Jesus Walked By Faith

What Did Jesus Do?

I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
John 8.42

Jesus, as a discerning centurion observed, was “a man under authority” (Matthew 8.9), meaning that He was not operating on His own, but under the authority and orders of another. The Roman understood, though he did not really know God personally at the time, that Jesus had been sent by the Father. Jesus had praise for the centurion’s faith, and in response to such faith healed the centurion’s servant.

The Lord did not come into the world on His own initiative, but in obedience to His Father’s will. And once in the world Jesus did not go His own way, but daily walked faithfully on the path the Father ordained for Him. And it was a most interesting path that led through valleys and up to mountain tops.

Following this path of faith Jesus stepped down into the waters of baptism (Matthew 3.13-17), and He also walked upon the waters of Galilee (Matthew 14.22-33). Jesus faithfully walked up to the region of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15.21-28), and down to the far side of the Jordan to the region of Gadara (Matthew 8.28-34) and of Gerasa (Mark 5.1-20). Every step He took, whether through the waters or upon them, whether to the Mediterranean or into the interior, Jesus walked in faith and obedience.

By faith Jesus walked through Samaria, and not around it as pious Jews would have. And, for a woman who encountered the Lord at Jacob’s well, and for many of her neighbors in Sychar , it was only because Jesus walked where other Jews would not that they came to believe He was the Savior. (John 4.1-42)

By faith the Lord delayed His walk to Bethany, and those who witnessed the raising of Lazarus came to know that the Father had sent Jesus. And resurrection was no longer a hope invested in the promise of a far off day, but a present reality in the person of the Son who was “the resurrection and the life” for all who believed in Him. (John 11. 1-44)

Jesus’ walk took Him to Jerusalem, though He would enter on the back of a donkey (Matthew 21.1-11); and He walked the painful steps to Golgotha and the cross (Matthew 27.31-33). The Lord’s body was carried to the garden tomb (Matthew 27.57-60), but three days later He walked out (Matthew 28.1-10).

Jesus walked, step by step, mile by mile, day by day, in faith and obedience. Wherever He went, whatever He did, the Son was faithful to the Father. All who would follow Jesus walk the same walk, even to the bearing of the cross (Matthew 16.24-28). But walking the walk is not enough, along the way we need to “talk the talk”: calling people to repentance, announcing the kingdom of heaven, and doing the work the Father gives us to do. That’s what Jesus did as He walked by faith.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4