Living as Jesus Lived (Tamil) — Zac Poonen

The greatest divine virtue is patience. And the best place to get it is in India. So I praise the Lord. Yesterday we were considering how God created the light in the midst of darkness. Right in the first chapter of the Bible.

The Joy of Walking in God's Light

And that is a picture of how God wants to bring His light into our lives. Today I want to turn to 1 John chapter 1. This has got a message especially for people who live in our time. Many people nowadays are discouraged, afraid, anxious about the future, more than say hundred years ago.

And here it says that John says in 1 John 1 verse 4, these things we write so that your joy may be full. A life full of light is a life full of joy. Do you believe that God wants you to live a life where you are never discouraged?

Where you never are in a bad mood at any time. Whatever your external circumstances may be, and however other people may treat you. This is how Jesus lived on this earth. Jesus lived in a wicked world.

But He was never discouraged. Never depressed. Never gloomy or in a bad mood. People made so many demands on His time. And He was never upset with people. And many of us may have thought that's because He was God.

But think of this. If Jesus lived on earth as God, He cannot say to us, follow me. There are two great truths concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you don't hold both of them together, you will go into error.

The Deity and Humanity of Jesus Christ

The first truth is that He existed from all eternity with the Father and the Holy Spirit as God. Jesus Christ is the eternal God. He is the second person of the Trinity. But when He came to earth, and He took our human body, He also became a man.

He did not stop being God, because God can never stop being God. But He also became 100 a man. He was not 50 God and 50 man. He was not half God and half man. Even when He was on earth, even today in heaven, He is 100 God and 100 man.

But when He lived on this earth, even though He was God, He did not use His heavenly resources to live on this earth. He could have used it, but He did not use it. Here is one example. In the garden of Gethsemane, when the soldiers came to catch Him, He told Peter, I can ask my father and my father will send 72 ,000 angels to fight for me right now.

He could do that because He was the Son of God. You and I cannot ask for 72 ,000 angels to come to earth. But He could do it. One word and 72 ,000 angels would have come to fight for Him. But He said, I will not do that.

Here is an example. How He had power, but He would not use it. If you do not understand this truth throughout Jesus' life, you will not be able to understand how He lived on this earth. And that is very important to understand.

Because when we understand that and we believe it, we get the power through the Holy Spirit to live like He lived. Now when we look around at all the Christians around us, or even at our own life, or the way many Christian husbands and wives live at home, we have to hang our head in shame and say, Christians have not reflected the life of Christ to other people.

The Counterfeit Christ Seen in Christian Conduct

I often say this, that India has not rejected Jesus Christ. What has India rejected? India has rejected the Christ that they have seen in Christian people. They have seen Christian people fighting and quarreling.

Christian husbands and wives fighting with each other. Christians going to court to elect a bishop. And sometimes Christian leaders falling into adultery. Christian leaders running after money. And some really sincere Hindu people say, I do not want this Christ.

I do not want this Christ who makes husband and wife fight with each other. I do not want this Christ who makes people run after money. I do not want this Christ who makes people discouraged and gloomy and anxious and fearful.

I tell such dear Hindu friends, I agree with you. I also reject that Christ. That is not the real Christ. That is a counterfeit Christ being projected by people who say that they are Christian. There is a verse in the Bible where God told the people of Israel.

It says in Romans 2, My name is blasphemed among the heathen because of the way you people live. Today, the name of Jesus Christ is dishonored in many countries because of the way Christians are living.

Not only in India. You go to America. There are Christian leaders, pastors who fall into adultery. Homosexuality. They divorce each other. There are Christian churches where men are marrying men. Is this Christianity?

No. This is a counterfeit. The first prayer that Jesus taught us to pray was not forgive us our sins. We think the first prayer we should pray is forgive us our sins. That is prayer number four. Jesus said before you pray forgive us our sins, you need to pray three other prayers.

Reordering Prayer Around God's Kingdom

Our Father who art in heaven. Number one. Hallowed be thy name. Number two. Let thy kingdom come. Number three. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins.

So, asking even for earthly needs comes after all these first three requests. That is the way a true Christian lives. But it takes time for us to change our way of thinking. Our main problem is because our first prayer is give me my daily bread.

That means give me everything that I need for my earthly life. Give me healing. Give me money. Give me a job. Give me a good husband. Give me a good wife. All the things that every person in the world is seeking.

