Not a used car salesman

Jesus attracted followers during his ministry wherever he went, but it wasn’t because he was an aggressive salesman. He never persuaded, coaxed, cajoled, or swayed anyone to follow him. He simply taught and let each individual decide how he or she would respond. What’s more, he never made following him sound easy, exciting, or fun. In fact, he said quite the opposite, explaining that following him meant “dying to self” (see the section, “Jesus taught his followers how to live” for more on the Christian life). 

Jesus provided the ultimate example of how to live

You may have heard the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” and seen the WWJD bracelets and T-shirts that were all the craze at the turn of the century. Well, the reason for all the hubbub is that Christians believe they’re live their lives as Jesus did – so many Christians used (and continue to use) this acronym as a sort of reminder. The Bible says that Jesus truly led by example. As the Apostle Peter said years later, “Christ gave you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Christians focus on three particular areas: 

Jesus showed his followers how to live obedient lives. Jesus spoke of being perfect, but he asked no more from others than what he practiced in his own life. Oh, since he was Son of God, it’s natural to think he must have had it easy and wasn’t really tempted to sin. But the Bible makes it clear that he did face temptation just like you and I and that he genuinely suffered as he battled it (Hebrews 2:18). Yet, unlike everyone else, when he was “at bat,” he never struck out and gave in to temptation. Instead, he batted .1000, living a life without one single sin. Therefore, if a Christian wants to know how to overcome temptation, then he or she needs to look no further than Jesus and observe the ways in which he conquered it (see Chapter 4 for more on overcoming temptation). 

Jesus demonstrated how to live a balanced life. Jesus was a man in the middle. On one side, he had holier-than-thou religious leaders who were preoccupied with following rules, yet had no love for their fellow men (and, ironically, for God either – see Matthew 23). On the other, he had the “sinners” – the tax collectors, prostitutes, and other outcasts – who may have been very accepting, but didn’t much care about purity. Time after time, Jesus weaved his way between the legalism of the religious leaders and the permissiveness of the sinners – he was holier than the “holy people” of his day, and yet he loved and accepted sinners as brothers and sisters.
 
Jesus showed how to live as a servant. Christians believe that Jesus called (and still calls) his followers to be servants of others. To show what true servanthood looks like, he performed one of the most humbling and lowly jobs possible – washing his disciples’ feet. Jesus said, “If I then, the Lord and the 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 as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15). Jesus later provided the ultimate example of being a servant by dying on a cross so that others may experience salvation (see Chapter 3 for more).