WALKING WITH JESUS

Sermon of the Week #200628 – July 16, 2006

          First John 2:6: He that saith he knoweth Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked. Walking with Jesus can be a very interesting and profitable experience. In Genesis we read of a man named Enoch who walked with God and was not for God took him. In Hebrews is a fuller explanation when we are told, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death for God took him."

         So if we walk with God like Enoch, the day will come when we will be translated at the resurrection and walk right on through the pearly gates. Walk with God like Enoch and you will be able to sing,

“I walk with the King Hallelujah! I walk with the King praise His name;

No longer I roam my soul faces home; I walk and I talk with the King.”  

         Then again we read in Genesis, Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. That was a very profitable walk, because God rewarded Noah by giving him and his family an all expense paid cruise, while every body else stayed home and drowned.

         Perhaps one of the most thrilling examples of the victorious walk with God is in the case of Shaddrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the third chapter of Daniel. These three worthies refused to bow down and worship the god Nebuchadnezzar had made of gold ninety feet high, and nine feet wide. They were bound and cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. The king looked into the furnace and said, “Lo, I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like unto the Son of God.” Those who walk with Jesus today will also be delivered from the fire. Like Shadraach, Meshach, and Abednego, they wouldn’t bow, they wouldn’t bend they wouldn’t burn.                                                                              

        It is also appropriate to notice that Peter one time received an invitation from Jesus to take a walk with Him on the water. Jesus was doing it, and Peter said, “Lord, bid me also to come to thee on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.”  Peter went down from the boat and walked a few steps, and then got scared and started to sink.

Jesus also invites us to come and walk with Him. We may not walk on the water as Peter did, but if we try it, we may have enough traction to walk on the land without falling in a sinkhole. Paul warns us in Ephesians to walk circumspectly as we walk. In other words watch your step as you walk with Jesus.

        I truly believe I would be remiss, if I did not mention the warning about walking in Revelation 16:15 "Blessed is he that keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."  Keeping your garments means keep every thing covered up that you ought not be showing. It appears that many are proud, and want to show the world various parts of their anatomy that ought to be covered up. Remember Jesus said, “Behold I come as a thief.”

         Then there is the sad account about walking with Jesus in John six. Many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Jesus asked the twelve if they were leaving too. It was Simon Peter who spoke for them all when he said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and know that Thou art the Holy One of God.” Jesus said unto them, "Did I not choose you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" This He spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray Him being one of the twelve.

         We need to be aware that there are some people who do not want to walk with the Lord. It makes them feel uncomfortable. Adam and Eve heard the voice of God as He walked in the Garden of Eden, and they hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden. Adam found out like all will find out sooner or later; there is no hiding place down here.  And now let us consider some various places where we may walk with Jesus today.                

WALK ON RESURRECTION GROUND

       To walk with Jesus is to walk with Him on resurrection ground. Luke tells of two disciples on the Resurrection Day walking about seven miles to the village of Emmaus. As they walked they communed and questioned about the things that had come to pass. They were throwing their comments back and forth to each other like a medicine ball at a Gym. Perhaps one said, what does it mean when they saw the linen clothes lying there all rolled up? The other responded, and what did Mary mean by that statement about seeing angels? The other threw another at him; what did she mean when she said, the Lord said touch me not? What was that all about? The other, I thought He was to be the Messiah and now this. They had no answers just one question after the other back and forth, back and forth.  About that time they were surprised to see someone else with them. They did not recognize Him as the Lord, because their eyes were holden that they should not know Him. As they walked Jesus began to tell them about the fulfillment of all the prophecies in the scriptures about the resurrection. It was as they break the bread in the inn that their eyes were opened and they knew Him. They said did not our hearts burn within us as He opened unto us the scriptures as He spake to us in the way? They came to the conclusion that Jesus was alive before they recognized Him. Their conclusion about the resurrection was not based on what they saw, but upon what the scriptures said. It was the testimony of the word of God that convinced them that Jesus was alive. We have never seen the risen Lord either, but we have the same testimony of the two on the road to Emmaus.

We saw thee not when Thou didst come into this world of sin and death.

Nor yet beheld that cottage home in that despised Nazareth,

But we believe Thy footsteps trod its streets and plains Thou Son of God.

We saw Thee not when lifted high amidst that wild and savage crew.

Nor heard we that imploring cry, forgive, they know not what they do;

But we believe the act was done that shook the earth and hid the sun.

We gazed not in the open tomb, where once thy mangled body lay.

Nor saw thee in the upper room, Nor met thee in the open way.

But we believe the angels said, ‘Why seek the living with the dead?”

We walked not with the chosen few, who saw thee from the earth ascend.

Who raised to heaven their wondering view; And then to earth all prostrate bend.

But we believe that human eyes, Beheld that journey to the skies.

They walked with Jesus that day on the road to Emmaus on resurrection ground. It was scriptural ground, the same ground as Christians can walk on today. If you say that you abide in Him you ought also to walk even as He walked.

WALK WITH JESUS ON HOLY GROUND

Paul the Apostle said in Romans. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.        Since we were buried with Him in baptism-not sprinkled with Him, or poured with Him, it says buried with Him, then we were raised with Him.

