Ten Cs of Jesus Exemplified

By Dustin Wright

In this inspirational book, Pastor Dustin Wright demonstrates how Jesus exemplified many worthy characteristics for us to emulate. The devotional instruction summarizes the life of Jesus into ten familiar topics in a condensed manner. Among them are: Character, Compassion, Commitment, Contentment, Courage, Co

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Sep 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638374510

Dustin Wright

Dustin Wright began his ministry at the young age of 17, and still enjoys serving God. He says, "I am called to do what Jesus did. What can be better than that?" He has served as an evangelist, pastor, missionary, bible school administrator, and chaplain. He holds three degrees: an MA in ministerial studies from Global University in Springfield, Missouri; a Master of Ministry degree from Masters International School of Divinity in Evansville, Indiana; and a bachelor's of biblical literature from Ozark Bible Institute and College in Neosho, Missouri. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, and currently serves as the senior pastor of Loris First Assembly of God in Loris, South Carolina, in the Myrtle Beach area. Dustin makes his home in Loris with his wife and four daughters. His hobbies include golf, cooking, going to the beach with his family, and watching college football in the fall.

Book preview

Preface

M

y goal with this teaching is to show to all those who believe in Christ that they can actually live the Christian life on a daily basis, and that our salvation experience was never intended to be a one-time experience of acceptance, but rather a lifestyle of righteousness shining Christ’s light to others. This will in turn inspire others to follow after Christ and live by the principals of righteousness that Christ has empowered us to live by.

Christ experienced the cross and the resurrection not only so we could receive the good news, he did it so that we could actually live out the gospel. Jesus called out his disciples as they were fishing by the Sea of Galilee and said to them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19). Jesus also told his disciples to take up their cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24).

Through shedding his blood on the cross and resurrecting from the dead, Jesus was starting a movement toward a righteous lifestyle. This was not a movement with artificial motives like the Pharisees and Sadducees had, who appeared to be righteous outwardly, but whose wickedness was as that of raving wolves inwardly.

Through Christ, God’s people are empowered to live righteous lives inside out. As the classic gospel song says, Jesus on inside working on the outside. Oh what a change in my life! We can actually live a life of pure goodness and righteousness through Jesus and thus set an example for others.

Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again so that we could look back on the life he lived and find the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to live life like he would if he was on the earth. 1 Peter 2:21–24 declares this truth as follows:

1 Peter 2:21–24 (ESV)

²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ²² He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³ When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

I will close the preface with an analogy given by C.S. Lewis:

I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that we are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough. He has done all we wanted him to do, and we should be obliged if he would leave us alone. But the question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what he intended us to be when he made us…

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.

CHAPTER ONE

A Christ-like Character

Christ in you the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:27KJV

Jesus is a Man of Unmatched Character

Christ Jesus, our Savior, is the most influential figure in all of human history. First, because he was God in flesh, and second, because he had unshakable character that never wavered in public, and most importantly, in private.

Someone once said, Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.

Many of us want to make our mark on history. We want to leave behind to our children, grandchildren, and the world positive impacts that can shape the generations to come. Having character is the way to do this. Any man who has had a positive impact on the world was a man who lived a life of great character. But even some of the greatest men who have done some of the greatest things cannot measure up to the superior character and qualities of Jesus.

If we look at men who model greatness, for example, people like Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Isaac Newton, Billy Graham, the great missionary David Livingstone, or George Mueller (the great caretaker of children through his orphanages), they possessed greatness shaped by Character and integrity. But when you look at these men closely, they were only strong in certain areas, and their examples could only shape our lives to a certain point.

The reason why some of these men were great was that they followed Jesus’ example of how to show irrevocable discipline and unconditional love. These men were great, but when you compare them with Jesus, no match is possible.

If you look at history, these men have flaws—some have more than others. But if you look at the great men of history under a microscope, you will find that men who found Christ and followed him as