Scripture to Read: Romans 15:3
Yesterday, God challenged us to please our neighbors for their good and to be sure and edify them. Today, as we continue through Romans 15:1–7, God tells us why we are to please our neighbor. God had Paul write in Romans 15:3, For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” Our perfect example of pleasing others above Himself is our Lord Jesus Christ. God shares with us almost the same thing about Christ in 2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” Christ became poor for us because He left perfection; He completely emptied Himself (Philippians 2:7) and sacrificed His life for us. God expects us to be imitators of our Lord and to follow His example. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” God also tells us in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” God even had Paul write this in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” God is serious about us following His example through our Lord Jesus Christ. God knows He has given us His Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), so He knows we have everything we need to obey Him.
Challenge & Application
· God wants us to live sacrificially, loving others just as Christ did; so, how are you doing that?
· What areas of your life need to be crucified so you imitate our Lord and not this world?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!