i. Discuss the mind Jesus had that made Him to take the steps He took. Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 12:2-4; 1 Jh. 3:16; Rom. 5:7-8; Heb. 2:17; Lk. 23:34; 1 Cor. 1:27-29.
Look at His lowliness of mind in the following instances:
a) The way through which He came into the world. Lk. 1:26-27; Matt. 13:55; Lk. 2:5-20
He did not come through the family of the king or the high priest but through an ordinary virgin espoused to a carpenter. His birth was announced not to politicians or high class people but to shepherds. He identified with the lowly in His birth (Rom. 12:16).
b) His fore-runner, John the Baptist, was rugged and simple, Lk. 3:7-9; Mk. 1:6-8.
He did not choose orators or men of high taste. He was lowly in His choice.
c) He chose ordinary fishermen (Barbarians) as His disciples, not Pharisees or Scribes.
Are you lowly? Look at your friends, your choice of materials to use and people you work and walk with. Are you lowly?
ii. Discuss His life goal in order to understand His mind. Psa. 40:6-8; Heb. 10:6-9; John 4:32-34
He came with the attitude of obedience. His mind and His delight is to do the will of God, not to fulfill any selfish ambition. You cannot insist on satisfying your own pleasure and think you can follow Jesus. Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus, the mind to always do the will of God even when it hurts.
iii. What understanding of His mind can you discover from His pattern of life leadership and service? Matt. 20:25-28; Jn. 13:4-5, 12-17; Phil. 2:7; Isa. 53:1-9. His life pattern is that of humility and no reputation. He would not make a big name for Himself. Contrary to the world principles, for Jesus, leadership means service and the way into Spiritual Leadership is to bend down and serve. He had a mind of servant-hood. There is need to cultivate the same.
iv. Jesus never depended on Himself or want independence though at His disposal; Jn. 5:19, 30-32; Jn. 8:28-29; Heb. 5:5-8.
He did not seek His own glory but God’s glory. He did nothing of Himself but whatever God wanted Him to do. He knew that in man, there is nothing good. This mind must also be in you if you must follow Jesus meaningfully.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the significant of Christ identifying Himself to the lowly at His birth in the life of Christians today?
2. Explain the criteria God uses to choose His own/people? Is it education, money etc.
3. What goal did Christ had while on earth and how can it affect our own goal?
4. What is the significance of Jesus washing His disciples feet to us leaders and Christians today? Jn. 13:4-5, 12-17
5. What does it mean to serve or be a servant as a leader following the footsteps of Jesus?
6. Give examples of situations that show that many believers don’t follow the footsteps of God, rather follow men’s ideology. How can we take God’s glory?
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