1. Christ Jesus was always obedient to His Father in heaven
2. Christ Jesus was a man of prayer
Christ prayed before big decisions. Christ prayed before big decisions. Christ prayed before making one of the most important choices of His ministry on earth, choosing the twelve to go out and begin the teaching of the entire world! (Luke 6:12-16). If Jesus found comfort in speaking with His Father before making large and impacting decisions in His life, then those following Christ should also. Decisions in our life that will have impact and effect our paths of our lives or those around us should be carefully considered and taken to our Father in prayer.
Christ thanked His Father in prayer. Specifically, it is never mentioned that Christ thanked His Father for the circumstances in His life, but It is safe to draw inference that He in fact did thank God for every situation that he encountered. Paul, in speaking to the Thessalonians, reminded them “in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thes. 5:18). We should be in prayer to God, giving thanks to Him for the good times, and also for the bad times. While we may not enjoy our bad times, God reminds us that they are working for us a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).
Christ prayed for those who were followers. The true “Lord’s Prayer” as recorded in John 17 pens the words of Christ as He prayed for “all those who believe on Me through their words” (John 17:20). Christ prayed for His disciples, those who are today named Christians (Acts 11:36). The church is God’s place for those who are saved, added by God (Acts 2:47), and the church of Jesus is the only institution God has ever given as a method of salvation (Acts 4:12, Acts 2:47). We should spend time, having the mind of Christ, in carrying out the mission of Christ to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15).
Christ always prayed for the will of God to be done. At times our circumstances are not as we wish. Christ had the same issues. Just moments before going to the cross, Christ prayed to His Father in Heaven that His (the Father’s) will be done. (Luke 22:42). Christ prayed that the will of God be done even though it was not the most comfortable or convenient situation for Him. The church today would do well to pray for the will of the Father to always be done, even when it is not easy or convenient for us.
3. Christ always took a stand for the word of God
4. Christ always considered was mindful of the lost
It is my prayer and hope that we all take heed to one of the simplest to understand and most powerful verses in the New Testament, to simply “have the mind of Christ” in all we do.