The Humility of the Exemplary Man — Zac Poonen

Acting Like Men by Following Jesus Christ

Let's turn once again to 1 Corinthians 16. This is a theme verse for this study. Act like men. Be strong. 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13. Which says be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith act like men.

Be strong. So We were considering. What it means to act like a man. Not the understanding that people in the world have. Of this he-man this muscular person who can stand up for his rights and fight for his rights.

No. But the man the man Christ Jesus. Whom God gave to earth sent to earth His only begotten son who is now his firstborn son. Who walked on this earth not only to die for our sins? Came to earth not only to die for our sins, but walked on earth for 33 and a half years.

To show us how every man should live. How every child should live in his home in all the years he was in his home as a small boy. How a man should work in his profession when he worked as a carpenter.

How he should treat other people In all his life. That is the man we are to be like and that's why it's very very important for us to Look unto Jesus if we want to finish this race with joy, and if we want to stand firm and be alert.

So Hebrews chapter 12 is a very important chapter in this connection. Hebrews first of all the last verse of Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 is the great chapter on faith, you know describes all these men of the old covenant beginning with Abel.

Right down to the end of the Old Testament of men who by faith accomplished great things they were all physical things mostly in the realm of external. But it says here in the last verse of Hebrews 11 don't ever read Hebrews 11 without reading the last verse whenever you read about somebody who split open the Red Sea or pulled on the walls of Jericho or overcame lions or defeated armies at the end read but God has provided something better for us.

Hebrews 11 40. Did you overcome lions did you put on the walls of Jericho. God has provided something better for us in the new covenant. Did you split open the Red Sea. God has provided something better for us in the new covenant?

So what is this better thing. Better than pulling down walls of Jericho better than miracles and better than raising the dead like Elijah and Elisha. What is that better thing? Many Christians have not understood it.

Even among Christians the idea of being like Jesus is do miracles and do great things and show you're a man. That is not what the Bible says. Because there are people in the Old Testament. Did miracles like raising the dead?

Splitting the Red Sea getting manna from heaven every day for 40 years, but God was not well pleased with them. That's what it says in 1 Corinthians 10 even though They experienced all these miracles.

It says in 1 Corinthians 10 the first six verses. God was not pleased with these people who did the mightiest miracles that you see in the Old Testament that you see in the Bible. There were people who raised the dead in the Old Testament.

Here was a man called Elisha you read in the Old Testament in 2nd Kings chapter 13. After he died and was buried much later when somebody and Elijah Elisha's body had decayed and it was only his bones left in that grave, but it was an open grave.

Somebody dug up that and threw a dead man into it in a battle and that dead man's body Touched the bones of Elisha and he was raised from the dead. And he heard of a greater miracle than that. This is not a living man raising the dead.

This is a dead man's bones. Raising somebody from the dead there was anointing in the dead bones of Elisha. What shall we say at the end of it all Hebrews 11 40. God has provided something better for us.

Something better than my dead bones raising a dead man something better for us. Have you understood that if you have understood it Then you've understood the new covenant. I'll explain to you. What is that better thing?

See the first four verses of chapter 12 should actually be the last four verses of Hebrews 11. You see these chapter divisions were not made by God they were made by man. Hebrews was one letter. It was not divided into chapters and verses maybe into paragraphs, but not chapters and verses.

So God has provided something better for us. Hebrews 11 40 goes on to the next verse therefore and Whenever you read therefore in any verse in the Bible go back to the previous verse to understand what it means.

What is that? Therefore God has provided something better for us. What is that that we should now? Lay aside every weight and the sin that besets us and look unto Jesus and run this race. Looking unto Jesus who took up the cross every day for thirty three and a half years and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God and He overcame he overcame by taking up the cross every day.

And he says to us in Revelation 3 21 if you overcome as I overcame. Then as I am set down at the right hand of the throne of God you will sit with me on my throne. Who's going to sit with Jesus on his throne?

Those who overcome how do we overcome here it is Hebrews 12 to Looking unto Jesus fixing our eyes on Jesus. It means turning our eyes away from everything else on to Jesus alone. Who is the author and finisher of our faith who ran this race?

