Imitate Me

          “I want to be like Mike,” is probably one of the most famous slogans during my youth. Michael Jordan was the gold standard when it came to basketball. Even now after 30 years people continue to try to be like him and imitate him. From his sneakers to his brand name clothes. ESPN even did an entire season, following him when he returned from retirement. Sports stars like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Usain Bolt, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Lawrence Taylor, Serena Williams, all great athletes that many call one of the best in their perspective sport. They talk about the “GOAT,” which means the Greatest of All Time. Kids who play sports aspire to be like one of these athletes. 

Ephesians 5:1-2, Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 

How do we imitate Jesus? We should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart… put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness… Ephesians 4:17-24 

We shouldn’t be a product of our environment but should be a product of Jesus Christ our Creator. No matter where we are or what situation we are in we can always imitate Christ. Many of us adapt our lives to the American culture yet we are not American. As true believers the Bible tells us where our real citizenship is, which is in heaven. Rich, poor, black, white, educated, not educated, in America, Canada or anywhere else Jesus is for everyone. His message now reaches to all the 4 corners of the Earth. He does not leave anyone out, who wants to receive Grace and Salvation. We are in a foreign world that is ruled by Satan. We cannot allow our environment and surroundings take away our focus away from Christ. We need to continue to imitate Him so that the world can see Jesus through us and in our lives. Others who are not of the faith will notice how you live your life and your environment cannot be an excuse. Jesus used anyone and everyone, from a young Boy in David who committed adultery, Moses who had difficulty speaking and disobeyed God, Rahab a harlot who helped receive the spies, fisherman to spread his Word to the globe. There is nothing our God cannot do if we imitate him. 

Look at society and you will notice how evil, violent and sinful it is becoming. They have not listened to the Word of God and rather imitate Satan. Society and even religion now seems to be becoming more tolerable and accepting of things that are against the Word of God. It is not surprising what we see in the world now as the result. Everyone wants to be “Politically Correct,” but there is ONLY one way to Jesus and Heaven. The Word of God and God will not change and will not bend for the desires of the world. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The people of this world rather be accepted and approved for their selfish desires, even if it is against the Word of God. People are afraid to speak, in fear to lose their status, other church members, their job, friends and family about the truth and Jesus predicted this. We will suffer for His name sake. Imitating Jesus is not easy and they world will not make it easy. 

Religions are starting to place more importance on acceptance than on the truth and allowing sin to enter into the House of God. They are beginning to Compromise on Spiritually False teachings that will only lead to Death/Hell. When we Compromise to Sin and Accept it, Satan has already won. False imitators will stand on the pulpit and preach Compromise and Acceptance when it is against the Word of God. Turn to the Word of God and you will know in your heart the truth. We CAN NOT COMPROMISE in our FAITH. 

“We must draw a line in the Sand, and separate Right from Wrong and not Compromise or worry about Acceptance. If we are True Believers, Jesus himself said we will not be Accepted. We are the Opposite of Mainstream Culture in this World. Remember Jesus travelled with 12 close friends/disciples, and they all were learning to imitate the Messiah. They were also persecuted and hated for His name sake. Yet with the power of the Holy Spirit, they were able to spread the Gospel. They had no financial backing, no great system like we have, no social media or following, but they believed and imitated Jesus Christ to the world and these 12 men turned the world upside down!

2 Corinthians 6:14-18, For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial (referring to Satan)? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 

“I will dwell with them

And walk among them.

I will be their God

And they shall be My people.

Therefore

Come out from among them

And be separate, says the Lord

Do not touch what is unclean,

And I will receive you.

I will be a Father to you,

And you shall be My sons and daughters,

Says the Lord Almighty.”

God has placed a Line in the Sand and we cannot cross it or we will lose our reward in Heaven. We must be separate! Regardless of the Compromise and Acceptance we see in the world we must not allow ourselves to fall into Satan’s trap. 

    It says in the previous verse to be separate. Romans 12:1-2, Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. In 1 John 3:1, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. There is a relationship God is looking to have with us. He calls us to be His sons and daughters. Separate, not conformed to this world but to be transformed. God is leading us to have a relationship with him. Jesus is the Son of God and he showed us how to be a Child of God. John 5:19-20, Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

    Jesus Imitates his Father and he says in John 6:38-40: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” When we transform and become separate we begin to do the Will of the Father and become His sons and daughters. The result is that the world will not know us. Galatians 4:4-7, But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. We are Children of God and we must Obedient to the Father, Speak to the Father, Love the Father, Worship the Father, Pray to the Father, Listen to the Father …etc 

When the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus says in Matthew 18:3-5, Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” Why did Jesus say to be like children? Currently many children do not grow up in a Christian or even loving household. Many are raised by single parents and there is no relationship between the Father/Mother and child. There is no relationship between the parents or God, so we are not surprised there is no relationship between God and the child. They are broken homes and lost children who imitate Lucifer. 