Then Paul stated we should walk in a newness of life. The walk with Him in the newness of life is important as indicated in the third chapter of Revelation. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and I will not blot their names out of the book of life. Jesus threatened to blot some names out of the book of life if they did not repent. How could He blot their names out of the book of life, if their names were not in the book of life in the first place? In Acts 2:47 The Lord added to the Church day by day those that were saved. One has to read an awful lot into the scripture to say that those who had not the promise of walking with Jesus in white were never really members of the Lord's Church. This is one of the many indications that once you are saved, does not mean that you are always saved.

Only those who continue to walk in the newness of life will have the promise to walk with Jesus in white in the life to come. Remember too, the warning of John in the first chapter of this epistle, "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."

We remember that John is often called the Apostle of love. When he was old it is said that often times they brought him before the assembly and his only word was little children love one another. While this is true it is to be remembered that Jesus had called him one of the sons of thunder when he was a young man. Some of the old thunder remains even at the end of life. Hear him again as he accuses those who think they can be in Christ and walk in the dark, “YOU LIE!”

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this world's dark light.”

Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise and all thy days be bright.

I looked to Jesus, and I found In Him my star my sun

And in that light of life I'll walk till traveling days are done.

To walk with Jesus is to walk on Holy Ground. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked.   

WALK WITH JESUS ON SACRIFICIAL GROUND

Consider the import of the first chapter of the gospel according to John. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, “Behold the Lamb of God!” And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

John and Andrew followed Jesus even though He had also been pointed out to them as the Lamb of God the previous day that taketh away the sin of the world—A lamb to be sacrificed. To follow Jesus both then and now is to live a life of sacrifice. Walk with Jesus, and you are walking on sacrificial ground.

I was talking to a preacher one time that said he was leaving the ministry. I asked him why and he said, "If they would beat me I could take that, but I cannot stand this picky, picky stuff." I would suppose most of us would be glad to settle for this picky, picky stuff if we had to endure the persecution of those who have walked with Jesus in the pages of the New Testament.

How many of us would want to trade places with Stephen who was stoned. Would you rather be stoned or endure picky, picky stuff if you had to make a choice? How about exchanging a couple of Paul's turns when he says five times I received forty stripes of the Jews save one. If I had my druthers I'd rather put up with the lies, false accusations, anonymous letters, criticisms any day than to  be stoned or horsewhipped. Suppose Paul had said, “I don't mind that picky picky stuff, but I can’t stand to be horsewhipped.”

Remember Jesus said, “The disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

If they called Jesus the Lord of the flies, no doubt that would include maggots; if that was an expression of their disdain for him then we have nothing to get excited about. Make no mistake about it to walk with Jesus is to walk on sacrificial ground.

But remember there is no reserved sign on sacrificial ground that says, “FOR PREACHERS ONLY!” We can all have a piece of the action. You sacrifice for self. How come God gets left out of our sacrifice? To walk with Jesus you have to walk on sacrificial ground. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked. 

WALK WITH JESUS ON EVANGELISTIC GROUND

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, “Come ye after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And they straightway left their nets and followed Him.

To walk with Jesus meant that they were to walk on evangelistic ground. Peter and Andrew did not know it at that time, but walking with Jesus would take them from the shore of the Sea of Galilee to a mountain in Galilee where Jesus would give them the Great Commission to be fishers of men and promise to be with them and the preaching of their word even unto the end of the world.

Walking with Jesus would take them to the Day of Pentecost where Peter would be the spokesman for the first Gospel sermon. To walk with Jesus on evangelistic ground is very difficult.

The admonition of Amos is very appropriate. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” How can a person walk with Jesus evangelistically, if He does not agree with Jesus and His word? Peter agreed with Jesus and that is the only way to walk with Jesus on evangelistic ground or any other ground. If Peter had been as many Church of Christ, and or Christian Church preacher, or of most any denomination, he would have balked at telling the inquirers to do what he told them. It offends people He would never have said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Many would not say it because they would not want to sound offensive, to some who reject. Some because they don't believe immersion has anything to do with the  remission of sins. This statement you simply do not hear from most preachers on radio or television. Since Peter spake as the Spirit gave him utterance I know that what he said was approved by Jesus.

Jesus said so Himself. Remember what He told the Apostles in the upper room? But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peter was walking on evangelistic ground when he preached that first gospel sermon and gave the terms of pardon. How can any preacher say he is walking with Jesus on evangelistic ground if he does not agree with Peter, a man who walked with Jesus? He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself to walk even as He walked.

                                                        CONCLUSION

If we walk with Jesus on resurrection ground, sacrificial ground, holy ground, and then on evangelistic ground we should be able to say in the words of the gospel song:

I walked today where Jesus walked in days of long ago.

I wandered down each path He knew with reverent step and slow.

Those little lanes they have not changed, A sweet peace fills the air.

I walked today where Jesus walked and felt His Presence there.

My pathway led through Bethlehem, Ah memories ever sweet.

The little hills of Galilee that knew those childish feet.

The Mount of Olives, hallowed scenes that Jesus knew before;

I saw the mighty Jordan roll, as in the days of yore.

I knelt today where Jesus knelt where all alone He prayed.

The Garden of Gethsemane my heart was unafraid.

I picked my heavy burden up and with Him by my side;

I climbed the Hill of Calvary where on the cross He died.

I walked today where Jesus walked and felt Him close to me.