This sermon explores the practical "footprints" of our Lord. In 1 Peter 2:21, we are given a clear calling: Jesus didn't just come to be our Savior; He came to be our Path. He left behind a specific "pattern" (the Greek word is hypogrammos, like a tracing guide for students) so that we could walk exactly where He walked.
Walking the Way: How to Follow in the Footsteps of Jesus
Base Text: 1 Peter 2:21
"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps."
Introduction
Jesucristo is the perfect template for human life. While He is fully God, He lived as a man, experiencing the full range of our human struggles—hunger, tiredness, betrayal, and pain—yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
When Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33), He wasn't just making a statement about His own power. He was proving that in a human body, through the power of the Spirit and the Word, victory is possible for us, too. To follow Him is to place our feet in the imprints He left in the dust of this earth.
I. The Footstep of Victory Over Temptation
Text: Matthew 4:1–11
Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, yet He never stumbled.
• The Weapon of Choice: Every time Satan attacked, Jesus responded with, "It is written." He didn't rely on His own arguments; He relied on the authority of the Word.
• Consistency: He wasn't just tempted once. The enemy left Him "until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13).
• The Promise: We can follow this step because God is faithful. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear and will always provide a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
II. The Footstep of Active Mercy
Text: Matthew 14:14
Jesus didn't just feel sorry for people; He was "moved with compassion."
• Holistic Care: He saw the physical hunger and the spiritual blindness of the crowds and addressed both.
• The Standard: We are called to be merciful just as our Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). In a world that is often harsh and "canceled," the Christian footprint is one of grace.
III. The Footstep of Civil Responsibility
Text: Matthew 17:24–27
Jesus showed us how to live as citizens of Heaven while being responsible citizens on Earth.
• Avoiding Offense: Even though He was the Son of God and exempt from the temple tax, He paid it so as not to cause a stumble.
• Submission: He taught us to "render to Caesar what is Caesar’s" (Matthew 22:21). Following Jesus means being the best citizens, employees, and neighbors in our community (Romans 13:1–7).
IV. The Footstep of Forgiveness (No Revenge)
Text: Lucas 23:34
On the cross, at the height of His agony, Jesus’ first words were not a curse, but a prayer: "Father, forgive them."
• The Silence of the Lamb: When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten (1 Peter 2:23).
• Vanquishing Evil: We follow Him when we "overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:17–21). If we hold onto a desire for vengeance, we stop following Jesus and start following our own pride.
V. The Footstep of a Clean Heart (No Grudges)
Text: John 13:1–11
Jesus knew Judas was going to betray Him and Peter was going to deny Him. Yet, what did He do? He knelt down and washed their feet.
• Love Keeps No Record: True love, the kind Jesus modeled, "thinks no evil" and keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5).
• The Call: If the Master washed the feet of His betrayer, how can we justify holding a grudge against a brother?
VI. The Footstep of a Life of Prayer
Text: Matthew 26:36–44
If the Son of God needed to pray, how much more do we?
• Prioritizing the Father: Jesus prayed in the morning, late at night, and in the mountains. Prayer wasn't an "event" for Him; it was His atmosphere.
• Application: We cannot follow the steps of Jesus if we are not talking to the One who sent Him. We are called to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
VII. The Footstep of Sacrificial Love
Text: John 10:17–18
Finally, Jesus’ steps led Him to the Cross. He didn't go because He was trapped; He went because He chose us.
• Voluntary Sacrifice: No one took His life; He laid it down.
• The Brotherhood: Because He gave His life for us, we ought to lay down our lives—our time, our comforts, our rights—for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16).
See Also
- The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem Matthew 21:1–15
- Reconciled with God: From Enemies to Friends
- Can Man Justify His Own Sins and Actions?
Conclusion
Following Jesus is not a matter of "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do?) as a hypothetical question; it is a matter of looking at what He did and doing the same. He gave us the map, the strength of His Spirit, and the promise of His presence.
• Are you struggling with a grudge? Look at the basin and the towel.
• Are you facing a "cross" of suffering? Look at the joy set before Him.
• Are you being tempted? Look at the Word.
Final Thought: Jesus didn't just leave a trail for us to admire; He left a trail for us to walk. Which of these footprints is the hardest for you to step into today?
