What was Jesus’ most frequent command?
Certainly, “fear not” and “love God and one another” would both top the chart. But one command He gave at least thirteen times specifically, and—in so many words—as many as twenty-one times. It was the imperative “Follow me.”
God created every one of us by a unique and solitary DNA recipe shared by no one else—not even in the case of “identical” twins. He handmade the best version of each of us and, therefore, He desires that we to strive to make the most of what HE made us to be—for His purpose and His glory. To LIVE our best life—not to try to be a carbon copy of another person—even Jesus. What did Jesus say? “Follow me.” In other words, “Follow my example.” He never said, “Duplicate me.” He never said, “BE me.”
Jesus was divine—GOD in man. Perfect. Sinless. Blameless. Jesus was also the visible image of the invisible GOD, and the image was human. With human characteristics and tendencies. Even though Jesus was human, and we are human, we can never attain goodness as high as His. We can never BE Him; i.e. duplicate Him.
In trying to “be like Jesus,” we accept the fact that we cannot become GOD, no matter how hard we try. We can, however:
- Follow His example in conforming all the good in us to better, and the better in us to best;
- Cultivate a heart and mind that reflects His love, compassion, and obedience to God’s commands;
- Emulate Him in order to perfect our image to look like His … but, alas, we cannot duplicate Him.
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21 NKJV)
I believe this is an important lesson from the story told in Matthew 14. The text tells us that Jesus came walking up to the disciples, in a storm, ON the sea. He was clearly in His element as Almighty God as He controlled the forces of our natural world.
It’s important to note that Jesus’ actions did not change or break the fundamental laws of nature. For example:
- Jesus didn’t break the law of gravity—He didn’t come floating weightlessly in the air over the waves. He simply controlled how the law of gravity worked for Him—not to pull Him under the waves but only keep Him upright.
- He didn’t change the laws of displacement that determine what can float and what can sink. Jesus wasn’t just floating on the water—He was WALKING.
- He didn’t alter the molecular structure of water from a liquid to a solid. The water under His feet was still water with all the propensities of water.
He was simply doing what God does—exercising a higher power to control the laws and forces of nature to behave as He willed. And not for all time, but at His command—for Himself and for Peter.
If you know the story, you remember that Peter, when he saw Jesus, said, “If it’s really You, bid me come to you on the water.” Notice that Jesus never asked Peter to walk on water. It was not His idea—it was Peter’s. Jesus merely conceded and said, “Come.” Jesus knew that Peter desired to do something supernatural—something that he was never expected to do.
Yes, Jesus allowed Peter to walk on water, but Peter soon discovered that he was out of his element. When he began to sink, Jesus caught him and, instead of giving him a lesson on how to defy the forces of nature, Jesus led him back to the boat. Where he belonged. I believe that the untold conversation between Jesus and Peter after this miracle might have been, “Peter, you don’t have to try to be ME. That’s not my plan. Why don’t you just strive to BE the best Peter you can be, and I’ll be the best Savior.”
Jesus doesn’t want us to become someone else. He wants and needs us to commit what we ARE to Him—to submit what we ARE to be washed by His Word. He gave each one of us unique qualities and strengths that He needs in order to complete His Body on earth—He needs ALL of us. Jesus does NOT want us to discard our individual uniquenesses in our quest to match what we think is “perfect.”
“For the body is not one member, but many … If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:14,17-20 KJV)
God made each of us to fulfill a role in the BODY of Christ. So, here’s our assignment: to discover our individual strengths—to use and perfect our God-given talents, pushing them to the best and highest they can be. But, at the same time, to be transformed in our minds to imitate Jesus. Many members, ONE HEAD. Our individuality—HIS example. Our unique strength—His MIND. Then the whole Body, which fits together perfectly, will BE ONE in ONE accord.
E pluribus unum. Out of many, ONE.
We will study this a bit more next time.
(Part 1 of 2)
