Do you believe that the awesome God who revealed Himself in His Son Jesus, and then raised Jesus into Heaven, thereafter did the miracles that Jesus had done, through his followers? Do you also believe that He continues to do the same things today by His Holy Spirit through you? If your answer is yes to these questions, then you may be ready for what you are about to read — the last part in particular.
It is awesome to ‘walk’ with Jesus through the gospel narratives and be amazed at the miracles he did during his ministry on earth. More awesome though, is fellowship with both the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit, as they reach through you to touch the lives of people around you. “You in me, I in you, they in us” — awesome God, awesome Jesus, and awesome fellowship with both in the Holy Spirit! (1 John 1:3; 2 Cor. 13:14 )
In the first stage of our development we “follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). A popular wall plaque featured a follower’s footprints heading along a sandy beach. Then comes a section where there are no footprints, and when asked why, Jesus answers: “That’s when I carried you.” Non-scriptural but for many touching emotionally. In context, Peter’s letter is encouraging Jews who were suffering because of their faith in Jesus.
Paul the apostle wrote “Be followers of me, even as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 4:16-17) Paul writes as a spiritual “father” to new converts to Jesus in Corinth (cf.11:1). He had modelled Jesus to them
An example of the result of leaders modelling Jesus to followers is that of Paul and Silas to those converted to Christ in Thessalonica. These were Greeks who had no prior knowledge of the Christian faith or even the Jewish faith, so the apostles became living examples to them of Jesus. So Paul and Silas not only taught them but also modelled Jesus to them! What would Jesus do? Follow us, watch closely, and do likewise. Learn not just from us but in us: in the way we do things.
This is the first stage in our Christian development. We read the Bible, and learn from the ways Paul and Peter did things: how they dealt with personal hardships, complex questions, and difficult relationships. Before ministering to sick people we often say, “Don’t look to me — look to Jesus!” However, there are exceptions to every rule, as when Peter said to the crippled man at the Gate Beautiful — “Look at us!” — i.e., “Fix your gaze on us!” (Acts 3:4) Rather than how much money you may receive from us.
This stage of development is The Gospel Stage, where those live who are not yet baptized in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is in them internally and they love him as much as other believers do. They live “the crucified life” and absorb and exhibit the values of The Sermon on the Mount and learn the meanings of the parables taught by Jesus. The most meaningful Bible verse is John 3:16. Some do not go beyond being satisfied with knowing Jesus as their Saviour and are inspired by the life of Christ and the teachings of the four Gospels. Please do not interpret this as faint praise but rather as a recognition and an appreciation of this First Stage of development. Thank God for those early days, which are natural for devoted followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who walk “In His Steps”. (which author Charles M Sheldon wrote about so well in his novel, 50 million copies of which were sold. Thomas a Kempis also, in his more religious teaching book “The Imitation of Christ”).
The Second Stage of development is the Acts of the Apostles Stage, where those who have received Jesus as their Saviour and have been baptised in water (as an act of identification with Jesus in his death, and risen from that water as Jesus rose from death) are baptised in the Holy Spirit. The Book “The Acts of the Apostles” may be to some a historic record of the spread of the Good News, but to those baptised in (or with) the gift of the Holy Spirit and see the power of it to witness to the world, is a separate experience and an ongoing one in their lives. The favourite verse of those who identify with the Pentecostal experience is Acts 2:4, which enables the fulfillment in their lives of the Lord’s promise: “He that believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also…” (John 14:12) If the First Stage in our Christian development is the obedience that goes with walking in the steps of Jesus, this Second Stage is the excitement that goes with “walking in his shoes”: ministering the Good News in the power of the Holy Spirit! Acts 10:38 sums up the ministry of Jesus and our role in doing likewise today. Going about and doing good is a great lifestyle!
The Third Stage of Christian development follows when, after walking ‘in his steps’ and ministering ‘in his shoes’, we become more “God inside-minded” and realize that the Lord is now ‘walking in our shoes’! This third stage is the Epistles Stage, and Paul the apostle’s epistles Ephesians and Colossians. If the focus in the First Stage was on us encountering and following Jesus, and the Second Stage was on us going out and preaching Jesus to others, this Third Stage has us recognising Jesus as our Lord. Which means that instead of following ‘in his steps’ and walking ‘in his shoes’, we wake up and ask where our Lord in us wishes to go, who he wishes to meet, and what he desires to do ‘in our shoes’ — from within us and through us to others! It seems significant that Paul the apostle wrote his deepest, most spiritual epistles during his imprisonment in Rome.
Which Stage of Development do you see yourself as being in right now?