### **Introduction**
Video Ill.: Less Like Me by Zach Williams
“A little more like mercy, a little more like grace, a little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faith… A little more like Jesus, a little less like me.”
That is a powerful prayer put to music. A prayer that I believe every follower of Jesus ought to pray every single day.
More Like Jesus
By Sermon Central
(Morgan, Robert J.: Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000, S. 104)
From a sermon by Matthew Kratz, The Triumph of the Savior, 12/27/2009
Copied from Sermon Central
So what does it mean to be more like Jesus? Consider the story of William Howard Doane (who) was a wealthy nineteenth-century industrialist who entered the business world at age sixteen and was president of his own manufacturing company by age twenty-nine.
But his real love was music, and he sang solos and directed choirs at various churches around Cincinnati. At age thirty, Doane suffered a terrible heart attack which took him to the edge of the grave. As he recovered, he felt God wanted him to devote more of his time to the ministry of Christian music.
He began compiling and publishing hymn books, and writing musical scores for hymns and gospel songs. But Doane didn’t feel he could compose words suitable to his melodies, and he was always looking for Christian poets who could write lyrics for the Gospel tunes. In November 1867, in New York, he was asked by Dr. W. C. Van Meter to write a hymn in celebration of the anniversary of a rescue mission. Doane quickly came up with a melody, but could find no suitable words.
Kneeling in his New York hotel room, he asked God to send him a poem suitable for the anniversary celebration. He also prayed for a poet who could supply an ongoing stream of suitable verse. As he prayed, he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he saw a messenger boy who handed him an envelope addressed to Mr. William Howard Doane. The letter read: Mr. Doane: I have never met you, but I feel impelled to send you this hymn. May God bless it. Fanny Crosby. The one enclosed in the letter that day was quickly embraced by congregations around the world. The words go like this:
More like Jesus would I be,
Let my Savior dwell in me,
Fill my soul with peace and love,
Make me gentle as the dove;
More like Jesus while I go,
Pilgrim in this world below;
Poor in spirit would I be;
Let my Savior dwell in me.
More like Jesus when I pray,
More like Jesus day by day
May I rest me by His side,
Where the tranquil waters glide.
Born of Him, through grace renewed,
By His love my will subdued,
Rich in faith I still would be;
Let my Savior dwell in me.
More like Jesus. Less like me.
After all, look at who we are — we are people full of pride, selfishness, impatience, stubbornness.
We are the opposite of who we are called to be.
We are sin-ridden, tattered, broken.
What the world needs is that which is humble, selfless, patient, whole, perfect, love.
You see what the world needs to see is more of Jesus, and less of me.
This morning we begin a short three-week series called Less Like Me: More Like Jesus, based on Zach Williams’ song to which we just listened. Themes of humility, mercy, and love cry out from the lyrics — themes which fully express who Jesus is and whom we should be with Jesus living in our lives.
As we begin this journey of self examination, this morning, we are going to focus on humility today, and the difference that can make in our lives and in the world around us.
### **I. The Problem of Self**
First, this morning, we need to talk about the problem of self.
Selfish
By Matthew Kratz
(Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.)
Copied from Sermon Central
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5, and Ryan, 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. “If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake; I can wait.” Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, “Ryan, you be Jesus!”
That is human nature in a nutshell, is it not? Selfishness comes naturally. Pride comes naturally. Wanting our way comes naturally.
If anyone ever had a reason to be jealous and selfish, it would have been John the Baptist.
In John 3, we read that John’s ministry was thriving. Crowds came from all around just to hear him preach. People were listening to his message. They were calling John a prophet and a great teacher. Because of his teaching, people were confessing their sins. They were being baptized by John in the Jordan River. A true revival was happening in Judea, sparked by the words of a man who lived in the wilderness and ate locust and honey.
And then his cousin Jesus showed up. Things were going along just fine until Jesus started baptizing people too. Suddenly, people who once followed John were now following Jesus. Some of John’s disciples even complained to him, “Rabbi, that man you testified about is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him!”
John’s reply was not one of jealousy, not of competition, but of joy and humility, for he said this in John 3:
29 …[T]his joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3, NASB)
You see, self is the great obstacle. It causes us to stumble in our walk with God. Instead of letting the light of Jesus shine through our lives, we let our pride, our desire for recognition, and our obsession with control dimly illuminate the world around us. It is a shaky flame that barely flickers, and yet we protect it with all our might. But that is not the light we are supposed to be shining.
Jesus said simply in Matthew 5:
16 …[L]et your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven. (Matthew 5, NIV1984)
You see, the light we are to be shining is the works of selflessness, helping those in need around us, living more like Jesus. And when we put others first, we are shining the light of Jesus for all to see. That light points to and comes directly from God, not from us.
This morning, we need to examine our own lives. How often do we want the spotlight? How often do we resist letting go of control? How often do we insist on our own way, even when God is calling us to surrender?
The problem of self is real. But, thankfully, there is an answer—a solution—to our problem.
