1 Corinthians 11:1-3 

¹Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. ²I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. ³But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Nickname

Did you know that Manitoba Province has unique nickname? What is it? Manitoba is also called “The land of 100,000 lakes.” Hundred thousand lakes are scattered all throughout the province of Manitoba. There are also manmade lakes or ponds next to communities in Winnipeg. If you love walking around the ponds in summer, you may have been disappointed to find scattered manure around the ponds. Geese, ducks and seagulls congregate around the ponds.

Nevertheless, it is also very fascinating to watch mother geese swimming while goslings follow swimming behind them. In winter, those geese heed south to escape extreme cold winter in Canada. Few weeks before winter, those geese would practice flying in V-formation when younger geese are strong to fly high.

According to experts, V-formation is collaborative effort of geese to endure many hours journey to their destination. And every goose should understand and imitate the examples of their group leaders. To carefully follow the good example of group leaders is also biblical strategy to win our battles. What do you think?

Together, let us reflect on what happened in Judges 7:17-18, ¹⁷“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. ¹⁸ When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”

The Lord set apart 300 Israelites soldiers who strictly followed instructions from their leader Gideon. Before they attacked their enemies, Gideon instructed his soldiers to follow his lead. And, they successfully defeated their enemies.

Similarly, we are in constant battle spiritually. To win our spiritual battles, we have to carefully follow the lead of church leaders. Of course, “To carefully follow” means that we have to be prayerful also; we don’t just blindly follow them. Church leaders have their share of personal challenges. Regularly, we should pray that the Lord inspires our leaders to enthusiastically lead us, his church.

It declares in Ephesians 6:12, ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

When the geese practice V-Formation before they heed south, and they are very noisy honking while flying. Why? Maybe, older geese bark at younger geese to instruct them when they should move in front or slide to the back in the V-Formation. Likewise for better spiritual formation, leaders may bark instruction.

It is possible that human nature may influence church leaders. So, we pray that our leaders follow the examples of Christ. We also pray for discernment for us to identify which examples of church leaders we should follow. And we should read the Scripture diligently to identify which behavior or example we may follow.

1.  Example

¹Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Previously, Apostle Paul addressed the problem of division in the church of Corinth. He also exemplified that it is proper to be grateful to the Lord for food or drinks served before us. And if ever we are invited to festivals dedicated to idols or deities, if we are not very sure of how we may practice our religious beliefs or church doctrines, Apostle Paul encourages us to ask advice from church leaders.

When Apostle Paul instructed us to follow his examples, he was also quick to mention that he followed the examples of Christ. Meaning, he implied that we should prayerfully or mindfully follow his behavior or choices. First and foremost, we have to know the examples of Christ exemplified in the life of Apostle Paul.

Likewise, we follow Christ-like example and behavior of church leaders. Do you know a pastor who is very proud of his tattoos? Church members may blindly imitate them. Well, Did Jesus Christ promote tattoo like pastors who have tattoo?

Together, reflect on what the Lord instructed in Leviticus 19:28, ²⁸Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

The Lord who gave his commandments to the Israelites is the same Lord Jesus Christ who was born in human flesh. Do you strongly believe that? If you were not mindfully aware of such reality before, and you had your tattoos in your skin just for fun or pressured by peers, does the Lord appreciate your tattoos?

Tattoo is huge business nowadays, what else? Fake eyelashes, fake nails, make up, hair dye, hair braid. Human iniquity admires fake and fancy choices. It admonishes us in 1 Peter 3:3-4 (ESV), ³Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

How do you interpret that? Does God forbid braiding or coloring the hair? Prayerfully ask God for wisdom to internalize his commands. Will church leaders serve God more diligently if they have tattoos, braided or colored hair? Could we be more pleasant in the eyes of God if we have tattoos, braided or colored hair?

The Lord searches our heart and examines our mind to check our priority. Together, let us meditatively reflect on what it had declared in Jeremiah 17:9-10.

⁹The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ¹⁰“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

Listen carefully: The Lord meticulously examines our conduct, behavior, manner, decision and priorities that are pleasant to him and rewards anyone who deserves. He attentively observes what we do. We should avoid unbiblical traits that cannot please God, but we should be quick to imitate Christ-like examples.

Reflect on what the Lord Jesus Christ declared in John 10:14-16, ¹⁴I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Christ counted Christians as his sheep. As sheep listen to the voice of their shepherd, we listen to Christ our Shepherd; we follow his instructions. What may happen when a flock of sheep have no shepherd? They just follow each other.

Jumped

About a decade ago, while the shepherds were having breakfast, their sheep were confused. One sheep jumped off the cliff, then 1500 sheep followed and leaped off the same cliff. The shepherds were stunned; they cannot help but watched their flock jumped to their death. It was reported that almost 500 sheep jumped to their death. Most of the sheep that followed later and jumped off the cliff escaped death. The pile of dead sheep below served as landing cushion.

Watch out! Don’t follow a confused leader. Follow Christ; he is the truth!