You see he began This race and he ran this race. Now we are begin this race or should have begun when we were born again. That means the race begins when you start taking up the cross. Because it says here he ran this race enduring the cross.

That's not the physical cross that he took for six hours at the end of his life. No. If he told us if you want to follow me take up your cross every day and Follow me. How could we do that if he didn't take up his cross every day?

How can he be an example for me to take up my cross every day if he himself did not take up his cross every Day. We need to understand this that when it says about Jesus Enduring the cross it was a daily thing for him.

It was not just Once at the end of his life it was daily every single day. That's why he could say to us if you want to follow me you have to do the same thing. Daily take up the cross. He endured the cross and there was a shame attached to it.

Bearing the Reproach of Christ

Act like men. Take up the cross act like men. Despise the shame of being a Christian of being despised and rejected by men as Jesus was because you stand up for the truth. You stand up for the truth in a secular office and most people will not appreciate you.

You don't laugh at their dirty jokes. And you don't engage in their gossip or their rebellion against the bosses and you will not be popular. You live as a witness for Christ and don't do anything unrighteous.

You pay your taxes uprightly and do everything righteous. You will not be popular. Despise the shame. The Bible says in Hebrews 13 that Jesus was crucified outside the camp. Hebrews chapter 13. Jesus suffered outside the camp.

Hebrews 13 12. He wasn't crucified inside Jerusalem. He was crucified outside Jerusalem. And it says it was just like in the Old Covenant. The bodies of the animals whose blood was brought into the holy place was burned outside the camp.

And that was a picture of how Jesus would be crucified outside the camp of Jerusalem that religious place and. So it says in Hebrews 13 13, let us also go outside this religious camp of Backslidden compromising Christendom.

Outside of that outside this Babylonian Christendom that has religion without spirituality. Religion without the power of the Holy Spirit to make them holy. Let's go outside that bearing his reproach.

There is a reproach attached to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you're only popular something is wrong with your Christianity. If you have never experienced reproach that Jesus experienced throughout his life.

You have missed the road. You're running running on the wrong track brother. Turn back. Get onto the track and see the way Jesus went. Let us run this race fixing our eyes on Jesus who Endured the cross because there was a joy set before him.

He didn't look for a joy on this in on earth. The joy that comes through making a lot of money. The joy that comes through being popular and famous. The joy that comes through people admiring You because you can preach well or because you prayed for someone who was sick and the person was healed all this type of stuff.

That's not what a true Christian is seeking for. There's no joy in that for a Christian. Have you noticed in the Gospels whenever Jesus healed the sick he always told him don't tell anybody and When people try to make him a king he ran away.

He never never sought for honor from men. He did not do a miracle to get honor before men. He did not preach a sermon to get honored before men. The Bible says in Galatians 1 10 if I seek to please men, I cannot be a servant of Christ.

You'll be a servant of the devil. All right, but he won't be a servant of Christ impossible looking unto Jesus. Who for the joy set in front of him? What was the joy set in front of him that enabled him to endure a cross?

The Cross, the Veil, and the Presence of God

In the previous Two chapters earlier in Hebrews 10. It says Jesus entered into the most holy place in the Old Testament Tabernacle there was a place called the most holy place, which is blocked off with a veil a curtain and God's glory dwelt in the most holy place.

It was not in the outer court. It was not in the holy place. It was in that place beyond the veil and it says in Hebrews 10 and verse 19 and 20 That that veil was a picture of the flesh of Jesus the will of Jesus.

Flesh means his will which he denied and denied and denied. That's the meaning of taking up the cross. He denied his own will every single day for 33 and a half years and thus rent the veil of his flesh.

God enabled him through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so when he died on the cross He said it is finished that means every part of self-will has been crucified. He was tempted throughout his life to do his own will right from the beginning.

Till God in him gets 70. He said not my will even in the most painful of all temptations. To be forsaken by the Father on the cross. Even to that uttermost he said not my will. For the sake of lost humanity.

