It’s sometimes too easy for us to compartmentalize our faith according to certain societal norms and standards – Jesus always challenges those! Even though the widow or orphan may go unseen by our would – our Heavenly Father sees them and encourages us to see like He does!
Observations & Conclusions:
- Christianity is all about imitating Jesus
- Christianity that does not evidence an imitation of Jesus is worthless
- The problem isn’t with Christianity, it’s with the user
- Correct imitation of Jesus will see the unseen
Application:
- [your name] See – Define your “Christian” character by God’s character – through His eyes
- [your name] Do – “Do what it says!”
Ephesians 5:1
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children.”
Matthew 16:24
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
John 13:12–15
“So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
1 Peter 2:21
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
1 John 2:6
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
Acts 11:25-26
“Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”
1 John 2:9-11
“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”
Mark 7:8-13
“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
Luke 7:18-22
“John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
Exodus 22:22
“You must not afflict any widow or orphan.”
Deuteronomy 24:21
“When you gather the grapes of your vineyard you must not do so a second time; they should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow.”
Psalms 146:9
“The Lord protects the resident foreigner. He lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked.”
Psalm 10:17–18
“You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.”
John 12:42-43
“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.”