Welcome to Day 2115 of  Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Becoming A Radical Disciple 2 – Christlikeness – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 08/08/2021

Becoming A Radical Disciple – Christlikeness

As mentioned last week, my purpose in this series is to consider eight character traits of Christian discipleship that are often neglected and deserve to be taken seriously. In addition, last week, we considered four major secular trends threatening to engulf the Christian community. In the face of these, we are all called, not to feeble-minded conformity, but to radical nonconformity. As we face the challenge of pluralism, we are to be a community of truth, standing up for the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. As we face the challenge of materialism, we are to be a community of simplicity and pilgrimage. As we face the challenge of relativism, we must be a community of obedience to God’s precepts. Finally, as we face the challenge of narcissism, we must be a community of love. Today we will consider Christlikeness. Throughout our lives, we ask ourselves, what is our purpose during our pilgrimage while we remain here on earth? It is this: God created us to be his imagers, and as such, God wants his people to become like Christ, who is the perfect imager. For Christlikeness is the will of God for the people of God. Therefore, as citizens of God’s kingdom and imagers of God, we should imitate the only perfect imager, which is Christ. In today’s message, we will consider three steps in our process to Christlikeness. First, to lay down the biblical foundation for the call to Christlikeness; second, to give some New Testament examples; and third, to draw some practical conclusions. The Biblical Foundation of the Call to Christlikeness This foundation is not a single text, for the foundation is more substantial than can be summed up in one text. Instead, the foundation consists of three texts connecting us from the past to the present and giving us a glimpse of the future: Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and 1 John 3:2. The first text is Romans 8:29, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” The second text is 2 Corinthians 3:18, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” Before I read the third text, we need to understand that the perspective has changed from the past to the present, from God’s eternal foreknowledge to his present transformation of us by the Holy Spirit. From God’s eternal purpose to make us like Christ, to his historical work by his Spirit to transform us into an imager like Christ. The third text is 1 John 3:2, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” Since God is working to this end, it is no wonder he calls us to cooperate with him. “Follow me,” he says. “Imitate me.” So, returning now to 1 John 3:2, we don’t know in any detail what we shall be, but we know that we will be like Christ. Therefore, there’s no need for us to know any more. We are content with the glorious truth that we will be with Christ and like Christ. Here then, are three perspectives (past, present, and future) which are all pointing in the same direction: God’s eternal purpose (for God knew in advance who would have believing loyalty); God’s historical purpose (we are being changed daily, transformed by the Holy Spirit); and God’s final eschatological (future) purpose (we will be like Christ...). These all combine towards the same end of Christlikeness. Christlikeness is the purpose of God for the people of God. If we claim to be Christian, we must be like Christ if we are becoming radical disciples.  This is our foundation. Having established the biblical foundation, that Christlikeness is the purpose of God for the people of God, I want now to move on to illustrate this truth with several New Testament examples. But first, a general statement from 1 John 2:6, “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” Therefore, if we claim to be Christian (little Christ), we must be like Christ. Let’s explore five New Testament examples of how we are to be like Christ. 

1. We are to be like Christ in his incarnation (God in the flesh)

Some may immediately recoil with horror from such an idea. “Surely,” you may say, “the incarnation was an altogether unique event and cannot be imitated?” The answer is yes and no. It is “yes” because the Son of God took our humanity to himself in Jesus of Nazareth. This was a one-time occurrence for all, never to be repeated. It is also “no” in the sense that we are all called to follow the example of his great humility. So Paul could write in Philippians 2:5–8. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

1. We are to be like Christ in his service

We move on now from his incarnation to his life of service. So come with me to the upper room where he spent his last evening with his disciples. During supper, he took off his outer garments, tied a towel around him, poured water into a basin, and washed his disciples’ feet. Then, when he had finished, he resumed his place and said in John 13:14-15, “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.  I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” Are we to wash each other’s feet, like the church where my brother-in-law is the pastor? Some Christian churches take Jesus’ command literally and occasionally have a foot-washing ceremony as part of the Lord’s Supper. I see nothing wrong with this remembrance, if churches choose to do so. However, most also transpose his command culturally. Just as Jesus performed what in his culture was the work of an enslaved person, we in our cultures must regard no task as too menial or degrading to undertake.  The closest practice in modern civilization would be cleaning and polishing shoes.