There is nothing wrong in asking God for those things. We can ask for food, clothing, shelter, job, everything. But if those become the number one requests in your prayer. That will indicate that you have not changed from the life of another person in the world.

The Bible speaks about being born again. Born again means your whole sense of values changes. In one way we can say the whole world is upside down. Spiritual things are below and material things are on top.

That is how everybody lives. The whole world. All the problems are because the world is living upside down. So if you live in the same upside down way the rest of the world lives, then you will have the same problems they have.

You will be discouraged like they are discouraged. You will be afraid like they are afraid. You will be anxious like they are anxious. You will fight like they fight. And there won't be much difference between a believer and an unbeliever.

Except that the believer goes to the church and the unbeliever probably watches television or something like that. But a real born again experience and when we allow God to fill us with His Holy Spirit.

We are turned right side up. And then what happens? Our primary prayer is not give us this day our daily bread. Has that happened in your life? If that has not happened in your life, then that is the reason for many problems.

You know what Jesus said to His disciples? When I go to heaven, I am going to send the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit fills your life, it is like heaven coming down into your heart. And your values will become heavenly values.

Then your first prayer will not be give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins. That will be further down. Your first prayer will be, Oh God, let your name be honored throughout India. And Lord, I want your kingdom to come to this earth.

I want your will to be done everywhere in this earth. I want your will to be done in my life. That is a really converted Christian. That is a person in whom the darkness has been driven away. So John says here, I am writing these things to you so that your joy may be full.

From Discouragement to Fullness of Joy

And in order to come to that life where our joy is full, I am not preaching some theory here. When I first became a Christian, nearly 50 years ago, I did not know how to live this life. I was like a child trying to learn how to walk.

Yeah, my sins were forgiven. But I was always falling, falling, falling. Many times I would be discouraged. Anxious and worried about many things. And I loved the things of earth. And I knew there is something better than this which I have not yet experienced.

I could not say that my joy was full. Today I can say that. Because I learned the secret. And I want to share that with you. These things we write so that your joy may be full. 1 John 1 verse 4. I say the same thing.

These things I preach so that your joy may be full. In the Old Testament, they had righteousness without joy. You know, in Jesus' time, there were a group of people called the Pharisees. They were very righteous, but there was a very gloomy type of righteousness.

But in the New Testament, the Bible says the kingdom of God is righteousness and joy in the Holy Spirit. Now many people think that if you live a holy life, you are going to be very gloomy. That is only by living in sin that you can be happy.

That is one of the biggest lies of the devil. And that is because you have seen so many Christians around you who are long-faced and gloomy. But those Christians are not filled with the Holy Spirit. When a Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit, his life is a very happy life.

He may or may not speak in tongues. That is not important. But his life is full of joy. John says, I am writing these things to you so that your joy may be full. If you want that, he says in the next verse, this is the first message you need to understand.

Fellowship With God by Walking in the Light

God is light and there is no darkness in Him. And if you walk in that light, we can have fellowship with one another. Do you know what the word fellowship means? Fellowship is like plugging the light into a socket.

You know, you take a lamp and plug it into a socket. As soon as the light has fellowship with that electricity, the darkness disappears. That is the meaning of fellowship. You pull out that plug, it is darkness again.

So when there is darkness in your life, you can say you are not connected to God. God is light. There is no darkness in Him. And Jesus lived on earth to show us that we can live a life without any darkness in our life.

And that is why we need to understand that when Jesus lived on this earth, though He was God, He did not use those resources to live here. This is a very simple truth. But it changed my life 35 years ago.

Because for about 15 -16 years, I was struggling, struggling, struggling. How to live this overcoming life? See, if you read your Bible, you read in 1 John 2 verse 6. 1 John 2 verse 6. What does it say?

Everyone who says he abides in Christ must walk as he walked. In the living Bible it says, if you say you are a Christian, you must live like Jesus lived. Now if I were to tell you, if you say you are a Christian, you must live like Jesus lived.

What will you say immediately? What will the devil say? Let's hear what the devil says. The devil will immediately say, impossible. The Bible says, if you say you are a Christian, you must walk and live like He lived.

If you say you are a Christian, you must live like He lived. What does the devil say? Impossible. God says you must live like Christ lived. The devil says impossible. Now I want to know, what do you say?

Do you agree with the devil or do you agree with God? Do you agree with the devil or do you agree with God? Faith means, I agree with what God says. That is faith. Unbelief means, I agree with what the devil says.

