Look like Me! (Jesus)

HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness," says the Lord. ()

Thomas Kempis the 15th century preacher who wrote “ The Imitation of Christ says, "We must imitate Christ's life and his ways if we are to be truly enlightened and set free from the darkness of our own hearts. Let it be the most important thing we do."

John 8:12 ESV

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The Imitation of Christ.

Kempis also states in another section: “Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.”

The Imitation of Christ.

Dictionary of Bible Themes 8449 imitating

The people of God are to imitate God

Dictionary of Bible Themes 8449 imitating

The people of God are to imitate God

Lev 11:44-45 See also Lev 19:2; 20:7,26; 21:8; 1Pe 1:16; Eph 5:1

The people of God are to Imitate God

(NASB) 44 'For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. 45 'For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.'"

"We must imitate Christ's life and his ways if we are to be truly enlightened and set free from the darkness of our own hearts. Let it be the most important thing we do."

(NASB) 7 'You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.

oYou therefore must be pperfect, qas your heavenly Father is perfect.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

oYou therefore must be pperfect, qas your heavenly Father is perfect.

Why should we imitate God? If we are to Imitate God, we will resemble Christ.

Webster's 1913 Unabridged English Dictionary. defines imitate as:

1. To follow as a pattern, model, or example; to copy or strive to copy, in acts, manners etc.

Despise wealth and imitate a dog. Cowlay.

2. To produce a semblance or likeness of, in form, character, color, qualities, conduct, manners, and the like; to counterfeit; to copy.

Point 1- Simulate God......v1

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children" ( KJV). The word "follower" means to imitate. God's children should act like God's children. In their conduct, they should imitate their heavenly Father. Thus the believer should act like a believer.

We all wanted to to follow the pattern of someone else ! Some of us wanted to be Bruce Lee, Bruce Leroy if your in the hood.....

We wanted to look like super heroes, gangsters, fashion models,and everything else. I wonder, what or who do we resemble throughout the week? On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom."

No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of the Son who makes us free can be seen in the lives of his true followers.

Mini-Me is a character played by Verne Troyer in the second and third Austin Powers films: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember. Mini me would follow the pattern of Dr Evil to the letter. From Dress to attitude.....

(NASB) 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. You mimic, simulate who you follow. Some people go so far as to get plasic surgery to simulate or imitate the one they idealize. If you idealize anybody or anything else other than Jesus, then your an idolater. You should look like your Father in heaven. Every father/mother want to see themselves in their children . They act like their parents in many ways....but in the end, others will know who child you really are. Don’t imitate evil you see on the TV, or hear on the radio, or see out here in the street. Don’t walk around with your pants down, like they do in prison.....Stop imitating Dr Evil, the devil and imitate your Father ....

We all wanted to to follow the pattern of someone else ! Some of us wanted to be Bruce Lee, Bruce Leroy if your in the hood.....

We wanted to look like super heroes, gangsters, fashion models,and everything else. I wonder, what or who do we resemble throughout the week? On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait with the following inscription: "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is placed here by the family that people may know the appearance of the man who died for freedom."

No literal portrait of Jesus exists either. But the likeness of the Son who makes us free can be seen in the lives of his true followers.

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children" ( KJV). The word "follower" means to imitate. God's children should act like God's children. In their conduct, they should imitate their heavenly Father. Thus the believer should act like a believer.

Point #2 Stroll Like Jesus Walk in Love () The first exhortation for God-like conduct is the exhortation to "walk in love" (). This is logical for "God is love" ().

• The paradigm/pattern of love. "Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God" (). The model for our love is found in God's Son, Jesus Christ.

First, the superiority of the paradigm. "Loved us." No love is as great as Christ's love for us (, ).

Second, the sacrifice in the paradigm. "Hath given himself" True love gives. "God so loved... that he gave" (). If we walk in love, we will give of ourselves sacrificially. Third, the spirituality in the paradigm. "An offering and a sacrifice to God." This love is not like the world's love but it is spiritual. It is not divorced from God. Love that leaves out God is not true love. Much of the world's love is not true love because the world does not want God involved. • The perverting of love. Love is perverted by the world. They call many things love which are not love at all.

First, the copulation of perverted love. "Fornication" (). Illicit sexual activity is not love even though it is called "love making." The worldlings often say they were so much in love that they had sex. That is not love but lust.

Second, the corruption of perverted love. "All uncleanness" (). This covers a multitude of sexual sins.

Third, the covetousness of perverted love.Greedy Love "Covetousness" (). This is an inordinate love for things earthly. Mostly we think of money here, for many show their covetousness in their greed for money. Gambling reflects the avarice of many. This spirit should not be part of a believer.

Fourth, the casting out of perverted love. "Let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints" (). The foul sins just mentioned are to be totally rejected. This is too strict for today's typical church member, but tolerating any of these terrible deeds is incompatible with holiness.

Fifth, the conversation of perverted love. "Neither filthiness ['obscenity' says Strong], nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient [appropriate]; but rather giving of thanks" (). The tongue of the redeemed should have no foul talk in it. The jesting here does not oppose sanctified levity but is often "obscene jesting" (Zodhiates), dirty stories and the like. Dirty Talk......Don’t talk like a dummy......

Sixth, the consequences of perverted love. "No whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man... hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God... for because of these things cometh the wrath of God" (, ). The consequences of perverted love are eternal poverty and punishment.

Seventh, the craftiness of perverted love. "Let no man deceive you with vain words" (). Perverted love is so deceptive. It causes many people to think it is real love.

Eighth, the company of perverted love. "Be not ye therefore partakers with them" (). Do not keep company with those who pervert love. Bad company produces bad deeds.

Look like Me! (Jesus)

Introduction: