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A RETURN TO NORMAL
A. Introduction: Today there are multitudes of confusing and contradictory voices telling Christians how God
wants them to live. Last week we began to talk about how Jesus wants us to live, according to the New
Testament, which was written by eyewitnesses of Jesus (or close associates of eyewitnesses).
1. How Jesus wants us to live is based on why He came into this world. Two thousand years ago, He took
on a human nature and was born into this world so He could die as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
Through His death He opened the way for all who believe on Him to be restored to their created purpose.
a. Almighty God created human beings to become His holy, righteous sons and daughters through
faith in Him. But all have sinned. All have violated God’s moral law (His standard of right and
wrong) and are no longer qualified for God’s family. Isa 53:6; Rom 3:23
1. Human beings were created to live in voluntary submission and obedience to God. When the
head of the human race (Adam) disobeyed God, he corrupted himself through his disobedience.
And his choice (Adam’s sin) affected the race within him.
2 All human beings inherit a corruption from Adam that inclines us to put our will and our way
above God’s will and way. We are born with a bent toward selfishness—putting ourselves
first, above God and other people. Rom 5:19
b. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, to call men and women to turn from sin toward God. He
calls us to change the end for which we live and turn from living for self to living for God. Matt 9:13
1. II Cor 5:15—(Jesus) died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer
live to please themselves. Instead they will live to please Him (NLT).
2. We were created to know God, love God, and serve God as His dearly loved sons and
daughters (Eph 1:4-5). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, through repentance from sin and faith in
Him, we can return to our created purpose and be made holy and righteous.
2. Remember, God desires sons and daughters who are Christ-like, like Jesus in character and behavior.
Jesus, in His humanity, is the pattern for God’s family—For God knew his people in advance, and he
chose them to become like his Son (Rom 8:29, NLT).
a. We’ve made the point in previous lessons that becoming like Jesus is a process that begins when we
believe on Jesus. He indwells us by His Spirit, and begins to work in us to make us increasingly
like Himself, as we willfully cooperate with Him.
b. Right now, we fully God’s sons and daughters through faith in Jesus, but not yet fully Christ-like in
every part of our being. But He who has begun a work in us will complete it. I John 3:1-2; Phil 1:6
3. In this lesson we’re going to look further at what the New Testament says about why Jesus came into this
world, and how He wants us to live, in light of why He came.
B. When Jesus began His public ministry on earth, His first call to men and women was to repent and believe:
Repent (have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and
believe—trust in, rely on and adhere to the good news—the Gospel (Mark 1:15, Amp).
1. Over the course of three and a half years, Jesus gradually revealed the full scope of the good news, or
why He came to earth. Jesus came to deliver humankind and the earth from sin, corruption, and death.
a. Neither humanity nor this world is as it is supposed to be. Both humankind and the earth itself have
been corrupted by sin. Gen 2:17; Gen 3:17-19; Rom 5:19; Rom 8:20; etc.
1. Right now, the earth is the scene of universal rebellion against God. Jesus entered time and
space two thousand years ago to begin the process of re-establishing the reign or kingdom of
God on earth, and reclaiming and restoring what has been damaged by sin.
2. The Greek word for kingdom means dominion, rule, or reign. The kingdom of God is the
sphere of His reign, or where God reigns and His will is done.
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b. Jesus came the first time to die as a sacrifice for sin and make it possible for men and women to
be restored to God’s family through faith in Him. John 1:12-13
1. Following His resurrection, Jesus began to establish His kingdom (His rule and reign) in men
and women who submit to Him through repentance and faith. And He has continued to extend
His Kingdom (His reign in men and women) in this manner, down through the centuries.
2. When you come under the Lordship of Jesus, you come into the kingdom of God. God, by His
Spirit, comes into men and women when they repent and believe—that’s the new birth, Christ
in you. The kingdom is in you because the King is in you. Luke 17:20-21; John 3:3-5; etc.
c. Jesus will come again to cleanse, renew, and restore the earth. At that time He will establish His
visible, eternal kingdom here, and live with His family on earth forever. Rev 21-22
2. As Jesus traveled around Israel two thousand years ago, He called people to follow Him (Matt 4:19; Matt
8:22; Matt 9:9; Matt 19:21; John 1:43; etc.). Those who followed Jesus called Him rabbi (or teacher).
a. Rabbi was a respectful term used for teachers and spiritual instructors. The word means master, or
my master. Rabbis would call or invite men to follow them.
b. In that culture, the word follow carried the idea of following as a disciple or learner. A disciple was
supposed to learn from his rabbi. He was also supposed to imitate or copy his teacher’s example
and seek to be like him.