Please remember this. Faith is a very simple definition. I agree with what God says. Unbelief is, I agree with what the devil says. And most of us have agreed with the devil. Because if people look at your life, they don't see the spirit of Christ in your life.

They don't see the humility, or the love, or the goodness, or the compassion for others. And then they say, yeah, it's not possible. To live like Christ. But it's better to say, I have failed, rather than to say it's impossible.

Believing the Biblical Standard for Christian Living

See, when the Bible holds up a certain standard, and I find my life is much lower than that, I have two choices. One, I can say, the Bible doesn't actually mean that. It means generally we must try to live like Jesus.

What it means is, we must try to live like Jesus. That's what it means. Nobody can live like him. We must try. That's what it means. The more we say that, we bring the Bible down to the level of our life.

That is the way of dishonesty. But another Christian, he sees the standard of the Bible, and he says, I believe that's God's standard. My standard is over here. Lord, please lift me up. Even if it takes 10 years, or 20 years, I want to come there.

Think of a four-year-old child who wants to get a PhD. And all the other four-year-olds say, impossible, how can you get a PhD? Four-year-old, how can you get a PhD? But his father tells him, you can get it, my son.

You won't get it in one year. But if you're faithful, 20 years from now, you'll be a PhD. And these fellows will be just high school pass and fooling around. It's like that. When you read in the Bible, Heavenly Father is saying, you can walk as Jesus walked.

And you say, Lord, I want that. If Jesus Christ is your hero, see like people who are interested in cricket, supposing some cricket coach tells him, you can bat like Sachin Tendulkar. That fellow will say, you really can do that for me?

He'll be willing to practice day and night to be able to bat like him because he's his hero. There are so many people, young people on earth who have got different heroes. They try to play the guitar like some rock music star.

They would like to be like that hero. They want to play cricket like some cricketer they admire. But we don't find many Christians who have made Jesus Christ their hero. And you say, Lord, I want to live like you lived on this earth.

That is true Christianity. And for that we must understand that Jesus did not use his divine powers when he lived on this earth. You know why? After I was born again, for 16 years I was defeated because of one reason.

I believe that Jesus lived as God on this earth and it is impossible for me to follow him. It's like if an angel comes from heaven with his wings and he's trying to teach me how to swim. And he flies across a river and says, follow me.

I say, I can't follow you. If you want to teach me how to swim and you want to say, follow me, first of all you must get a body like mine where when you get into the river gravity will pull you down. Then teach me how to swim.

So if Jesus came to earth as God and moved around without sinning and says, follow me, I'll say, Lord, I can't follow you. But many of us sing in our churches, follow, follow, I will follow Jesus. Are you telling a lie?

Do you really believe that you can follow Jesus? For 16 years in my life I sang that song, it was a lie. I didn't mean it, it was just a nice song to sing. I didn't think in practical terms what does it mean to follow Jesus?

Christ's Example in 1 Peter 2

Let's look at 1 Peter 2. I don't know whether you have read the Bible carefully here. I want you to see something here in verse 21 and 22. It says here, Christ has left us an example to follow in his steps.

Let's read that slowly. Let's read it slowly. 1 Peter 2 verse 21. Christ has left us an example to follow in his steps. That's not the end of the sentence. Let me read the whole sentence. Christ has left us an example to follow in his steps who committed no sin.

In the steps of Jesus there was no sin. Every step there was no sin. And he has left us an example to follow in his steps who committed no sin. And follow in his steps in the steps of Jesus in whose mouth there was no lie or deceit to follow in his steps when other people threatened him he did not threaten in return.

It's a very clear verse. Do you believe these verses? Or once again the devil says impossible. You know I missed so much in my life during those years when I believed the devil's word impossible. But I thank God a day came in my life more than 30 years ago.

When I said Lord I know to become a Christian is not just to go to heaven when I die. But my whole value system changes while I'm on this earth. That the values by which Jesus lived his life becomes the values by which I live my life.

I don't have to be a carpenter to be like Jesus. I don't have to be a bachelor. I don't have to be a miracle worker. To walk like Jesus means to have the same values by which he lived on earth. For example to have the same attitude to women like Jesus had.

Purity, Dignity, and the Golden Rule

Jesus treated every woman like his sister. In absolute purity. That's just one area. And I discovered that by the power of the Holy Spirit I can treat every woman I see in the world in purity like my sister.

And I discovered that even if I sit at the computer the whole day I will never once go to an internet pornographic site. Because I will not want to see that woman who is my sister offering her body for sex.