I'm willing to go to hell for six hours on The cross for three hours on the cross and he was forsaken. Experiencing an eternal hell in those three hours. He said I'm willing I give up my will to do your will father to save man.

So that his sin can be blotted out so that I can take the entire punishment for the entire human race. He endured the cross. But he had taken it up every day of his life the veil was rent finally when he said it is finished and The way into the most holy place was opened up and The Bible says in Psalm 16 11 in the father's presence is fullness of joy.

Jesus knew that There is only one place in the universe in the universe Where there is fullness of joy a little bit of so-called joy in different parts of things on this earth. But not fullness. Fullness of joy is found only in the presence of the father psalm 16 11.

That is in the most holy place and Jesus knew to get there. You've got to go through the veil. You got to rent the way you got to say no to your self-will. He did that every day and he lived in the father's presence every day.

That is the man God has set before us as an example. That is what it means to act like a man. To take up the cross every day. Not to be scared to take up the crazed cross. Not to be ashamed to take up the cross not to be afraid of the reproach.

That comes through taking up the cross and standing up for Christ boldly. Suffering the reproach. He goes on to say in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 3. When you get weary in your heart. And you tend to give up tend to get discouraged.

Hebrews 12 verse 3 consider him. Consider Jesus. Who endured such tremendous opposition? From sinners throughout his life and follow his example, so the better thing mentioned in Hebrews 11 40 is the privilege and honor.

Of being to of being able to walk in Jesus footsteps every day. Act like men. Act like the man. Jesus Christ. Impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit. That's why nobody could do that in the old covenant times.

The New Covenant Example of Faithfulness

There were great men of God in the old covenant. Many wonderful men. Elijah was a wonderful man of God. John the baptist was the greatest but he and he Lost faith towards the end of his life when he was in prison.

He was wondering why Jesus The messiah could not deliver him from prison. And he said disciples to Jesus and said are you really the messiah? Yeah, I know. I heard the voice from heaven saying You are the beloved son.

I saw the spirit of God descending upon you when you were baptized. I saw it myself, but I'm not too sure now. No. He began to lose faith. Why. Because Jesus was not delivering him from some earthly problem like prison.

And that can happen to a believer. Some earthly problem you pray and pray and pray and pray. And it looks as if God doesn't open the prison doors and you're stuck there. And you wonder Lord are you listening to me?

Or you can go even beyond that and say is there a God up there at all. Possible if you're under the old covenant, but not if you're in the new covenant. No. Nobody. Paul was in prison for much longer than John the baptist.

He never lost faith from prison. He wrote philippians. And writes there rejoice in the lord philippians 4 and don't think I made a mistake when I say that he says again I say rejoice. That was different from John the baptist.

And towards the end of his life in prison. Paul says in second timothy 4 7 I have kept the faith. I fought a good fight. I finished my course. That is the example for us a man who walked in jesus footsteps who says to us.

Follow me As I follow christ. Be alert. Act like men be strong. Follow the example of paul who said follow me as I follow christ. And paul also says in philippians 3 And verse 17 not only my example. I'm, not the only one.

Look at other people who are like me. Who can also say follow me as I follow paul who followed christ. There are men very few Living even today. Who will say follow me As I follow christ. Those are the only people I want to follow.

They may not say it with their mouths. But they say it by their life. Follow me as I follow christ. Look at my life. Look at the steps. I take i'm walking in the footsteps of jesus. I'm, not perfect. But I see the footsteps of jesus.

In this climb up the mountain think of a mountain covered with snow. And jesus reached the top finished the race. Took up the cross every step of the way. All the way up to the mountain every step denying himself taking up the cross and in the snow.

I see his footsteps. And I am still many thousands of feet From the top of the mountain, but I can see his footsteps. Maybe i'm only at 100 feet and the mountain is like mount everest 30 000 feet. Jesus is at the top.

But i'm climbing. I see his footsteps and I go step by step by step. And maybe after a few years I reach 200 feet 300 feet 400 feet 500 feet. I'm looking at his footsteps. I'm, not worried about other people around.

