OUR EXAMPLE

 

Our Example

SRB 17 Dec 2025​

Growth and maturity take time to achieve. To get that growth, we must understand the model that Yeshua set for us. We are to be part of a community of other ‘spirit-filled disciples’ to help us to grow. We can learn from each other. Each conversation offers something to consider and sharing ourselves in these conversations can help others.

1Co 14:26 What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

Yeshua gave us examples to follow. We can benefit from them by spending time discussing those examples. To that end, I’d like to mention them as topics to consider. This topic is huge when examined, and many of those examples blend together in events, but are still beneficial to examine.

There are also things that Yeshua did which modeled the behavior that we should focus on. Those that come to mind now are:

Humility

Meekness/Self Control

Compassion

Self-control

Forgiveness

Sacrificial Love

Righteous Anger

Let’s start with humility. If there is a huge challenge for us to consider, I think this is the largest for us. All our lives as children, we had heroes to emulate. For me, it was John Wayne. Now, he wasn’t the only one out there to consider, but he was mine. Pick your favorite and ask yourself, “was he or she humble?”

Then, consider the Son of God.

Do you remember the immediate reaction to the time when Yeshua washed the disciples’ feet?

John 13:4–8 He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Peter reacted humbly, (or so he thought) as he considered Yeshua very highly, but he missed the lesson. Would it be appropriate to consider that nobody is too high to perform a service for others? This tends to fly in the face of the idea of economic or social status and being better than others. What we may see as lowering ourselves to perform service, Yeshua didn’t see it that way.

See also: Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10, Luke 3:10-11, Philippians 2:3-4, Ephesians 6:7-8

Some may not understand the term of meekness, as it has changed in our society. How many of us think of a wilting flower when we consider this word? To be open about this topic, it can be said that Meekness includes humility and self-control. As topics to consider, I list them separately.

The prophecy in the book of Isaiah describes the time of the crucifixion – and the books of Matthew, Luke, and John corroborate the prophecy. He was in total control.

Yet, consider the way that Yeshua dealt with the Pharisees when they attempted to trap Him, and how he suffered at the hands of the Romans during this crucifixion. We would scarcely recognize that time as the ultimate meekness. His responses and the evidence in scripture described a man in complete control.

When we are led by the spirit of God that He gives to His elect, we are to develop self-control and total faith in God. Those qualities allow us to be seen as unflappable and self-controlled and not into theatrics and attention-seeking.

Matt 11:28–29 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Eph 4:1–3 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Throughout His time of ministry, we read of the compassion that Yeshua had for the masses around Himself. Whether it was those afflicted by illness or simply by hunger, He attended to their needs.

Matt 9:35–36 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

His care for others is reported in Matt 15:32 and Mark 6:34-37 as well.

There were several times when Yeshua had compassion on those who came to him for help – even those who were not Jews but had faith in Him. His concern for those who were around Him as He spoke to them led to His miracle with the loaves and fishes. He cared about people – He displayed both love and compassion – arguably two sides of the same coin.

It should be obvious that the trait of forgiveness is the overarching topic of the New Covenant. One could say that there are better words for it but let’s go with forgiveness for the moment. That is the one thing that Yeshua excelled at. Even while still hanging on the cross, He asked His Father to forgive the ones who put Him there – “for they know not what they do.”

What about the rest of us?

Lk 17:3–4 “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Compare Luke 6:37, Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:32

It should be obvious throughout the time of Yeshua’s ministry that He taught forgiveness by His actions. Hopefully, all those who are walking with the spirit of God do not carry a purse to hold grudges. We find peace in our lives by relinquishing our anger through forgiveness for others while we are to repent and confess our sins so that Yahweh will forgive us.

Some may think that anger is a sin. It can certainly lead to sin, but the emotion itself is not. Paul told us:

Eph 4:26–27 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.

In scripture, there are a few ways that “anger” is translated. They all still refer to the same emotion but maybe they are translated based on the level of the anger. We know that Yahweh also feels anger:

Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.

I think it is interesting that King David felt anger so strongly that he would condemn a man to death – not knowing that he was that man.

2 Sam 12:5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die,

We should take note that Yeshua exhibited anger as well, such as when He cleared the money-changers out of the Temple and when the Pharisees accused Yeshua performing miracles by the power of the prince of demons.

Mark 3:28–30 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Though I mentioned “righteous anger” as an example that Yeshua gave us, many think of it as a negative trait. It isn’t if we remember the source of that anger. It is love.

A most difficult lesson to learn is to obey the greatest two commandments. If there is one thing that we should grasp first when God offers us entry into His Kingdom and to receive His spirit, it is how to obey those two greatest commandments. All the other lessons depend on following those two.

Matthew 22:37-40 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

It was that love which gave us freedom from our sins and eternal life with Yahweh. It is the love that made Yeshua the perfect man and the spotless lamb worthy of being the sacrifice for us.