Have you ever taught children how to tie their shoes? Or, have you ever needed to teach someone how to tie a necktie, throw a ball, or drive a car? I suppose that there are talented instructors who can articulate all of the required steps to do these things, using terminology that is meaningful to the student, but the fact is that sometimes it’s just easier to show another person how to perform a specific task. By seeing it in action, or perhaps mirroring your own actions, the other person can understand what is required.
Going back to last week’s lesson, Philippians 4:8 outlines a number of good things that followers of Jesus should think about. So, what happens in someone’s life – especially to their behavior – when they dwell upon these good things, filling up completely with thoughts that meet these criteria, with the help of the Holy Spirit dwelling within them?
- They keep a lot of the junk of this world out of their minds
- Their behavior reflects what they think about
- They produce the fruit of the Spirit
- They do good things as a result
I hope that we could agree that these results (i.e., the outcome of filling our minds with the kinds of good things that were outlined in that verse from the book of Philippians) are positive, both to us – if we do so – and to others around us. However, just reading instructions from a book – even an inspired book like the Bible – can sometimes only get us so far in figuring out how to actually put them into practice.
Notice the next verse in this chapter:
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:9 NIV
Paul (and Timothy) can offer more than just preaching and teaching to the Philippians (although teaching is still involved). They also offer their example.
Now, I’m sure that they didn’t do as well as Jesus did in modeling the righteousness of God perfectly, but just as Jesus is our ideal example, so every follower of Jesus should be an example of what God wants His people to be. What is a disciple, after all, except one who tries to be like his or her teacher?
Where words alone might have been difficult – sometimes – to understand and apply to our lives, Jesus modeled righteous behavior to His disciples, and they modeled righteous behavior to other followers of Jesus, and the path continues to us in our era – both learning from other Christians’ good examples, and living as a good example for others. This is not to the exclusion of reading God’s word, nor does it preclude Bible-based teaching. The instructions and the examples work together (with the Holy Spirit in our lives) to help us live like Jesus did.
Again, we find that the God of peace is with those who do good things. Remember, checking a bunch of boxes (no matter how good those boxes are) isn’t enough to save us: only Jesus’ perfect life, voluntarily exchanged for our own, could do that. However, as followers of Jesus, we find peace in turning our worries over to God, dwelling on attributes of God and the best of His creation (which reflects these attributes), and living a life that brings glory to God.
So, while it is good to teach others about the Word of God, verbal or written instructions sometimes only go so far. At some point, Christians should demonstrate to new followers of Jesus (as well as to a lost world) what it looks like to walk in the path that Jesus modeled for us. After all, God did give us many documented instructions in the Bible, but He didn’t stop there. Jesus – God the Son – came to earth to show us exactly what it looks like to live in step with God’s expectations. Even if we haven’t mastered that walk perfectly (and, by the way, we haven’t), we can still teach by example.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for September 17, 2023
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press Commentary, Philippians Colossians & Philemon, by Anthony L. Ash. College Press Publishing Company, © 1994.
Those Who Sin Differently 