Be Like Jesus

INTRODUCTION

 SLIDE #1

 I want you to look closely at the title to the message for today.

 Be like Jesus.

 All of us at one time or another has wanted to be like someone, we have had someone we were exposed to that inspired us to want to emulate them.

 Today I want us to consider who we really need to be like.

 We are all called to be like Jesus. That sounds good in a sermon, but how can we do that in real life?

 Today I am not going to spend time going over some of the basics like, reading your bible, prayer, and meditation.

 Instead I want us to turn to Philippians 2. In Philippians 2 can gain some real insight as to some practical things we can do in order to be more like Jesus.

 In order to be like Him our lives must reflect His life.

 I remember when the first Rocky movie was released. I went to see it. I wanted to be like Rocky. When I got up to work out to train for football, I drank the raw egg and milk mix. I started incorporating some of the work out routine in the movie into my training.

 If we are going to be like Jesus, we must do something similar. We need to work on changing the core of who we are and what is important to us.

 Today we are going to focus in on three areas that will help us to become more like Jesus.

 The first area we need to focus on is that we need to promote unity with other Christians.

 SLIDE #2

SERMON

If we are going to be like Jesus we must:

I. PROMOTE UNITY WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS. (1-2)

 I would like you to look at verses 1-2 of Philippians 2 with me.

 SLIDE #3

 Philippians 2:1 - 2 (NASB) 1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

 As Paul is pleading to his readers, he is stressing the importance of being united together in Christ.

 It is so important that he is saying that his joy will not be complete until we make this a central part of our lives.

 Before we carry on, what does it mean to be united, or what is unity?

 SLIDE #4

1. What is unity?

 The dictionary definition tells us that unity means “the state of being one.” Or, “the combining or joining of separate things or entities to form one.”

 Biblically the word means, “that which ties together, a bond.” It also means “oneness.”

 It is so important for all of us to be on the same page, striving for the same things in life. If each one of us in the church have a different agenda or are all rowing in different directions, we will struggle as a body.

 Your leadership team is working on strategies that will insure that everyone is on the same page as a church. The leadership is going to do all they can to make sure we are united in effort at Auburn Christian Church. This will be accomplished without the leadership “controlling” every aspect of the church.

 One of the things that hurts the body of Christ is when we are not working together for the common cause of Christ.

 Let us look at how unity is manifested or made known.

 SLIDE #5

2. How is unity made known?

 If we are called to be tied together, or if we are to have a bond, in what areas are we to exhibit this unity?

 SLIDE #6

a. Being of the same mind.

 Christians should then be like-minded. This does not mean that the believers have to agree on everything; instead, each believer should have the mind (or attitude) of Christ, which Paul describes at length in 2:5-11.

 The word translated “same mind” in this verse is the same word translated “attitude” in 2:5.

 We are to all strive to have the mind of Christ. When we put on Christ at baptism, His mind is part of the deal.

 Too many folks in church bring their own mind to the table when issues come up. There is room for discussion for some things, but too many folks want things their way and they cover it with religious terms to make their way sound spiritual.

 When we have the mind of Christ, it will change the way we do things. We will see things in a different light and we will treat people in a new way.