I'm not worried whether which way the great men of this world walk. I want to see the footsteps of jesus. I never want to take my eyes off that I see the example of jesus and ahead of me. I see paul. I see other godly men not great preachers.

No I'm, not looking at them. Not great authors of books. A lot of people admire the great preachers the great authors of books or even the great healers. I don't admire any of them. I admire humble people Who walked in the footsteps of jesus christ?

And there have been men like that through the years those have been my heroes. Never has a healer Been my hero never in my entire life. Never has a preacher been my hero. Those who walked in the footsteps of christ don't seek to preach like others.

Don't seek to preach like paul or heal like paul. So seek to walk Like paul did in the footsteps of christ. That's what it is means to act like a man. And be strong because they were walking in the footsteps of christ and so paul says not only me philippians 3 17, but They those who are walking in the same pattern Who have seen it in us.

And he goes on to say in the next verse philippians 3 18 all the others. All the others Who are not walking in these footsteps. Who don't take up the cross every day? They are not just carnal believers.

They are not just immature believers, which is true. They are verse 18 philippians 3 18 enemies of the cross of christ. And let me say that boldly. I have no hesitation in saying that. A person who does not take up the cross every day of his life And follow in jesus footsteps is an enemy of the cross of christ.

That means he's despising the cross of christ. What does it mean in practical terms? Here, you know, we have to try to take up the cross daily. We begin one day by saying okay Day that our christ have crucified the flesh With its affections and lusts galatians 5 24.

I've taken that decision once but then I must follow through that decision every single day of my life. It's like marriage. There was a particular day when you get married. You say I will be true. A wife says i'll be true to my husband.

Every single day and i'm married permanently to this person. No question of divorce. No question of ever living without him. And then every day of her life She is with him. Submitting to him as the church is subject to christ.

That is how jesus lived under the authority of the father. That's how he denied his own will every day. And so must I every single day deny myself And walk in jesus footsteps, then one day i'll reach the throne of god.

And if i'm not doing that Any day when I don't do that i'm an enemy of the cross. That means in practical terms some situation comes up Where i'm provoked to get angry. Because somebody yelled at me or somebody did something very hurtful.

I have a choice now. Either to take up the cross die to myself. And love that person And forgive that person. Or become an enemy of the cross and say no. I'm not going to take up the cross. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind.

I'm going to Treat him like he treated me. How dare he treat me like dirt. Let me Give him a taste of his own medicine. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Maybe you succeeded in doing that. Maybe you opened your mouth and let him have it.

Maybe you treated him like dirt. That moment you were an enemy of the cross of christ and until you repent of that and ask forgiveness. You're continuing as an enemy of the cross. Till you humble yourself and set that matter, right?

And you set that matter right by going to that person and saying it may be your wife. I'm, sorry. For getting angry, please forgive me. Then You have taken up the cross again. But how many people do that how many husbands go and apologize to their wives?

For getting angry. How many wives go and apologize to their husbands for getting angry? It's rare. I tell you even among believers They are enemies of the cross. It's very clear to me in philippians 3 17 and 18.

Those who follow christ. And those who are enemies of the cross. You cannot say you follow christ. If you don't take up the cross every single day that is the meaning of hebrews 12 verse 2 you say this is a better thing than shutting the mouths of lions and splitting the Red sea.

Yes. The bible says so God has provided something better that we can look at jesus and run this race who despised the shame that was set before him and For the for the joy that was set before him. And walked in the way the father wanted him the will of the father at every point.

So we need to see what this means in practical terms. I want you to turn to john chapter 13. This is the one place where we see jesus saying these words. In john chapter 4, this is the last supper. John 13 to 17 All those chapters are the last supper.

It says here. In while he was sitting at the table. He told philip in john 14 and verse Nine onwards. Verse nine he who has seen me Has seen the father. You see the philip had come to jesus and said show us the father.

And that's enough for us. And jesus said if you have seen me you've seen the father. And what did he do there? He was not talking just about the words he preached. There was something he did there which demonstrated what the father was like in john 13.