How many of you would like to see your own sister or your own daughter offering her body for sexual intercourse? None of you will want your daughter to go to. But that girl you see on the internet is somebody's daughter.

And when the Holy Spirit changes your value system to the value system of Jesus you will treat other people the way you want them to treat you. That is Matthew 7 .12. You will treat another person's daughter the way you want people to treat your daughter.

I don't want people to misuse and abuse my daughter. And I do not want to misuse and abuse somebody else's daughter. When the value system changes in your mind you will be able to overcome sin in your life.

God created human beings to be valued and loved. He created women to be valued not to be used for my sinful pleasure. When man uses a woman to satisfy his sinful pleasure he is following the devil hundred percent.

You may say you are a Christian and clap and shout Hallelujah in the meetings. But when you sit in front of your computer and you see a filthy woman there you clicked in order to go there. Whatever type of Christian you may call yourself in that moment you are following the devil.

Satan is telling you in that moment follow me and you say yes Satan I will follow you. Where do you want me to go? Satan is telling you to follow me and you are following him and saying where are you going?

Devil says come follow me I want you to come to this pornographic site. And the Holy Spirit says would you go there if Jesus was sitting next to you? No I want to follow the devil right now. And then on Sunday morning you go to church Oh Lord Hallelujah praise the Lord I want to follow you.

Are you a believer? You are a hypocrite. Other preachers won't tell you that but I am a doctor who is going to give you a correct diagnosis of your condition whether you like it or not. Other preachers will not tell you the truth because they want your money I don't want your money.

You are a hypocrite but you don't have to be a hypocrite from today onward. You can be cured of that disease you can walk as Jesus walked. Do you know that these habits are destroying you? Even anger anger is because you think you are so important.

How can anybody do that to me? I am such an important person how can my wife treat me how can my husband talk to me like this or how can that man talk to me like this all because of my own sense of importance.

Forgiveness and Jesus' Response to Insults

What does it mean to have Jesus value system? Let me give you an example. In Matthew chapter 12 the Pharisees said about Jesus verse 24 This man cast out demons by Beelzebul the ruler of demons. They called Jesus Beelzebul ruler of demons.

He was the holiest man that ever lived on this earth and they called him ruler of devils. Now how would you feel if somebody called you a devil? I mean we get upset if somebody calls you a pig. Now which is worse a pig or a devil tell me.

I would any day be called a pig rather than a devil. He was called a devil and how did he react to that? He says verse 32 If you have spoken a word against the son of man it is forgiven. I am here on earth as an ordinary man.

If you call me a devil you are forgiven but please don't speak against the Holy Spirit. Don't speak against God. I am God but now I am here on earth as a man. So you said that I will forgive you. Do you know that's Jesus value system?

Walk as Jesus walked means to have those values. Somebody called you a bad name what does it matter? Supposing 10 ,000 people say you are a prophet will you become a prophet? No. Supposing 10 ,000 people call you a devil you don't become a devil.

So what does it matter if other people call you? Supposing somebody calls me pig will I become a pig all of a sudden? No I can make myself a devil by the way I live. I can live like a pig if I choose to.

But another person calling me a pig cannot make me a pig. Another person calling me a devil cannot make me a devil. So why should I get disturbed? If they call Jesus ruler of the devils did he become ruler of the devils?

That is because they were sick. If somebody calls me a pig it's because he is sick. If somebody calls me a pig it's because he is sick. Forgive them. That's how Jesus lived. God is light there is no darkness in him.

He is perfect love and when he gives me his Holy Spirit he gives me that same love for people which I cannot produce myself. Let me explain how Jesus lived on this earth. Some people think Jesus was so pure so holy we cannot possibly follow him.

Jesus' Humble Identification With Humanity

If you say he became like us we are degrading him. Let me take an example. Supposing two missionaries come from America to Vellore teach the poor people in the slums here how to live cleanly and simply.

They are both multi-millionaires but in love for the poor people in the slum in Vellore they come to help them. Let's say the missionary A he lives in a five star hotel and he travels in a Mercedes Benz car to the slum and he goes and preaches to the slum people you must live clean lives you must not waste money you must keep your house all tidy pray to God God bless you I will see you tomorrow.

That's missionary A. He is missionary A. Missionary B who is also a multi-millionaire he comes and lives in that slum and he tells them I will go to work just like you like a day laborer in the construction site and I will carry bricks and earn money like you and I will earn three four thousand rupees a month like you maybe two thousand rupees and with the same money I will live on this in the slum and I will teach you how to live simply and clean but people tell him you are a millionaire.

