Like Jesus
Be, Become, Do • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 51:36
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· 26 viewsJesus said that it was necessary that His students become like their Master. In this message learn that Christians are called to become like Jesus and discover the role you play in the transformation of character.
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Like Jesus
Like Jesus
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Being with Jesus is the pinnacle of Christian experience and pursuit.
Our Jesus is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). He calls us and wants us to be with Him (Mark 3:13-15). Though many are called, only those who respond are chosen (Matthew 24:14).
Responding to God is drawing near to Him (James 4:8). It is seeking Him with all of your heart and soul and mind and strength (cf. Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 22:37).
The more you spend time with Jesus, the more you become like Jesus.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Fisherman to Disciple to Apostle
Fisherman to Disciple to Apostle
The Bible is full of stories of changed lives and changed people. But there might one one person who offers us the greatest measure of hope and the clearest picture of transformation.
Simon was a fisherman who heard about Jesus from his brother Andrew. When Peter met Jesus the first time, Jesus gave him a nickname, “Cephas” or “Peter” which translated meant “A Stone” (John 1:41-42).
All accounts of Peter indicate that he was a rugged man, like most fishermen you’d encounter. He was uneducated and untrained in the Scriptures. He spoke with colorful language, sometimes cursing and swearing (Mark 14:71).
Then, one day, Jesus called him to follow Him. After a night of fishing, Jesus got on Peter’s boat and told him to put down his net. Peter protested because they had fished all night without success, but did it at His word. The net became so full that it was breaking and when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down on Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Jesus told him that not to be afraid and that from this point forward he would catch men. Peter quit fishing to fully follow Jesus.(Luke 5:4-11)
Peter had his challenges as he followed Jesus. God the Father gave him the revelation that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:14). And then shortly after that, Peter rebuked Jesus telling him that he wouldn’t die, to which Jesus responded, “Get behind me Satan” (Matthew 16:22-23).
Peter was one who was sent out and saw miracles take place and demons cast out as he preached the gospel (cf. Luke 10:17). And he also was present when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain (Mark 9:2).
Later, Peter would struggle to even pray for even an hour while Jesus was in desperate need in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40). Shortly after this, Peter would vehemently deny Jesus three times (Matthew 26:74-75).
After Jesus was crucified, Peter went back fishing. And after He was raised, He came for Peter and offered Him the opportunity to repent and be restored (John 21:1-19).
After the Ascension, on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out, this same Peter stood up and addressed the crowds. After his sermon, 3000 people were saved and added to the church (Acts 2:40-41).
God used Peter to open the door to the nations, and through him the first Gentile believers heard the gospel (Acts 10:44-48).
God would use Peter in supernatural ways, including laying hands on people to receive the gift of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-16), healing the sick and demonized (Acts 5:12, 16), raising the dead (Acts 9:36-42) and even when he walked down the street when his shadow crossed over someone they were healed (Acts 5:15).
Peter provided the source material for Mark’s gospel and wrote two letters of the New Testament. Later, history would record that Peter died on an upside down cross for the testimony of Jesus (not considering himself worth of dying the same death).
It was this Peter, who started as a rough fisherman that sat before the Sanhedrin that day. And they realized that he had been with Jesus.
The same Peter who had denied the Lord was the one who preached to the multitude. And they realized that he was a follower of Jesus.
The same Peter who struggled to pray for one hour was the same Peter who prayed for a dead girl and she was raised to life. And everyone knew he had been with Jesus.
The same Peter who fled at the face of the cross, wrote letters encouraging the church to continue in the face of trials, and ultimately was killed on a cross. He had become like Jesus.
Becoming Like Jesus
Becoming Like Jesus
Becoming like Jesus is a process. Peter began as a rough man. He became a student of Jesus. Ultimately, he became like his teacher (cf. Matthew 10:25).
Many of us relate to a rough beginning. And, if we become students (disciples) of Jesus, we too will become like Him.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
This passage offers us three principles that we can apply to become more like Jesus.
Do the Work
Do the Work
The Weust translation expounds on work out your own salvation by saying
...carry to its ultimate conclusion [likeness to the Lord Jesus] your own salvation with a wholesome, serious caution and trembling
When we work out our own salvation we are working for a goal. That goal is to be found in the likeness to the Lord Jesus.
Illustration: Bootcamp from 140 lbs civilian to 175 lbs Marine. Didn’t happen by osmosis. It happened through dedicated effort - exercising, eating, studying, doing.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
God gives us the right to become if we believe in His name. This means that we have the right to the process. But in order for us to be fully mature children, we have to grow. And to grow spiritually strong, we have to do the work.
We do the relational work (cf. James 4:8). Things like worship, prayer, Holy reading.
We do the practical work (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:3). Things like serving and giving.
We do good works (cf. Matthew 5:16). Things like kindness and excellence.
This is what the Bible talks about when we put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10). And, conversely, we work to put off the old man also by putting away the things that are contrary to progress (Ephesians 4:22, Colossians 3:9).
5 For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence),
6 And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety),
7 And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.
8 For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
We are to employ every effort in exercising our faith to develop these Christ-like qualities.
Partner with God
Partner with God
The second thing we do to become like Jesus is to partner with God the Holy Spirit who is working in you.
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
As we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, He enables us to do what makes God happy (Romans 8:14). In fact, He is always leading us toward the truth in Christ and will take what Jesus has for us and give it to us (John 16:13-15).
One of the most essential things that the Holy Spirit brings to us and works within us is the fruit of Spirit.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Illustration: How do you know you have an apple tree? How do you know that you are dealing with a Christian?
As we do the work to draw near to Jesus and partner with the Holy Spirit, His qualities will become our qualities. He will work within us to develop a new quality of life. As Paul said,
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Do Everything God’s Way
Do Everything God’s Way
Finally, we are encouraged that whatever we find ourselves doing, we are to do all things God’s way (refer back to Philippians 2:14-15).
23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Whatever we do, we do it as if we are doing it for God.
31 So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory.
If you do everything with all of your heart, for the purpose of bringing God glory, you are free. Free from the words of others. You are exercising your freedom in submission to God and that results in fruit to holiness and everlasting life (Romans 6:22).
17 Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
As best as you can, let every detail of your life, be done in a way that would honor Jesus. The more you do this, the more natural it becomes. As you form godly habits you will be changed from “glory to glory” and “faith to faith.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
9 So whether we live or die we make it our life’s passion to live our lives pleasing to him.
Being with Jesus always leads to becoming like Jesus.
We were chosen and predestined to be conformed to His image , to be like Him (Romans 8:29).
Becoming like our Lord does not happen by accident.
It requires work.
It requires partnership with God, the Spirit.
And it requires that we do everything we can God’s way.
The rulers recognized that the disciples had been with Jesus. They saw the results of their works, and the fruit of the Spirit. Peter even told the rulers that they would obey God rather than man…in other words, they were going to do everything they could God’s way.
Do people recognize that you’ve been with Jesus? Are you working out your salvation to its conclusion?
Ask the Holy Spirit what He is saying to you.