He had washed their feet. That was the job of slaves in those days. In those days rich people Had a had a slave at least one in their house. And when people were invited for dinner, you know those days everybody wore sandals.

And they walked the dusty roads and their feet were full of dirt. And so at the door there'd be a slave with a bucket of water or a basin of water to wash the feet of people. When they came in. That was standard procedure in every rich man's house.

Now when jesus asked someone for the to loan him his room upper room. For them to have their last supper. The man whoever owned that house Kept the table ready the food. And the basin of water at the door.

But no slave because the lord jesus said I don't want anybody in that room. So even though he had a slave he didn't send any slave up there. It had to be empty. And all the disciples came. Their feet were all dirty.

There was a basin of water. And nobody thought of picking it up and washing anybody's feet. They looked around for a slave. No slave. And everybody was too important to do it himself. Matthew was an accountant.

Peter was the leader. John was a relative or known to the high priest. How could they descend to things like this? And Judas was the smartest postgraduate person among the disciples. No, they wouldn't do it.

Everybody sits there with dirty feet. You have to wash the feet first before they eat Jesus. Or at some time during the meal Jesus Takes up the basin of water. He says i'm the slave. You call me lord and master.

You see what I did. I'm the slave here. He washed their feet as a servant as a slave. And then he said If you have seen me You've seen the father. You want to know what god is like? There it is. One who washes our feet.

One who takes the low place. We think of god as almighty who's sitting on the throne. Threatening everybody frightening everybody. No. He who has seen me has seen the father. I see what the father is like.

It humbles me when I think almighty god my father manifested in jesus Comes to wash my dirty feet. I who am such a sinner from birth. He comes to wash my feet. How dare I ever Claim to be a representative of this god.

And act in any other way. I should be ashamed of myself Every time in my life. That i've acted in any other way than with this spirit of a servant of others. This willingness to do dirty jobs for others.

This willingness to go beneath others and be at their feet. He who has seen me has seen the father. And jesus went on later on in chapter 16. So sorry chapter 20. To say as the father sent me. So send I you.

And I hear that word myself As he came Representing the father. I am to go into the world to represent christ. So as he said to people If you've seen me. You've seen the father. When people look at my life I should be able to say to them If you've seen me.

You've seen a little bit of what jesus is like not perfectly. Because i've not yet fully become like christ. But you've seen a little bit Of what jesus is like. Not in the way I preach. No. There are many great preachers in the world.

But in the way I relate to you. The way I conduct myself. The way I behave. The way I react. When other people hurt me or speak evil of me or do harm to me. You've seen a little bit of what jesus is like.

That is what it means to walk in jesus footsteps. That is the better thing That god has provided for us. So be alert be strong. Act like men. Act like jesus christ. That's that's really the meaning of that verse.

Humility Rather Than Religious Greatness

Be strong in faith independence upon god. Take the lowest lowly path. I'm, sorry to say this is very little seen in today's christendom. And one reason god has raised up one reason. Why god has raised up cfc churches?

Is to once again emphasize. The humanity of jesus christ that we have to follow. As our example the humility of jesus christ. That we have to follow as our example. You see the world sees the greatness of god in creation.

When I behold the heavens that you have created. Oh god. What is man that you're mindful of him. That's what the psalmist says. They see the greatness of god in creation. The whole world sees that. This universe which is so huge that the whole planet earth is like a speck of dust is almighty god.

But the disciple of jesus Sees the greatness of god in the humility of jesus christ. Not in the vastness of creation not in the miracles jesus did. But in the way he washed people's feet. Do you want to follow jesus in raising the dead and healing the sick.

Or do you want to follow jesus in washing people's feet? That shows where your mind is set. I'm not talking about what you say with your lips. Or what you pretend to be deep down in your heart. What do you desire?

Towards your fellow believers in your church. Are you eager to wash their feet? Are you eager to show them what a great preacher you are? Or eager to show what discernment you have how you can cast out demons.

