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  JESUS, THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE OF FAITH
  by Bob Hoekstra
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Summary: Jesus is the ultimate example of faith, demonstrating humility
and dependence on the Father, and showing us how to access God's grace
through faith.

Topics: "Faith And Humility", "Christian Discipleship"
Scripture References: Matthew 1:20

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DESCRIPTION
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Bob Hoekstra preaches on the profound connection between humility,
faith, and growing in grace, emphasizing the importance of living day by
day by grace through humility and faith. He delves into the prophecy in
Isaiah 49:5 and 8, highlighting the relationship between the Father and
the Servant Messiah, Jesus, who exemplified humility and faith in
fulfilling God's gift of salvation. Jesus' reliance on the Father as
seen in the prophecy and his teaching ministry serves as a model for
believers to live in humble dependence and faithfulness to God.

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CONTENT
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And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant . .
. (for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be
My strength) . . . Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have
heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will
preserve You." (Isaiah 49:5 and 8)

Numerous times throughout these hundreds of meditations, we have
examined the relationship of "humility and faith" to "growing in grace."
Such repeated opportunities assist us in apprehending the means of
living day by day by grace. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to
the humble . . . we have access by faith into this grace in which we
stand" (James 4:6 and Romans 5:2). For a number of days, we have been
considering humility and grace. In a recent meditation, we saw that
Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. Now, we turn to give
considerable attention to faith and grace. Concerning faith, we begin
where we left off with humility -- with Jesus as our example. Again, we
will see that Jesus is the ultimate example of faith.

Our present verses are a prophecy involving the Father and His Son, the
Servant Messiah, who would go forth to provide God's gift of salvation.
"And now the LORD says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant."
An angel would eventually announce this prophecy as coming to
fulfillment. "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary
your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And
she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He
will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The confession
of the Messiah is also given here prophetically. "My God shall be My
strength." When the Son would leave heaven for His incarnation, He would
function by faith in the Father. The Father's reassuring words affirm
this trust in Him. "Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have
heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will
preserve You'."

The fact that Jesus lived by faith in His Father was a part of His own
teaching ministry. "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing
of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the
Son also does in like manner" (John 5:19). Herein, Jesus (who had laid
aside the independent exercise of His deity) was exemplifying how man
should live in humble dependence upon the faithfulness of God.

Dear Savior, I humble myself before You, expressing my desire to grow in
grace. I know that faith accesses grace. Lord, please teach me to place
my faith in You, just as You fully relied upon the Father, Amen.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/bob-hoekstra/jesus-the-ultimate-example-of-faith/
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