JESUS, LIKE US

JESUS, LIKE US

Heb. 4:14-15 That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. NLT

     We have One in heaven who is on our side. He constantly stands between us and God, presenting himself as our holiness and righteousness. He constantly is there to make sure that we are identified as God's own. He is there for us; therefore, let us cling tightly to Him. Let us never quit trusting Him. Let us never let go of our grip on Him, because if we do, we then have to stand before God on our own, and we simply can't do that.

      Jesus understands what it is like to be human and fight evil. He knows what it is like to have human weaknesses. He knows all about the temptations we face because we live in the flesh. Jesus went through it all. He experienced all the temptations to sin you and I face as we grow up into adulthood. He was not protected against the normal tendencies to sin we all face in life. Yet, Jesus was able to face His temptations without letting them get the best of Him. He never yielded to temptation and became guilty of sin. Therefore, He is qualified to impart his righteousness on us. He alone can make us holy.

      How was He able to never sin? I think there are a lot of reasons that come into play. He had strong, godly parents. He had a very close relationship with God. He paid attention and learned well the ways of God. He had the right attitude towards God in that He wanted to do what was right before Him. Jesus was very perceptive and knew how to withstand temptation from an early age. He also knew the power and ways of Satan and chose not to let him get the upper hand in His life. He learned early on in life the value of prayer. He loved to spend time alone with God. He learned early in life the value of God's Word. He was a student of it and learned how to apply it to His life.

       Yes, Jesus is God.  He has been God before there was anything else but God.  But, in His infinite wisdom, God took upon himself human life.  While on earth, Jesus was fully man, subject to all the temptations, trials of life, and weaknesses we deal with.  It is why we can turn to Him for help; He understands.

      While we are not God, we can learn much from Jesus as to how to overcome our sinfulness. Where there is a will, there is a way to overcome our temptations and tendencies to sin.

      The question is, "Are we willing to live like Jesus did?”  Are we willing to let Him help us daily to be a holy people, a people after God’s own heart?