1. We are to be like Christ in his love

As Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:2, “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” “Live a life filled with love” is a command that all our behavior should be characterized by love, but “He offered himself as a sacrifice for us” is a clear reference to the cross. So Paul urges us to be like Christ in his death, to love with Calvary love. Do you see what is happening so far in our Christlikeness? Paul urges us to be like the Christ of the incarnation, the Christ of the foot-washing, and the Christ of the cross. These events in the life of Christ indicate what Christlikeness means in practice. Here is a practical example, found in the same chapter, Ephesians 5:25, Paul urges, >“For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her.” 

1. We are to be like Christ in his patient endurance

In this next example, we consider the teaching, not of Paul but of Peter. Every chapter of Peter’s first letter contains an allusion to suffering for Christ, for the letter’s background is the beginnings of persecution. In 1 Peter 2:18, in particular, Peter urges enslaved Christians, “You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.” We have been called to this because Christ also suffered, leaving us an example so that we may follow in his steps 1 Peter 2:21, “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” This call to Christlikeness in suffering, even if unjust, may become increasingly relevant as persecution increases in many cultures today.

1. We are to be like Christ in his mission

Having looked at the teaching of Paul and Peter, we come now to the teaching of Jesus, as recorded by John. In prayer, Jesus said to his Father in John 17:18, “Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.” In commissioning, he said in John 20:21, “Again he said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’” These words are immensely significant. These statements from Jesus are not just the version of the great commission recorded in John’s Gospel; it is also an instruction that their mission in the world was to resemble Christ’s. In what respect? The keywords are “sent me into the world.” As Christ had to enter our world, we are to enter other people’s worlds. We display and practice our faith when we place ourselves inside the doubts of the doubters, the questions of the questioners, and the loneliness of those who have lost their way. When God entered our world as a human, it was called the incarnation, which means embodiment. Entering other people’s worlds is what we mean by an incarnational mission, and all genuine missions are incarnational. We are to be like Christ in his mission. As a review, here are the five ways we are to be Christlike: we are to be like Christ in his incarnation, in his service, in his love, in his endurance, and his mission. The five ways to be Christlike conclude with three practical consequences of the basis and examples for Christlikeness that we have considered.   Christlikeness and the mystery of suffering Of course, suffering is a vast subject in itself, and Christians try to understand it in many ways. But one stands out: suffering is part of God’s process of making us like Christ. So whether it is disappointment or frustration, we need to try to see it in the light of Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.  For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” According to these verses, God is always working for the good purpose of his people, and this good purpose is to make us like Christ, not necessarily to keep us from suffering. Christlikeness and the challenge of evangelism Why is it that our evangelistic efforts don’t appear to produce results? Several reasons may be given, and I must not oversimplify, but one main reason is that we don’t look like the Christ we proclaim.  In other words, are we the salt and light we should be? The most effective preaching does not come from the pulpit but from those who embody what the Bible says. We, individually and corporately, are the message the world needs to hear. Radical disciples need to look and live like they are citizens of God’s kingdom. When we live authentically the life we claim as disciples, we will impact those who cross our path of life. A moment of insincerity can cast doubt on all we have communicated. The world craves authentic disciples who earnestly show Christ love. Christlikeness and the indwelling of the Spirit Today our focus is the second character trait of becoming a radical disciple, which is Christlikeness. The question is, how is it possible for us? It is impossible in our strength, but God has given us his Holy Spirit to enable us to fulfill his purpose. And if the Spirit of Jesus can come and live in me, I can live a life like his. So God’s purpose is to make us like Christ, and God’s way is to fill us with his Holy Spirit. Shortly before his coming crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, Jesus informed his disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them to live like Him. John 14:15-21 If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.  Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.  When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. Our response to this promise is found in the letter the Apostle Paul wrote 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.   During this series on becoming a radical disciple, take time each week to read our anchor verses. Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!