Learning from Jesus and Becoming Like Jesus
John 13:13–15
Today is Teachers’ Sunday. Many of us can think of someone who taught us in the past and made a lasting difference in our lives. These teachers did more than pass on knowledge—they lived as examples of how to live. They gave more than lessons. Jesus Himself was a teacher who lived what He taught.
John 13:13–15 (ESV):
“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
Where there is a teacher, there are students. Jesus had many disciples, yet not everyone truly followed Him. Many admired Jesus and respected Him, but only came to Him when they needed something or wanted to see a miracle. They did not change their lives or follow His teachings.
It is good to call Jesus our Lord and Teacher, but the real question is: do we follow His teachings? Jesus taught us to love and to forgive. He showed us that forgiveness does not bind us to those who wronged us, but frees us to live in grace. He did not teach us to ignore our pain, but to find a better way to deal with it.
Jesus also taught us to serve. He lived a life of service and expects us to serve others as well. When we serve and live like Jesus, people experience Him through our obedience.
Jesus wants us to persevere. Just as He never gave up on us, we should not give up when we fall—and we should not give up on others either.
Jesus loves us and calls us to love others. If we have received forgiveness from Him, we must forgive others. If we have received grace, we must extend grace to others.
Parents are role models to their children. Children learn from our kindness, patience, and love—but they also imitate our bad tempers and careless words. Every action in the home is a lesson.
We must reflect Jesus not only in our homes but also in the church. The congregation has countless opportunities to show His love through forgiveness, dedication, and humility.
In the workplace, people are watching us too. We need to live lives that put our faith above everything else—lives of honesty, respect, and generosity, especially toward those who cannot repay us.
The world teaches independence, aggression, and selfishness. But Jesus teaches dependence on God, meekness, and generosity. He shows us a better way to live, and we are called to share this way with the world.
