How to Become Like Jesus in All Things
“It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master” (Matthew 10:25, NASB1995)
Among the fast-track folks, having a personal trainer to help them get in shape has become a very popular element of their superior, advantaged, and privileged life. They also have a cadre of high-level advisors to help them optimize their achievements. It is similar to what is seen among high-achieving sports professionals; they, too, have a team of specialized coaches to maximize their competitive edge.
Similarly, among committed Christians there is no end to the Bible studies, books, sermons, counselors and other advisors they employ in order to advance themselves spiritually.
All these things have their place and their usefulness within a particular context.
God, however, offers us a much better answer. Those who have discovered how to simply apply the cross of Christ to their lives open up potential independent of our natural capacities. God’s answer transcends those natural abilites and opens a door of virtually unlimited potential. Jesus says, “all things are possible to those who believe. This may seem like a fairytale idea, but in Christ it becomes the normal.
It is like going through the wardrobe door of Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. One’s eyes are ever-increasingly aware of another reality. This reality lifts them from the entanglements of our finite worldly lives and enables them to walk on water, so to speak, with Jesus. Those that walk this path are daily being lifted up increasingly into a heavenly reality in which the constraints of this life are removed, where “nothing will be impossible” for them.
This is truly a mystery, unknown by the world and hardly known even within the Church of God’s family.
Every new day is filled with unfolding potential and new possibilities. Our naturally unbelieving hearts are constantly challenged with this alternate reality. The word alternate is, however, an inadequate term since He is constantly manifesting His great power to overcome the reality from which we come. He moves mountains. He shakes the heavens. No one can resist His power. The powers that rule the earth and mankind cannot prevail over Him.
Beyond this, it becomes more and more evident that the mundane and material world in which we live is also unable to prevail over Him and His will. As we are daily put to death to our own will – to our old self – we begin to realize that the whole universe is subject to His glorious power and that we are daily being carried along with Him as He works His mighty works.
Much like the disciples witnessed His power to overcome the natural world and the spiritual world, so we also enter into sharing in that witness. We become the vehicles of that power on the earth. This is not something that can be stolen and usurped from God as some may wrongly surmise. Indeed, it only comes from Almighty God through vessels that are clean and holy of all self-interest, even as He is.
This is the sobering reality that accompanies one who truly goes after Him to follow Him. reality. God does not entrust His “true riches to someone simply because they are popular, highly educated or naturally gifted. There are prerequisites for living such a life. Many are unwilling to count the cost of such discipleship. Unfortunately for them, the truth is that there is no other kind of Christian life that abides in Him.
As Paul testifed, even as the Son “emptied Himself,” taking on the role of a “bond-servant,” and so His servants must do the same. The honor of men , the love of the world, and our natural desires which we love in the flesh must constantly be crucified in Him. This must be because those who truly are His servants must be holy even as He is holy (2 Corinthians 4:10-12). Without this constant washing, no one could maintain the purity of heart so that Christ can be manifest in them (1 John 1:5-7).
It is clear that those who have learned to abide in Him bear much fruit, and yet are often not even recognized by the world or even by the Church at large. There is absolutely nothing distinctive, at a naturalistic level, about those who abide this way. Still, their character is more and more pure and authentically selfless and such character can hardly be hidden. They have a zeal for the Lord, and prioritize Him in all things. They seek the welfare of those around them just as did their Master.
For some of them, it is a longer journey before they appear this way to others.
I remember hearing Richard Wurmbrand, the author of “Tortured for Christ” and founder of the organization now called
“Voice of the Martyrs,” many years ago say that Jews have a harder time with sin because their sinful ways were so ingrained in them. I think he was speaking of himself and the long battle he had finding the capacity to actually such a truly sanctified. Of course, this kind of living is not really optional for those suffering severe persecution like it is for those who live in the comforts of Western freedoms.. Often they are left only with the choice between open denial of God and complete reliance upon His power since they are forced to pay the cost of their discipleship.
Such an impossible choice, I believe, is also present in people like me who had deep psychological problems. I have had to live face-to-face with my sinful reality for a long time because I could not easily fake it through life as many others could. I would collapse into anger, fear, bitterness and rebellion even under relatively small temptations.
The point of my mention of this is to make clear that there is no personal weakness that disqualifies anyone from bringing their lives to overflowing with the things of God. Those who go after Him relentlessly, with all their heart, He will satisfy with the riches of the kingdom of God.
If you choose to seek and follow Jesus with all your heart you may experience others advance and prosper around you while you seem to lose in everything. Do not despair in this. This is His working to put to death your own secret ambitions and denied hidden agendas. This must occur because His terms are inviolable and “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). His terms are this: “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
You might be saying to yourself, “This is difficult; who can possibly live up to such a standard?” Well, this is an accurate read of the impossibility of the natural man to obtain to real Christian living. As Jesus said, “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).
But I have wonderful news for you! He has made a way so that the weakest person can rise to the task daily. This should not be surprising in light of the reality that no man can enter this gate by human effort. Still, it requires relentless seeking, asking, and knocking. But this road is also characterized by Jesus’ words, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV).
If you want these things you must compete according to the rules – His terms for inheriting the kingdom. If you think you know them, you are probably wrong. We interpret the Scriptures, but He reveals the truth. There is one simple truth by which you will receive all things including the wisdom and power to find Him fully. This is the message of Christ crucified. This alone is sufficient to give you all things. His great sacrifice.
As Jesus said, “him who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15).
