Today we begin a series on Discipleship. Discipleship is all about becoming like Jesus. Consequently, in beginning this series on discipleship, I want us to understand that the disciple’s hero is none other than Jesus Christ. Like any kid who looks at that athlete, or that actor, or that parent and says, "I want to be just like him or her," a disciple is one who looks at Jesus and says, "I want to be just like Him."
Why is it that we want to be like our heroes? We want to be like them because they have accomplished something admirable. Well, Jesus, we are told here, has not only accomplished something admirable, He has accomplished something eternal. He has engaged the forces of evil that have held men captive and kept them alienated from God, and now is glorified in heaven. Consequently, the Bible tells us that one day He will be hailed by everyone as the ultimate hero - "God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth-even those long ago dead and buried-will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father." ~ Philippians 2:9-11 (The Message)
The Bible tells us that one day, everyone who has given his or her life to Jesus, will be like Him in the sense that, like Jesus, will live in perfect obedience to the Father and we will share in the eternal victory He has won. In fact, there are two things that will make heaven such a wonderful place:
A. I will be with Jesus -
"In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Mys4f~ that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3 (NKJV)
B. I will be like Jesus -
"Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is." - 1 John 3:2 (NLT)
Yes, one day in heaven, I will be with Jesus and I will be like Jesus.
The good news, however, is that I do not have to wait until I go to heaven to be like Jesus. In fact, the will of God is that I seek today to be like Jesus - walking in obedience to the will of the Father and sharing in the victory of our Lord. So, what does it take to become like Jesus?
1. I must set priorities - "throw off everything that hinders"
If we are not careful, we can find that things of lesser importance can crowd out those things that should be priority in our life. What should be priority for the disciple? Simple. Any relationship, any activity, any possession, any pursuit, any thing, that holds me back in my pursuit to become more like Jesus is not a priority!
This was Paul’s commitment. In Philippians 3:14 (WE), "Like a man running a race, I try hard to reach the line so that I will receive the prize. Because we belong to Christ Jesus, God is calling us to receive this prize that he has for us in heaven."
What prize does God have waiting in heaven for us? Christ-likeness! Paul says his commitment was to progress toward Christ-likeness now, to live his life in such a way as to become more and more like Jesus today!
The only way you will ever live life to the fullest is if you set this as your number one priority in life - to become more and more like Jesus. Jesus said, "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." ~ Matthew 6:33 (Amplified). The only way to live life to the fullest is to live it like Jesus!
2. I must seek purity - "throw off... the sin that so easily entangles"
It stands to reason that I cannot be like Christ if I give place to the Devil through clinging to sin in my life.
Now it’s one thing to fail, confess our sin, recommit ourselves to pursuing Christ-likeness, and moving forward. It’s another thing, however, to cling to a sinful activity, attitude, or arrangement with no desire to turn from it.
You see, while in this life we cannot be Christ-like when it comes to perfection, we can still seek to head in that direction. But if I have sin I refuse to turn from, I am stuck. I’m not able to move forward toward Christ-likeness, because I’ve camped out at this spot where my favorite sin is, refusing to move from it.
What’s worse, if I refuse to turn from a sinful activity, attitude, or arrangement in my life, I take myself out from under the protecting umbrella of God and give place to the evil one, who will gladly take advantage of the ground I have taken to make my life a living Hell. The bible tells us, "Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. "~ Ephesians 4:27 (the Message).
You see, though the Devil cannot take a Christian to Hell, he will take every opportunity to make our lives a living Hell; and if we refuse to turn from sin in our life, we are granting him permission to do just that!
A certain man wanted to sell his house. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: He would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.
After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to allow the original owner to move back in.
The point of the story is this: If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will be glad to hang his rotting garbage on it, and make our lives unlivable.
Paul said, "I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him." ~ Ephesians 3:17 (NLT). A Christ-like life is not something that I live for Christ. But that He lives through me.
But if that is going to happen, He must be at home in my heart, free to have His way. But when Satan, through my having sin I refuse to turn from, is given permission to stink up my life, the Lord is not "at home" nor free to live the life He desires to live through me.
The fact is that if Christ is my hero, I will want to be like Him; and if I want to be like Jesus, then I will seek purity in my daily life, as John explains in 1 John 3:2-3, "My dear friends, we are already God’s children, though what we will be hasn’t yet been seen. But we do know that when Christ returns, we will be like him, because we will see him as he truly is. This hope makes us keep ourselves holy, just as Christ is holy."
3. I must surrender perseveringly - "run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
This side of heaven, Christ-likeness is never instantaneous. Living our lives in pursuit of being just like Jesus is something we must commit to daily. In daily committing ourselves to becoming more like Jesus, we must be willing to allow God to use whatever He sovereignly deems appropriate to conform us to the image of His dear Son. This is Paul’s point in Romans 8:28-29 (NIV), "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."
Paul tells us that whatever the "race God has marked out for us" might bring our way, we can rest assured that if we will seek to walk in love relationship with Him and surrender daily to His purpose of making us more like Christ, then that is exactly what will happen. Remember, God is more interested in developing Christ-like character in you than He is in providing a comfortable life for you.
Conclusion: In verse one, reference is made to "heroes of the faith" that are mention in chapter 11. Why are they considered "heroes of the faith?" Because they each persevered in daily surrendering to God’s will for their lives, and though many of them did not have a life of comfort, they each lived a live characterized by Christ-likeness. They were all true disciples.
Now the baton has been passed to us. Let’s set Christ-likeness as our number one priority; seeking purity in daily living; surrendering daily to God!