I've seen videos of preachers who get people to take a video of their casting out demons. I've cast out demons in my life, but I would never never allow anyone to take a video of that. I'll tell you why.

Because I don't want anybody to see the face of that person who's now a converted christian. Why do you want to see the person's face who supposing that was your daughter. Who had a demon. Would you want everybody to see the demon being cast out of your daughter?

No. That's why I never want a video to be taken of such. We want to respect the dignity Of human beings. We will guard each person's dignity in the body of christ. We don't Do or say anything that will humiliate another person in the church.

As elders, sometimes we have to discipline people. That is a Responsibility that an elder has to take and he's not to be bothered about what people think about him when he takes that discipline. Which may look sometimes like taking a whip.

And chasing the money changers out of the temple. It may sometimes look like Telling his closest co-worker like jesus told peter get behind me satan. You're interested in the things of man and not the things of god.

Yeah, it may involve rebuke. It may involve taking authority like Paul had as an apostle to hand somebody over to satan for the destruction of the flesh. So the spirit may be saved in the day of christ.

1 corinthians chapter 5. Yeah, those are painful decisions but. Always in humility. Never seeking to exalt ourselves. Never never never. That is to follow jesus never glorying in anything in ourselves.

The Humble Genealogy of Jesus

I see the very first chapter of matthew. How does the new testament begin? How does a new? Testament begin so different from the old testament. What I see in the beginning of the matthew Is trying to show us Jesus christ remember the new testament the where we read all about the new covenant it says.

This is the record matthew 1 1 of the genealogy of jesus. How jesus descended now remember this is introducing the new covenant which is better than the old covenant. This is the the lineage of jesus christ.

Read it carefully. Jesus who from heaven Planned for thousands of years all eternity actually. Which line he would come through? To this earth. To be the savior of men. He could have chosen the lineage of the most godly pure people on earth or relatively better people.

And uh the lineage of some rich people kings, but what does he choose. Let me show you. There are some women mentioned here in Matthew 4 right at the beginning. In the first six verses the genealogy of jesus christ in six verses.

Four women are mentioned. Isn't that interesting that the new testament begins? Giving us the lineage of jesus christ and begins naming four women usually. Jewish genealogies never mentioned women only men read the list of names and chronicles and.

Even in luke chapter 3 And other places in the old testament. It's always men men men men. Book of numbers. You see that but here. You see four women mentioned amazing. And these are not four godly women.

No. The genealogy of jesus christ. The greatness of jesus christ. Number one. He came of the line of temar. Matthew 1 verse 3 judah was the father of perez and judah zero by temar. Temar. Was the son in the daughter-in-law? of judah.

He had married judah's son who died. And then she sat on the roadside pretending to be a prostitute. And judah the father-in-law not knowing who she was. Went into her and had a child and jesus from heaven says I'm going to come through that line.

Come through the line of a man who committed incest. With his own daughter-in-law. What would you think of a father-in-law who commits adultery with his own daughter-in-law, would you like to be born of that line?

Jesus chose it. Then we go on the next woman mentioned there is Rahab in verse 5. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab. Rahab was the most well-known prostitute in Jericho. Not even a jew. She was an a gentile and a prostitute and a very well-known prostitute.

And she married a jewish person. And Salmon. And jesus says I choose that line a gentile prostitute. Would you choose it in your lineage? Would you be proud to say one of my ancestors was a prostitute.

Another one was one who was born of incest. Number three. Matthew one verse five the third woman mentioned there is Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite descended from Moab. Who was Moab? Moab was born out of incest.

Worse than Tamar's birth worse than Judah's incest. Lot. Committed adultery with his own daughter and Moab was born. And from that line Comes Ruth. And Jesus says I'll choose that line again another incest.

And the fourth woman mentioned here Is Bathsheba. Not in the direct line but mentioned in the genealogy because David Was in the genealogy of Jesus and David Committed adultery with Bathsheba. And killed her husband.

And married her. Think about a line. My ancestry consists of a man Who committed adultery with somebody else's wife? And killed that man and married. These are the four women mentioned in Matthew. The first six verses of the new testament.