### **II. The Power of Surrender**
And so, our second point this morning is this: the power of surrender. That is right. And it is a power we must discover if we are going to live less like ourselves and more like Jesus.
Paul writes in Galatians 2:
20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2, NLT)
The antidote for selfishness is not about trying harder. It is not about polishing up, dressing up, or cleaning up the old self. It is, however, about surrender—surrendering our old self so completely that the world no longer sees me, but sees Jesus living in me.
Does He Show?
By Sermon Central
(From a sermon by Steve Shepherd, "A New Beginning For America" 1/22/2009)
Copied from Sermon Central
The story is told that one Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, there’s something about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand." The mother said, "Oh? What is it?"
The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?" The mother replied, "Yes, that’s true, honey."
"But Mommy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we believe in Jesus as our Savior. Is that true, too?" Again, the mother assured the little girl that what the preacher had said was true.
With a puzzled look on her face the little girl then asked, "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?"
What a powerful question. This morning, Jesus ought to be showing through our lives.
Let me illustrate this with something very simple.
[Hold up a glove.]
A glove has no power on its own. It just lies here, limp and useless. I can smack it around. I can throw it in the air. I can wad it up into a ball. But it has no power to fight back, no ability to do anything about what is being done to it.
[Put the glove on.]
But when I put the glove on, my hand fills the glove. Suddenly this glove has life and purpose. It can pick things up. It can pat someone on the shoulder. It can do things that it could never do before on its own.
This morning, that is exactly what it means to surrender. We are this glove. Jesus is the hand. Our lives only work as they are meant to when Jesus fills us up.
And that means every single day we must pray, “Lord, take over. Lord, less of me and more of You.”
That is what surrender looks like. Not clinging to pride. Not holding on to control. Not demanding recognition. But allowing Jesus to be greater in us.
### **III. The Practice of Humility**
Finally, this morning, we find the power of surrender when we discover the practice of humility.
Pride
By Shine Thomas
Copied from Sermon Central
Muhammad Ali, the great wrestler was never known for being a kind person. Once he was on an airplane and he often said, “I'm the greatest.”
The stewardess looked at him and saw he didn't have his seatbelt fastened. She said to him, “Mr. Ali, you'll have to fasten your seatbelt.”
Ali responded, “Superman don't need seatbelt.”
The hostess then replied, “Superman don't need airplane either.”
Pride has a way of puffing us up, but it also has a way of putting us in our place. Scripture is clear that pride and humility are opposites, and God always honors humility.
Paul said it this way in Philippians 2:
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had…. (Philippians 2, NLT)
If Jesus is truly showing through our lives because we have surrendered to Him, then we will begin to imitate the One who lives in us. We will have the same attitude as Jesus.
And what was that attitude? It was service. It was meeting the needs of others. It was healing. It was caring. It was loving. It was humility.
Think about it. Jesus gave up the riches and glories of heaven to step into this broken world. He was not born in a palace, though He deserved it, but in a stable surrounded by animals.
He lived a simple, working-class life. As a boy He learned the trade of a craftsman, laboring with His hands. During His ministry, He owned nothing of His own. In Matthew 8:20 Jesus even said,
20 …“Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head.” (Matthew 8, NLT)
Jesus depended daily on the kindness and generosity of others, all the while serving, healing, caring, and loving those around Him, without fanfare, or accolades.
At the end of His earthly life, He surrendered His will completely to the Father, laying down His life for us. The sinless One humbly went to Calvary, dying for our sins and paying the price for our wrongdoing.
What a humble life.
So if we are to live like Jesus, we must really ask ourselves that old question: What would Jesus do?
What does living like Jesus look like for us today?
At home, it means serving your spouse and children with patience.
At work, it means giving credit to others instead of always seeking it for yourself.
At church, it means listening more than speaking, offering to help without recognition, and giving generously so the Kingdom can move forward.
In the community, it means meeting needs greater than our own.
Simply put, living like Jesus, letting His light shine through means putting Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last.
Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. He left heaven. He became a servant. He washed feet. He carried the cross.
If we want to be more like Jesus, then humility is not optional—it is essential.
### **Conclusion**
This morning, Zach Williams’ prayer through song is so powerful. Life is not about success, or power, or influence. It is about humility. It is about saying with John the Baptist, “Jesus must increase, but I must decrease.”
So let me challenge you this week. Begin each day with this prayer:
“Lord, today I want to be less like me and more like You. Fill me with Your Spirit. Remove my pride. Teach me to serve others as You did, and to walk in humility.”
When we are less like ourselves and more like Jesus, the world around us sees Him more clearly. And that is what matters most.
### **Closing Illustration / Invitation**
This morning, I want you to picture a set of scales. On one side is “me”—my pride, my control, my sin. On the other side is “Jesus”—His love, His grace, His humility.
Which side is heavier in our lives right now? Which side do people see when they look at us?
Today is the day to tip the scales toward Jesus. To surrender. To humble yourself before Him. To pray, “More of Jesus, less of me.”
