Basic HTML Version
46
Steps to Jesus
The early disciples became more and more like Christ when they
kept their eyes on Him. When they heard His words, they felt they
needed Him. They looked for Him, found Him, and followed Him.
They were with Him in the house and sat at the table with Him.
They were with Him indoors and outdoors. They were His pupils,
listening every day to His lessons of holy truth. They looked to Him,
as servants look to their master, to learn their duty.
Christ’s disciples were “as completely human as we are.”
James
5:17
, TLB. They fought the same battles with sin. They needed the
same grace in order to live holy lives.
John, the greatly loved disciple, was most like the Saviour. But
he did not naturally have a lovely character. He was selfish, bold, and
wanted honor. Sometimes he acted too quickly, with little thought,
and became angry when he was not treated right. But when the
character of the divine One was shown to him, he saw his own faults
and felt very humble.
John saw the strength and kindness of Jesus. He saw His power
and love. He saw that although Jesus was a king, He was humble.
John was filled with love for the Saviour as he watched Him. Day
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by day he turned to Jesus until he lost sight of himself in love for
his Master. His selfish, bad temper yielded to Christ’s power, and
the Holy Spirit made his heart like new. The power of Christ’s love
changed John’s character.
We are sure to be changed when we join ourselves to Christ.
When Christ lives in us, our whole nature is uplifted. His Spirit, His
love, humbles our hearts and turns our thoughts and desires toward
God and heaven.
Even after Jesus returned to heaven, His followers still felt His
presence with them. They felt His love and light. Jesus, the Saviour,
had walked and talked and prayed with them. He had spoken words
of hope and comfort. And while He was giving them His message
of peace, He had been taken up from them into heaven. As the cloud
of angels received Him, the disciples had heard Him say, “I am with
you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
Matthew 28:20
, KJV.
Jesus had been taken up to heaven in human form. The disciples
knew that their Friend and Saviour was standing before God. He
still loved them and was one of them. He was showing to God His
wounded hands and feet. He was reminding His Father of the price