I am a millionaire but I will never use my credit card. I will only use the money I earn here and he doesn't cheat. He has a credit card but he never uses it. Who will you admire more. The one who lived in a five star hotel or the one who lived in the slum.

How do you think Jesus came. Did he come in like a five star flesh and in a special way just came to preach to us. No he came like missionary B. He lived like us and he never used his heavenly credit card even once he said I can call seventy two thousand angels but I will not call them.

For example there was a fig tree and Jesus wanted to see if there is any fruit there. If he used his heavenly credit card even from hundred miles away he could say there is no fruit there but he never used it.

He had to walk near the tree just like you and me there is no fruit. So many many examples like that. I saw this. He was just like me and he was never discouraged never afraid always full of joy every situation he could overcome.

I got faith in my heart. The devil is a liar. I can follow Jesus on this earth. I can live as he lived. I can face every situation. My heavenly father will help me. I can forgive everybody who calls me a devil.

I can look at every woman with purity like Jesus looked at them. I got faith. I can love people who harm me. I can control my tongue so that I don't get angry. All this faith came into my heart when I saw one thing that Jesus lived on earth just like me.

Jesus Was Made Like His Brothers and Tempted Without Sin

Now I will show you that in scripture Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17. Then now you will understand this verse. That is why I explained it before reading this verse. Speaking about Jesus verse 17 he was made.

He had to be made like his brothers in everything. We are his brothers. He was made like us in all things. Chapter 4 verse 15 last part he was tempted like us in all things and he did not sin. That is why he said I am the light of the world.

But he also said in John 9 verse 5. While I am in the world I am the light of the world. While I am in the world I am the light of the world. After I go up to heaven. Matthew 5 verse 14 he told his disciples you are the light of the world.

Supposing somebody asks me who is the light of the world. And I say me. You say brother you are quite proud to say that you are the light of the world. I say please turn in your bible to Matthew 5 verse 14 and read it.

These are not my words. Jesus said it. He said as long as he is in the world. John 9 verse 5 he is the light of the world. Once I go up you are the light of the world. Why are we afraid to say that. Because we say oh I will always live in sin.

I have to live in darkness. Don't call me the light of the world. We are happy with the third rate useless Christianity that the devil wants us to live. We are happy with the defeated fighting quarreling family life that all the people in the world have.

We also have as Christians. And because all the people around us and all the preachers are also living this third rate defeated life we say this is the normal Christian life. This is not the normal Christian life like I said yesterday the crooked devil has cheated you of your inheritance which Jesus purchased on the cross.

I want to tell you my dear brothers and sisters I don't know whether I can convince you. My words are poor but I wish the Holy Spirit will convince you that you can live a life a thousand times better than the life you are living now if you will tell the devil he is a liar and start believing the word of God that we can walk as Jesus walked.

Fellowship, Cleansing, and the Spirit-Filled Life

God is light. What did we read. If we walk in the light we can plug in and have fellowship with him. And see that bulb is like me absolutely incapable of producing even a little bit of light. You are like me I am like you.

We are incapable of having the life of Christ. But the moment that bulb is plugged into the socket all of a sudden the darkness disappears. That is what can happen when we plug in and have fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.

You know sometimes we read of a loose contact. We see that sometimes in our house plug in something and the lamp comes on and goes off comes on and goes off. Let me say electricity is there. Why is it coming on going off.

Just like many Christians. Sometimes very happy sometimes very depressed. Just like the lamp goes on and off. Just like the lamp goes on and off the connection is lost. The connection with God is not there.

It is lost. It can be repaired. It can be fixed. Plug it in. See how that light has been burning for one hour. God can do that for you. If we walk in the light. If we have fellowship with God our sins are cleansed away.

We can have the life of God manifested through us. We will stop there today. Conclude tomorrow. Please come bring your friends and bring your enemies too it's the best way to make them your friends. Let's pray.

Will you respond in your heart to the word of God. Will you say Lord. Maybe I haven't understood this fully but I believe the Bible describes a life that I still don't have. And I feel the devil has cheated me of something which I can have in Christ.

He has cheated me for enough number of years but he is not going to cheat me anymore. Help me to see that you lived on earth like me and give me the power of your Holy Spirit that I can walk as you walked.

We pray in Jesus name Amen. God bless you.