3. Jesus made a number of specific statements about what it means to follow or be like Him. Note one.
a. Matt 16:24—If any one desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself—that is, disregard, lose
sight of and forget himself and his own interests—and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave
steadily to me, conform wholly to My example in living and if need be in dying, also] (Amp).
1. Matt 16:24—If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps he must give up all rights to himself,
take up his cross and follow me (J. B. Phillips).
2. Matt 16:24—If any of you want to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition,
shoulder your cross, and follow me (NLT).
b. Jesus requires three things of those who follow Him—deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Me.
1. To deny one’s self means to change the end for which you live, from living for self (doing
things your way) to living for God (doing things His way), even when it’s hard or costly. This
has to do with the intent of your heart. What is the intent of your heart—to please God or self?
2. To take up your Cross means making daily choices that reinforce your original commitment to
do things His way: Jesus said to the crowd, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must
put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23, NLT).
3. To follow Jesus means to learn from Him, obey Him, and imitate His example. Jesus came to
obey and to serve—to do the will of His Father and to serve humanity by giving His life as a
sacrifice for sin. John 4:34; John 8:29; Mark 10:45; etc. (More on this in upcoming lessons.)
c. Note this important point. Jesus was not, is not, asking for a state of super-spiritual development
that only a few people can achieve. Jesus was, is, talking about ordinary Christianity for ordinary
Christians—what should be normal. He is talking about a return to our created purpose.
1. Human beings were created to live in voluntary submission and obedience to Almighty God, as
sons and daughters who are full glorifying to Him. That is the place of full joy and peace.
2. Anything else is an abnormal way of life for a human being. Jesus, in His humanity, is our
example of what normal looks like for a human being.
3. Salvation is about the restoration of human nature by the power of God (on the basis of the
Cross) so that we can be returned and restored to normal—what we were created to be, sons and
daughters who are like Jesus in character and behavior.
4. We’ll talk about this in more detail in upcoming lessons, but for now consider this point. The popular
gospel that is presented in many circles today is very self-focused and appeals to the corruption
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(selfishness) that is in all of us—it’s all me and what God wants to do for me,
a. As a result, when we talk about doing the will of God, many of us automatically think in terms of:
What is my calling? What is my ministry? How can I use my gifts and talents? Who will I
marry? Where will I live? How can I be successful in life?
1. Jesus didn’t die to obtain workers or winners for God. He died to obtain sons and daughters
who are holy and righteous, and are like Him in character and obedience to the Father.
2. Jesus summed up God’s Law (God’s will) in two statements: Love God (obey His moral
standard) and love your neighbor as you love yourself (treat others the way you want to be
treated). That is normal Christianity. Matt 22:37-40
3. Turning from self toward God means that our priorities, perspective, and behaviors change.
We live with awareness that eternal things matter more than temporal things, and understand
that this world in its present condition is not our home. We’re only passing through.
b. Jesus called men and women to: 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 (meek) and lowly in heart
(humble) (Matt 11:28-29, ESV).
1. First century Jews used the phrase take the yoke for entering into submission to. They spoke
of the yoke of the Law and the commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, and the yoke of God.
2. Jesus invites men and women to submit to Him and then learn from Him. Note, the first thing
He said about Himself is: I am meek and humble. Learn from Me, or copy my character.
C. Some wrongly say that Jesus’ demands to deny self were just for the people He interacted with when He was
here. They say that the Cross changed everything and none of Jesus’ pre-Cross teachings apply to us today.
1. However, the Cross didn’t change what it means to follow Jesus. Granted, it did change things in that,
because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God can now indwell us by His Spirit and empower us to live as Jesus
commands us, when we choose to obey Him.
a. Let’s look at some examples of what Jesus told His disciples (after the Cross) about how His
followers are supposed to live and what Jesus told the apostles to teach others to do.
b. In a post-resurrection appearance along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus instructed Peter to feed and take
care of His sheep. John 21:15-17
1. At that point, Jesus told Peter what kind of death by which he would glorify God when he was
old—You will stretch out your hands, and others will direst you and take you where you don’t
want to go. Then Jesus told him, ‘Follow me’ (John 21:18-19, NLT).
2. When Peter asked what would happen to John, Jesus answered—If I want him to remain alive
until I return, what is that to you? You follow me (John 21:20-22, NLT). This is post-Cross,
but Jesus is still urging Peter (and the others) to follow Him.
