“Baby it’s cold outside” A perfect time to stay in and think!
Yesterday, in my sermon, one of the main ideas I wanted to get across is that every Christian is called to “imitate” Rabbi Jesus. There is a famous saying that goes like this, “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.” I would like to change it and say that, “Imitation is the truest form of Christianity.” John tells us that if we are God’s children we must learn to walk like him. 1 John 2:6 is very clear on this point, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” One of the easiest things to do is to say you are a Christian. One of the hardest to do is to live like Christ. And that is the whole point of calling yourself a Christian, “I am to be a little Christ.”
Through constant perseverance and imitation, the follower will be transformed into the likeness of God and His Son Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes the work of the Holy Spirit in our life as we follow Christ, “We are being changed from glory to glory.” But that only happens if you actually imitate your Lord.
Personally speaking, transformation is hard because it takes cooperative effort on my part. We all understand this when it comes to physical transformation, you need to exert, sweat and push the limits of your muscles. We all understand this when it comes to intellectual transformation, you need to study, memorize and take tests. We all understand this when it comes to muscial transformation, practice makes perfect. And yet when it comes to Christ-likeness we think everything is suppossed to happen by osmosis.
No, we need to do what he does. And imitation all begins with changing your diet.
Today’s Verse: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled!” (Matthew 5:6)
Righteousness, oh what a word. To be right with God and self, that is where it starts, “to desire goodness in my bones” above all is where the true Christian begins. I can remember when righteousness overtook my heart,
What does it take to finally become a person to be respected and right and brand new?
TO BE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR IT!
This is strangely compelling: to be where I wanted to be and to get to where I wanted to be going, I needed to first recognize that I was lacking. I needed to be hungry. God was not asking me to have it all together…but the exact opposite. God wants me to be empty of myself and want him – – desiring, longing to be filled by Him.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I WANTED THIS.
This is where transformation starts. And, this is the one verse that will be completely meaningless until you are truly hungry. If you are not hungry this verse will slip right on by, like a fast moving cloud, a early morning mist on a hot summer day. But the person who is actually hungry, thirsty, wanting to know God above all things, will read this and start craving.
Hunger can’t be taught, but it can be compelled. I can’t make a man hungry by forcing food down his throat, but I can entice. How do I entice? Read about the man in the Gospels, his name is Jesus, he died for you! Get to know him.
I knew I was coming alive because I wanted to be right. God calls this being hungry.
Ask yourself these questions:
(1) Who do you try to imitate? Do you try to be the good housewife who cooks great dinners? Do you try to be the rich business man who brings home big money? Or do you try to be like Jesus, “The man who came not to be served, but to serve, and gave his life as a ransom for many?”
(2) What do you think spiritual transformations means? (HInt: 2 Corinthians 3:18)
(3) Have you ever just desired to be right, not with knowledge, but with your soul? Does it feel off-kilter? How do you think you change?
(4) What are you hungry for? Read one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) this week, and then answer that question again.
Your twenty minutes are up!
