If He Had What We Have

John 1:1–3 NASB95

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

Jesus was and is God

He Created All Things and Therefore is the Owner of All Things

But When He Came to Earth, He Gave Up Everything

Luke 9:57–58 NASB95

As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Jesus Didn’t Have Many of the Luxuries that We have Today

And Even if He Did, I Don’t Believe it Would Necessarily Change Any of the Things that He Did

He Lived the Perfect Life He was Meant to Live

But for the next Few Minutes, I Want You to Speculate with Me

What if Jesus had Money?

It’s Hard to Imagine Jesus Having a Lot of Money

He Knew its Corrupting Capabilities

Mark 10:23 NASB95

And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

Jesus Understood the Danger of Placing Barriers Between Himself and God

Matthew 6:24 NASB95

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Jesus Stayed Focused On His Mission of Doing God’s Will

Money Would Only have Taken Him Off Course

And He Saw Fulfilling God’s Will as More Important than Riches

1 Timothy 6:17–19 NASB95

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

If Jesus Had Money, it Would Have Been Generously Shared with Others, Not Hoarded Up

Jesus’ Wasn’t Worried about the Treasure of a Good Foundation Here on Earth

His Treasure was in Heaven

Luke 12:33–34 NASB95

“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus’ Heart was Focused on Heaven, Where He Placed His Treasure

If He had What We Have, He Would Have Been Generous, Placing His Trust in God and Not His Money

What if Jesus had a House?

What Kind of House Do You Think He Would Live in?

It’s Hard for Me to Imagine Jesus Living in a Mansion

Remember that Jesus’ Treasure was in Heaven, Not Here

Romans 12:13 NASB95

contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

1 Peter 4:9 NASB95

Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

If Jesus had a House, He Would Have Opened it Up to All

He Often Went in the Houses of Others to Meet, Teach, and Fellowship

Can You Imagine if He had His Very Own House?

It Would Have Been the First Church Building

All of His People Would Have a Place to Lay Their Heads

In-Home Bible Studies, Get-Togethers, and Fellowship Meals Would be Weekly if Not Daily

If He Had What We Have, He Would Have Used it for Hospitality, Edification, Fellowship, and Unifying Love

What if Jesus had a Job?

Yeah I Know He Might have Done Some Carpentry Work in His Day, but that Wasn’t Going to be Permanent

It Should Go Without Being Said that Jesus Wouldn’t Have a Job that Causes Him or Others to Think, Say, or Do Anything Sinful or Wicked

What Kind of Employer Would Jesus be?

Colossians 4:1 NASB95

Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

He would be Righteous, Just, and Fair with His Employees

Matthew 18:23–27 NASB95

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.

He would be a Compassionate and Forgiving Employer

Those Who Truly Sought Forgiveness would Receive it

Matthew 11:28–30 NASB95

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

He would be a Gentle and Lowly Employer

Jesus would be the Dream Employer

What Kind of Employee Would Jesus be?

Ephesians 6:5–8 NASB95

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

He would be Obedient to His Employer

He would Do His Work with Sincerity of Heart

He would Not be the Type of Person Who Only Works When His Employer is Looking

His Work is Done with the Purpose of Good Will

He Works Hard and Does What is Right for the Sake of Doing What is Right by Others

1 Peter 2:18 NASB95

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

Jesus would be a Hard Working, Respectful Employee to the Best of Employers and to the Worst

Titus 2:9 NASB95

Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

Philippians 2:14–15 NASB95

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Jesus would Obey His Employers Without Arguing or Complaining

If He had What We Have, He would be the Best Employer/Employee He could be, Shining His Light Throughout the Workplace

What if Jesus had a Wife?

In a Spiritual Sense, Jesus’ Wife is the Church

But We are Talking about a Physical Spouse While He was on Earth

It Should Also Go Without Saying that He would be Faithful to His Wife

What Kind of Husband Would Jesus be?

Colossians 3:18–19 NASB95

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.

He Would Lead His Wife, Love His Wife, and Not be Bitter to His Wife

His Wife wouldn’t have to be the Leader of His Home

He would Make Righteous Decisions for Their Family

She wouldn’t have to Drag Him to Worship or Go Without Him because He would be Leading Them to Greater Spirituality

His Love for Her would have Been Apparent Through His Words and Actions

He wouldn’t be Bitter, Unpleasant, or Cruel to Her

If He had What We Have, He would be the Perfect Picture of a Loving and Kind Leader of His Household

What if Jesus had Children?

What Kind of Father Would Jesus be?

Proverbs 22:6 NASB95

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

He would have Trained His Children on How to Behave and Live Righteously

Jesus would have Taken Them to Worship Every Time the Doors were Open

This would be to Ensure that His Children were Acquainted with and Loved Their Spiritual Family

But He would have Recognized that Even 4 Lessons from the Bible a Week is Not Enough

He would have Taught His Children about God and His Word at Home with Every Opportunity

This would be the Best that He could Do to Ensure that His Children were Prepared for Eternity

Proverbs 13:24 NASB95

He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

He would have Corrected His Children Whenever They Disobeyed

Colossians 3:21 NASB95

Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

He would have Loved His Children and Showed it to be the Case

John Newton is reported to have said, “I know that my father loved me—but he did not seem to wish me to see it.”

To Encourage is to Build Someone Up and Grant Strength to Them so that They May Achieve What was Previously Thought Impossible

To Discourage is to Do the Opposite

To Tear Someone Down, Take Away Whatever Strength They had so that They May Never Achieve Anything Worthwhile for Lack of Self Confidence

Jesus would have Edified and Encouraged His Children with Grace and Love

If He had What We Have, He would Love His Children, Train His Children, Correct His Children, and Encourage His Children

If He Had What We Have

Jesus Didn’t Have All These Things, but We Do

We are Supposed to be Imitators of Christ

We are Supposed to be Ambassadors for Christ

We are Supposed to Represent Jesus to the World

That Means We Should Use What We Have to Do What He Would Have Done

Colossians 3:1–4 NASB95

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Setting Our Minds on Things Above Means Setting Our Minds on the Same Things that Jesus had His Mind Set On

That Means I Should Live like Jesus

I Should Use My Money the Way Jesus Would Have

I Should Use My House the Way Jesus Would Have

I Should Use My Job the Way Jesus Would Have

I Should Treat My Wife and Children the Way Jesus Would Have