by jimwalton » Thu Aug 24, 2023 6:04 am
- He wants to be the center of your life (Jn. 10.7; 14.6). Align yourself with Him; identify with Him (Mt. 13.38, 43; 16.24; 19.21, 28; Jn. 5.40; 6.40, 45, 53-58; 8.12; 10.4, 27; 12.26; 15.5-7, 10)
- He wants you to repent and turn away from your sin (Mt. 9.13; 18.7-9; Mk. 2.17; Lk. 5.32; Mt. 21.32; Lk. 5.3213; 13.3-5; 15.1-31; 24.47)
- He wants you to be born of the Spirit (Jn. 3.5-8)
- He is looking for faith (Mt. 8.10, 26; 9.22, 29; 13.58; 14.31; 15.28; 16.6; 17.17, 20; Mk. 4.40; 5.36; 9.19, 23; 11.22; Lk. 7.10; 8.48; 9. 41; 12.22-34; 17.6, 19; 18.8, 42; Jn. 3.15-16, 18, 36; 4.39; 5.24, 38; 6.29, 47; 7.38; 11.14, 25; 12.44; 13.19; 17.8; 20.27, 29)
- He wants you to obey God's laws and God's commandments (Mt. 5.19-20; 12.50; 19.18-19; Mk. 7.8; 10.3, 19; Lk. 10.28; 16.29-31; 18.18-30; 19.1-10). But following the Law and commandments is often, if not always, explained as following Jesus. Righteousness in Judaism was connected to living in relationship with God as defined in the Torah. Jesus seems to be pushing the definition into relationship with Himself as God and following him in both allegiance and obedience.
- He wants you to do God's will (Mt. 7.21; 12.50; Mk. 3.35; Jn. 4.34)
- He wants you to put His words into practice (Mt. 6.20-21; 7.24; 13.23; 18.35; 20.1-16; 21.28-31; 21.43; 22.10; 23; 24.46; 25.14-40; Lk. 12.43; Jn. 8.31; 8.51; 14.15, 21, 23)
- He wants you to know God, and so also therefore to know Him (Jn. 17.3)
- He wants you to love God (Mk. 12.30; Lk. 7.44-47)
- He wants you to love Him—Jesus (Mt. 10.37; Jn. 14.15, 21, 23; 15.10; 21)
- He wants you to deny yourself (Mt. 10.39; 16.24; 20.26-27; Mk. 8.34-35; Lk. 9.23; Jn. 12.25)
- He wants you to do good works and love your neighbor (Mt. 25.14-46; Mk. 9.41; 12.31; Lk. 10.30-37; Jn. 5.29)
- He wants you to be humble (Mt. 18.5; 19.14; 20.25-28; Mk. 9.35; 10.14-15; Lk. 18.14)
- He wants you to live by the truth (Jn. 3.21; 4.23-24; 5.33; 8.32; 9.5; 12.35-36, 46; 15.26; 16.13; 18.37)
- He wants you to share what you know about God, Jesus, life, and salvation with others (Mt. 28.19-20).
In summary, He wants you to repent of your sins and align yourself with Jesus. Come to Jesus, believe in Jesus and follow him—put His words into practice, love him, allegiance. Follow him, identify with him, and learn from him.
[list][*] He wants to be the center of your life (Jn. 10.7; 14.6). Align yourself with Him; identify with Him (Mt. 13.38, 43; 16.24; 19.21, 28; Jn. 5.40; 6.40, 45, 53-58; 8.12; 10.4, 27; 12.26; 15.5-7, 10)
[*] He wants you to repent and turn away from your sin (Mt. 9.13; 18.7-9; Mk. 2.17; Lk. 5.32; Mt. 21.32; Lk. 5.3213; 13.3-5; 15.1-31; 24.47)
[*] He wants you to be born of the Spirit (Jn. 3.5-8)
[*] He is looking for faith (Mt. 8.10, 26; 9.22, 29; 13.58; 14.31; 15.28; 16.6; 17.17, 20; Mk. 4.40; 5.36; 9.19, 23; 11.22; Lk. 7.10; 8.48; 9. 41; 12.22-34; 17.6, 19; 18.8, 42; Jn. 3.15-16, 18, 36; 4.39; 5.24, 38; 6.29, 47; 7.38; 11.14, 25; 12.44; 13.19; 17.8; 20.27, 29)
[*] He wants you to obey God's laws and God's commandments (Mt. 5.19-20; 12.50; 19.18-19; Mk. 7.8; 10.3, 19; Lk. 10.28; 16.29-31; 18.18-30; 19.1-10). But following the Law and commandments is often, if not always, explained as following Jesus. Righteousness in Judaism was connected to living in relationship with God as defined in the Torah. Jesus seems to be pushing the definition into relationship with Himself as God and following him in both allegiance and obedience.
[*] He wants you to do God's will (Mt. 7.21; 12.50; Mk. 3.35; Jn. 4.34)
[*] He wants you to put His words into practice (Mt. 6.20-21; 7.24; 13.23; 18.35; 20.1-16; 21.28-31; 21.43; 22.10; 23; 24.46; 25.14-40; Lk. 12.43; Jn. 8.31; 8.51; 14.15, 21, 23)
[*] He wants you to know God, and so also therefore to know Him (Jn. 17.3)
[*] He wants you to love God (Mk. 12.30; Lk. 7.44-47)
[*] He wants you to love Him—Jesus (Mt. 10.37; Jn. 14.15, 21, 23; 15.10; 21)
[*] He wants you to deny yourself (Mt. 10.39; 16.24; 20.26-27; Mk. 8.34-35; Lk. 9.23; Jn. 12.25)
[*] He wants you to do good works and love your neighbor (Mt. 25.14-46; Mk. 9.41; 12.31; Lk. 10.30-37; Jn. 5.29)
[*] He wants you to be humble (Mt. 18.5; 19.14; 20.25-28; Mk. 9.35; 10.14-15; Lk. 18.14)
[*] He wants you to live by the truth (Jn. 3.21; 4.23-24; 5.33; 8.32; 9.5; 12.35-36, 46; 15.26; 16.13; 18.37)
[*] He wants you to share what you know about God, Jesus, life, and salvation with others (Mt. 28.19-20).[/list]
In summary, He wants you to repent of your sins and align yourself with Jesus. Come to Jesus, believe in Jesus and follow him—put His words into practice, love him, allegiance. Follow him, identify with him, and learn from him.