luke 13:34-35; 19:38; John 12:13
29) The Messiah would be the seed of the woman: Genesis 3:15, “Fulfilled”: Romans 16:20, Galatians 4:4, Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 12:9, 17
30) The Messiah would be the descendant of Abraham through whom all nations would be blessed: Genesis 12:3, “Fulfilled”: Acts 3:24-26
31) The Messiah would be lifted up: Numbers 21:6-9, “Fulfilled”: John 3:14-18
32) The Messiah would be our Kinsman-Redeemer: Ruth 4:4-9, “Fulfilled”: Luke 1:50, 58, 68, 72, 78; John 10:17-18; Romans 5:7-8; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:4; Hebrews 2:11-12, 17
33) The Messiah would be the righteous sufferer: Psalm 69, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 27:33-34, 48; John 2:17; 15:25; 19:28-30
34) The Messiah would be the great light: Isaiah 9:1-2, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 4:13-16, Luke 1:76-79; 2:32; John 1:4-5; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46
35) The Messiah would be called a Nazarene: Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah 53:3, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 2:23
36) The Messiah would perform signs of healing: Isaiah 35:5-6, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 11:4-6, Luke 7:20-23
37) The Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner: Isaiah 40:3-5, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 3:1-3; Mark 1:1-3; Luke 1:76; 3:1-6; John 1:22-23
38) The Messiah would be a light for the world, Isaiah 42:1-7: “Fulfilled”: Matthew 12:15-21; Luke 2:27-32; John 8:12; Revelation 21:23-24
39) The Messiah would be the object of a murderous plot, but hope lies ahead: Jeremiah 31:15, “Fulfilled”: Matthew 2:16-18
Ron,
Outstanding job of research! Well done!! Thank you!
Thank you Brother, actually we can thank the “Jews for Jesus.” They were my source!
Given the lack of comments today, I should probably add a bit of explanation on where I was going with today’s question.
Jesus is more than human. He is the Son of God. So the person we see in the Gospel is walking two paths at once.
One path is human. He was a baby who grew to be a man. Along the way, the family grew. He had siblings he had to live with and get along with. His mother, knowing the circumstances of his birth, was still his mother. She was someone he had to honor and obey. When his father died. He became the man of the house. He was a carpenter by trade, and as such, he had business dealings with all kinds of people. He knew what it was to hurt, to be hungry, to work, and to rest.
The other path was as God. Even with the constraints of being human, he was more than a man. He could know what was in people’s hearts. He didn’t guess, as you or I would. He knew. He knew his Father, too. Unlike you and I, he knew Father from the beginning of time. Being born human didn’t change that.
When Jesus took the Pharisees and teachers of the law to task, it wasn’t as you or I might do it. He wasn’t arguing over a point of the law, although the Pharisees might have seen it that way. He was their God, pointing out to them the error of their ways.
Sometimes when people emulate Jesus, they want to treat people like Jesus treated the Pharisees. They presume to be closer to God than other people and “know” what God wants other people to do. Sometimes they presume to judge other people in ways the Bible warns us against.
The Messiahship of Jesus included the authority that goes with being God’s Son. Whatever true authority you and I have if any, comes from Jesus, but it is never equal to Jesus.
One thing we can emulate about Jesus is his humility. That is an attitude each of us can adopt. Another is his servant’s heart. We might not be able to feed thousands of people, but we can still be a servant just like he was.
So that was the point I was fishing for. I hope this helps!
It does Jeff, Thank you for letting us in on your excellent answer.
Blessings,
Ron
Thank you, Ron! 🙂