The Road to Christlikeness
Our Transformation • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
Text - 2 Corinthians 3.18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Title - Our Transformation: How It Happens
Background
Background
in the previous message we talked where transformation begins - in the mind
the mind must be released from its captivity
the mind must go through a renewal
The Main Point
The Main Point
Christlikeness is the goal of our transformation
we are transformed towards the image of Christ that we see with our mind in the Scripture
Christikeness is both future and present
future Christlikeness
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
present Christlikeness - is what we want to focus in this message
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Bro Branham used different ideas to give us the picture
llittle messiah or messiahette
Wm Branham’s thoughts on “little Messiahs’
That’s what he is tonight if he gets back to God. He is a Messiahette, a little Messiah. If He had… If “Messiah” means “anointed one,” and you’re anointed, then what are you? That’s exactly right: a Messiahette. We call it that just for the Word’s sake till we get a little farther down in the Scripture to it. All right.
61-0117 - The Messiah
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
22 Then when God was made flesh and became the Messiah, then if we can yield ourselves to be the anointed like He was, we become Messiahettes, little Lights. That’s what the church is supposed to be: lights, little anointed ones. That’s God’s church.
61-0117 - The Messiah
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
23 Now, that is true. God called Messiahs… God called us, and we become kings and priests unto God. Like Jesus was God’s High Priest, we become a lesser priest. Jesus was… God in Fullness dwelt in Him to shine forth the expression of God to the world, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. And as God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, God comes into His church and anoints Him some Messiahettes. Oh, my. Do you see it? The same things He did is in His church. The same power He had is in His church. And His church becomes His dominion, and He’s King over this dominion, and we are kings and priests, offering spiritual sacrifices to God, the fruits of our lips giving praise to His Name. Amen. Oh, my. There you are: Messiahettes, Messiahettes, little messiahs, little anointed ones. Anointed off of what? The main One, anointed off of the great One.
61-0117 - The Messiah
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
Wm Branham’s thoughts on Christlikeness”
“Think it not strange concerning the fiery trials that are to try you.” That is what Peter said. Is it strange that God wants us to develop a Christlike character that comes through suffering? No sir. And we all have trials. We are all tried and chastened as sons. Not one but goes through that. The church that is not suffering, and is not being tried, hasn’t got it — it isn’t of God. Hebrews 12:6, 8, “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
Now this special condition in Smyrna must be applied to every age. There is no age free from it. There is no true believer free from it. This is of God. This is the will of God. It is needful. We need the Lord to teach us the truth that we are to suffer and be Christlike in doing it.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age
Rev. William Marrion Branham
http://table.branham.org
Point no. 1 - The road to Christlikeness is a hard path
Point no. 1 - The road to Christlikeness is a hard path
Jesus spoke of the narrow gate
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
the gate is narrow - the entrance is not comfortable
the way is difficult - the way is hard
diffcult - confined
Paul described the road to Christlikeness
it begins with the enlightenment of the mind
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
it is full of hardships
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
hard-pressed - distress, brought into diffcult or distressing situations
perplexed - confusion, to become filled with confusion resulting from failure to understand
persecution - to become subject to systematic harassment and attack
struck down - falling, to fall by receiving blows
Jesus lived a hard life precisely because He lived the truth and preached the truth - He is the Truth’s embodiment.
therefore, true believers will live a hard life for the same reasons - when the live the truth and proclaim the truth
Point no. 2 - the road produces Christlikeness in us
Point no. 2 - the road produces Christlikeness in us
Dying and living happens along the road
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
the hardships we go through translate into our dying to ourselves!
as we die to ourselves, only then is the lif eof Christ manifested!
Paul used the illustration of the earthen vessel
as the earthen vessel breaks, the treasure inside is displayed!
the treasure is the light that shoned into our hearts
the knowledge of the truth
mind renewed
when the reasure is displayed, it shines
the shining is the manifestation of the life of Christ
Jesus spoke of the light of the world
He was the light of the world when He was on earth
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
the disciples/believers are also light of the world
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
believers shine because we have the life of Christ
believers shine when they manifest the life of Christ
Jesus’s life shone bright by doing the works of God
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
so, believers shine by their good works - the result of the renewed mind
Conclusion
Conclusion
Spiritual realities
The road to Christlikeness is not easy to find
Matthew 7.14 - there are few who find it
the blind cannot find it- the captive mind
The road to Christlikeness is not for the weak and coward
the unrenewed mind cannot take it
it takes a renewed mind to bravely step into that narrow gate and difficult path
The road to Christlikeness is both hard and glorious
we speak of Christian life is both ways
it is hard - when you focus on the hardships
it is glorious - when you focus on the fruits of the hardships
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
the renewed mind does not look at the hardships
the renewed mind looks focuses on the revealed light, and looks forward to the glorious light of Christ
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
as you focus on Jesus, you endure the hardships and begin to manifest His life in your daily living
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