Christ does not confuse us; he has given us eternal life, and we listen to his voice. Christ declares in John 10:27-29, ²⁷My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

What are practical proofs that we are counted as sheep of Christ? First, we listen to his voice; next, we follow him. The Lord sent his Holy Spirit into our heart when we trusted Christ. The Holy Spirit speaks and reminds us of the words of Christ. Have you personally sensed the soft small voice of the Holy Spirit, yet?

Now, we know that Christ has given us eternal, how? We diligently follow him. As we imitate Christ, we are also rehearsing for our eternal residency.

As sheep follow the voice of their shepherd, we follow the voice of Christ.

Sheep could be confused and jump to tragic death when they blindly follow another confused sheep. Apostle Paul said, ^“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Meaning, we prayerfully follow leaders who follow Christ’s examples. Christ is our Shepherd; he exemplified everything that we must follow.

2.  Everything

²I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. 

Apostle Paul may have commended particularly Christians in Corinth who remembered him and have followed his examples but not everyone in Corinth.

He was confident that believers who remembered him personally imitated and hold onto the Christian traditions and practices he entrusted to them.

Just as Christ gave instructions to Apostle Paul, he gave to believers in Corinth the same instruction that Christ gave him. Apostle Paul imitated Christ, and he also passed on the instruction to imitate him, just as he imitated Christ. Paul testified in Galatians 1:11-12, ¹¹I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹²I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Cultural traditions had been passed on from one generation to the next generation. In comparison, the Christian traditions that Apostle Paul passed onto believers should not be confused as cultural tradition. The term translated by NIV as tradition should be interpreted properly as Christian practice and doctrine.

Apostle Paul heard them firsthand from the Lord, the Christian tradition he passed on to the Corinthians. Scholars interpreted and translated it as Christian tradition. It becomes tradition for Christians when Christian teaching is practiced by the next generation. Right? We expect that next generation Christians would seriously consider also and teach the next generation Christians.

What Christian teaching or practices that we like that next generation may imitate from us? What unique practice of obedience to Christ’s ordinances do we have? How about our practice in baptism by immersion? What is unique about it?

TMEC Traditions?

Baptism is one the two ordinances that Christ commanded us to practice. During water baptism, we request parents of baptism candidates to help immerse baptism candidates into the water. If biological parents are not present, disciplers of the candidate step in. If discipler is not present, chairman of the BOT would step in. So, why do we need two people to immerse baptism candidates?

First: Physical safety. We secure the safety of candidates and officiating person. Second: Parents baptizing their own children should remember how remarkably wonderful that moment could be. I personally missed that fantastic moment when our children were baptized while I was away in the mission field.

Another ordinance that Christ gave to the church is the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Whenever we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, all of us stand and recite the command of Christ that he instructed the disciples to remember the significance of his crucified body and bloodshed on the cross. I suppose those are TMEC unique ways of observing the two ordinances Christ gave the church.

Those two unique observations of church ordinances are traditions here at TMEC that members, every man or woman should imitate from us and pass on.

3.  Every Man

³But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Take note: When Apostle Paul instructed we imitate him, he was particular about the tradition or teaching that he imitated from Christ. He mentioned that the head of man is Christ; the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. He particularly implied that we follow and imitate the lead of the head not the tail.

The term “head” suggests being mindful not distracted. All believers follow the examples of Christ. And wives follow mindfully and not blindly your husbands who follow Christ’s examples just as Christ followed God. Together, let us reflect on what Christ himself testified in John 14:23-24, ²³Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

The most practical proof of faith in Christ is obedience to him. He blesses us all the more when we obey him. His commands include blessings from God. Meaning: The more we obey the Lord the more blessings we can be thankful.

Prayer Time

Few weeks before we came to Canada, successive typhoons caused flooding where we resided. How I wish I can readily forget such distressful anguish, but it is still very fresh in my memory. We were helpless and anxious for several days.

Every night during our family time praying and reading the Scripture, I am reminded and thank that God moved in this church to bring us into this land of abundance. We have done nothing to deserve all the great experiences of blessings from Lord. He filled my heart with gratitude for opportunity to serve him here. My family is also quick to imitate my examples; they recognized and they also are thankful that God moved in this church for us to cherish fullness of life.

Together, let us seriously reflect on what Christ declares in Luke 11:28.

 ²⁸Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.

Jesus Christ our Lord also challenges us also in John 14:21, ²¹Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.

Which one do you choose: To be thankful or grumbling? To be thankful is blessing from God. Obedience to God is open-secret of thankful for blessings. It’s very simple to understand, but it is impossible for human effort to comply. Why? Our limited ability cannot completely obey God. Godly commands are favorable to us but our limited mind cannot grasp and comprehend their essentiality to life.

As we pray for blessing from God, we prayerfully ask God for increase of faith and wisdom to comprehend that obedience to him results to gratitude of the heart. We pray that the Holy Spirit inspires us to follow Christ enthusiastically. With thankfulness of God’s blessings, we cannot help but praise God. Actually, praising God with thankful heart is rehearsal for our eternal residency in heaven.

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