We can see our children imitating us in our lives. They may want to be the same profession as their parent and go to the same schools as their parents did. They want to follow in their footstep. God wants us to be little children imitating Him. He wants to see Himself inside and outside of all of us. Children have no worries, no fears, they fall asleep anywhere when they want knowing their Father is their to protect them. Never worrying when their next meal is or lack of anything. They have the life, no work, no bills, no taxes, just loving life and a Father who gifts them everything. I laugh whenever I hear kids say they want to grow up and be older, when in fact adults say they want to be kids again! Kids are full of life and joy and God’s wants us to worship with that energy and happiness. Proverbs 6:22, Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. When we set up a foundation of God at an early age this will guide them and prepare them to face the world. 

Ephesians 4:31-32, Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Children do not hold grudges, they do not hate, they don’t remember what happened yesterday, no bitterness but are filled with joy, love and kindness. They rely solely on their parents, in our Christian lives we solely only need to rely on Jesus Christ.

This is how we Imitate Jesus to the world. We must be kind and tenderhearted. The hardest one of course is forgiveness. Kids really do forgive and forget unlike adults. So many churches break up due to arguments and there is no forgiveness in their hearts. Trust me I fell into the trap when I was not forgiving of Trump’s speeches and actions. We need to show love to our enemies and I was not imitating Jesus. Now I pray for him, for the world and let God deal and decide with this countries fate. God’s plan will unfold no matter what and there is nothing man can do. Put your focus/faith more on Him and trying to imitate His life and love. When we trust in the world and humans we will always fail. Our trust can only be in Jesus. 

Both God and Jesus demonstrated a Love for humanity and opportunity for forgiveness. John 3:16-17, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 1 John 4:9-11, In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Imagine this, being full of faith and spirit preaching the word of God to the world. Only to be hated and then killed by those who do not accept or see the truth. With your very last breath, asking God to forgive them of this sin! Stephen did this and so did Jesus. In Luke 23:34 “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Even on the Cross while he was tortured, beaten, nailed through his hands and feet Jesus imitated his Father and saved the soul of the criminal crucified next to him. He forgave even till his last dying breath. If we condemn others or do not forgive them of their trespasses, Jesus will not forgive us of our sins. We are all sinners and fall short the glory of God. 

This world is lacking even kindness let alone forgiveness. But as followers of Jesus we must not conform to this world and continue to Imitate Christ. I John 3:17-18, But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 

Romans 12: 9-21, describes how to behave like a Christian! Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Many people go to Churches for the huge concerts, the flashing lights the theatrical productions they throw every Sunday. Or the famous Preacher that speaks about only  prosperity, wealth, health and focuses on the message of one’s self rather than God. Paul says in I Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. No matter the awesome music/show or messages focusing only on one’s self, if they are not imitating the message of Jesus they are not speaking the truth. The message that one preaches and spreads is important. If they do not imitate the teachings of Christ then they are not worshipping Christ. Many church believers and even the world get upset when Pastor’s/Believers call homosexuality, pre marital sex, drug addiction, adultery and many other things sin. They leave the Church or kick out the Preacher. The Word of God is the Word of God! If the Bible calls it a sin, it is a sin. The world can not alter it or bend it to their selfish desires. 

 

We are to imitate Christ not the Preacher or the Church. God wants us to have a deep love for Him. Your relationship with God has to be more deeper than your relationship with your Church or Pastor. We must Imitate Jesus Christ to this evil world controlled by Satan. This is not easy to do, but this behavior is what separates us from the World and Jesus commands us to be this way. Jude speaks of exactly how this world is acting now, its condemnation of those in the past not imitating Christ and how the world is imitating Satan. In verse 10, But these speak evil of whatever they do not know. In verse 16, These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts, and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. In verse 18-19, There would be mockers in the last time who walk accordingly to their own godly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. Remember as it says in 3 John Verse 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. 

 

God as our Father also will discipline us because we are his children. Hebrews 12:5-8, My son, do not despise the chastening of the the Lord’s, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakes, then you are all illegitimate and not sons. 

Do not think discipline is not part of a Christian’s life and God does it because He loves us as sons and daughters. Discipline is lacking in this world and our own selfish desires are driving our sinful decisions. 

We must Imitate Christ in Love, Kindness, Tenderheartedness and the hardest but yet the most important Forgiveness. 2 John Verse 5-6, And now I plead with you, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning you should walk in it. Love allows us to forgive, because without God’s love He did not have to forgive us of our sins. 

God gives us an open invitation to His love. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).” The Love of God is not a Free Pass to live a life of sin. But it should encourage you to live a life that glorifies the Lord God Almighty. Each day we should strive more and more to be like Christ. What did Jesus do when he was ever in trouble? Pray, and I can’t emphasis this enough. James 5:13, Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Time and time again Jesus went out into the wilderness to be alone to pray to his Heavenly Father. Prayer is the most un-utilized weapon against the Devil. What did Jesus do at all times through out his ministry? Time and time again you see in the Bible he left them to pray. He goes for hours and hours, praying, seeking his Heavenly Father. Jesus is Love, Obedient, Kind, Tenderhearted, Forgiving, Holy, Patient.

The objective of Christianity the principal goal of being a Child of God is to be more and more like Jesus Christ! “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” which means we admire the one we imitate, and who is more worthy than the Lamb of God! Jesus is the standard we must aim for. What he said we aught to say. What he did we aught to do. How he lived we aught to live. How he prayed we aught to pray. The world should see the reflection of Jesus in us! Our relationship with God is our number one focus. I know that if we take care of that, God will take care of everything else.