3. Keep in mind that Jesus’ crucifixion took place just a few weeks earlier. It would have been
fresh in Peter’s mind when Jesus told him that as His follower, he too would die at the hands of
a persecutor. So Jesus’ call to follow Me (or seek to be like Me) was no doubt quite impactful.
c. Notice what Peter wrote thirty years later, to Christians who were facing hardship, being unfairly
treated, and suffering even though they had acted righteously,
1. Peter urged his readers to follow Jesus’ example and demonstrate Christ-like character, even
though it was difficult and costly. In other words, take up your cross and follow Him.
2. I Pet 2:21-23—Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps. He never
sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted. When he
suffered, he did not threaten to get even. He left his case in the hands of God who always
judges fairly (NLT).
2. Jesus returned to Heaven forty days after His resurrection. Before He left, the Lord commissioned the
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apostles to make disciples of all nations…Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have
given you (Matt 28:19-20, NLT). Remember, a disciple is one who imitates his teacher, and all God’s
commands are summed up in two: Obey God’s moral law and treat people as you wish to be treated.
a. We get insight into what the apostles preached as they spread gospel (the good news that the reign
of God is being restored through Jesus), from Paul’s letters (epistles).
b. Paul makes it clear that he himself followed Jesus, and he urged Christians to follow his example as
he followed Christ. Paul used a specific Greek word for follow that means to imitate (mimetes).
1. Eph 5:1—Therefore be imitators of God—copy Him and follow His example—as well-beloved
children [imitate their father] (Amp).
2. Paul wrote: Follow my example, as I imitate and follow Christ (I Cor 1:11, Amp); I urge and
implore you, be imitators of me (I Cor 4:16, Amp).
A. Paul also wrote: My brothers I should like you all to imitate me and observe those whose
lives are based on the pattern that we give you (Phil 3:17, J. B. Phillips).
B. Paul is the one who wrote that Jesus is the pattern for God’s family: For God knew his
people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son (Rom 8:29, NLT).
c. Paul’s ministry in the Greek city of Thessalonica gives us insight into what Paul preached. Paul
was only in the city for three weeks, when severe persecution broke out and he was forced to leave.
1. He wrote a letter to these new believers that reveals what he taught them in the short time he
was with them. And it shows us the effect that Paul’s teaching had on them. Paul tells us that:
A. I Thess 1:6—You [set yourselves to] become imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord
Himself (Amp); You set yourselves to copy us and indeed the Lord himself (J. B. Phillips).
B. I Thess 1:9-10—You turned from idols to serve the true living God, and…your whole lives
now look forward to the coming of his Son from Heaven (J. B. Phillips).
2. In the letter, Paul noted that news of their conversion to Jesus was spreading throughout Greece
and beyond, as people talked about the change in them. Paul said they were an example or
model to all who believe in northern and southern Greece. I Thess 1:7-8
3. What kind of example were these people: They were men and women who made a choice to
turn from sin to God and to follow (or imitate) Christ by His power (His indwelling Spirit).
They are the kind of believers that the preaching of the true gospel produces.
D. Conclusion: Jesus died to open the way for us to return to normal, as human beings who live in submission
and obedience to God their Father—sons and daughters who are like Jesus in character and behavior.
1. You don’t need fully developed, Christ-like character to be pleasing to God. But you do need purity of
motive or Christ-like intention—I want to please God, to do His will, and I put forth effort to do so.
a. Phil 3:7-11—Paul expressed the fact that he counted everything as nothing in comparison to
knowing Christ Jesus, His Lord. Paul longed to know Jesus more fully (lessons for another day).
b. Notice what else he said: Phil 3:12-14—I don’t mean to say that I have already reached perfection!
But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and
wants me to be (NLT)…Let us therefore, as many as be perfect be thus minded (KJV).
1. The words perfection and perfect are forms of the same Greek word (one is an adjective, the
other is a verb). The word means complete or reaching the intended goal. The goal we are
aiming at is Christ-likeness (full conformity to the image of Christ). Rom 8:29
2. You can be perfect in intention of heart (I want to become more like Jesus) while you are not yet
fully like Him in every thought, word, motive, or action. What is the intent of your heart?
2. Do you think in terms of growing in Christ-likeness, imitating Jesus, copying His example in your
character and behavior? Is that your heart’s desire? Do you put forth effort to grow? Then you can be
perfect before God before you reach full perfection. Much more next week!!
