Rabun for the Gospel

A Life Worth Imitating

)`AHJR-VYK Senior Pastor Grace Bible Church

Pretty much everyone born before 2000 remembers the Gatorade commercials with Michael Jordan with the tag, “I wanna be like Mike.” The consisted of scenes of Jordan Q\TWPUN HUK K\URPUN MVSSV^LK I` RPKZ HUK [LLUZ WSH`PUN basketball, and then Jordan drinking Gatorade. The message was, “If you want to be like Mike, just drink gatorade.” This JVTTLYJPHS^HZQ\Z[VULVMHKLJHKLZSVUNTHYRL[PUNZ[YH[LN` I\PS[ \WVU [OPZ PKLH VM PTP[H[PVU -VY KLJHKLZ ^L»]L IV\NO[ into the imitation marketing strategy hook, line, and sinker. I ÄUKP[PUT`V^USPMLL]LY`[PTL0[OPUR[OH[I\`PUN[OPZIYHUK of golf balls will make me hit it like Tiger, or this brand of [LUUPZ YHJX\L[ ^PSS THRL TL WSH` SPRL 5HKHS;OPZ KLZPYL [V imitate others is a powerful thing.

The notion of imitation is also a robustly Biblical one. The question becomes, then, “What are we imitating? How are we imitating? Why are we imitating? And what do we expect as a result of our imitation?” We see repeated exhortations [OYV\NOV\[[OL5L^;LZ[HTLU[[VPTP[H[LSLHKLYZVM[OLJO\YJO (1 Cor 4:16), other members of the community of faith (Phil 3:7), to imitate what is good (3 John 11), as well as to imitate God and Jesus Christ (Eph 5:1).

This idea of imitation has been on my mind recently as I’ve JVUZPKLYLKHUV[OLYWHZZHNLVM:JYPW[\YL!;OLZZHSVUPHUZ! 10. As I read and pondered this passage, I asked questions like, “What was it about their lives that made them worthy of imitation? What was Paul commending in their lives? And how do we learn from those things so that we, too, could live a life worth imitating?”

(Z`V\YLHK[OH[WHZZHNL`V\»SSÄUKMV\Y[OPUNZ[OH[ZWLJPÄJHSS` made their lives worthy of imitation, and four things that I ILSPL]L`V\HUK0ZOV\SKW\YZ\LHZ^LSS·;OL`^LYLQV`M\SS` persevering, Gospel-spreading, God-serving, and Christawaiting. -PYZ[ ^L ZLL [OH[ [OL` ^LYL QV`M\SS` WLYZL]LYPUN ;OLZL Thessalonian believers were imitating their spiritual fathers and [OLPY3VYK1LZ\ZI`QV`M\SS`WLYZL]LYPUN[OYV\NO]HYPV\Z[YPHSZ and tribulations. Their spiritual mentors had been forcefully led out of the city. Presumably they themselves were facing HMÅPJ[PVUZILJH\ZLVM[OLPYUL^MV\UKMHP[OPU1LZ\Z0[^V\SKIL tempting for them to give up and take the easy path. But Paul ZH`Z[OH[[OL`WLYZL]LYLK^P[O[OLQV`VM[OL/VS`:WPYP[[O\Z becoming an example to all the believers in the surrounding area. As you think about your own life, is your life marked I` [OL ZHTL QV`M\S WLYZL]LYHUJL PU [OL TPKZ[ VM OHYKZOPWZ persecution, or trials?

Second, we see that they were Gospel-spreading. Having received the good news of what Jesus has done to reconcile ZPUULYZ ^P[O [OL -H[OLY [OL ;OLZZHSVUPHU *OYPZ[PHUZ OHK UV [OV\NO[VM RLLWPUNP[[V[OLTZLS]LZ9H[OLYI`^VYK HUKI` life they made it known to others. The same must be true for you and me. As we consider the Gospel and the change that Jesus makes in our lives, we must be willing to verbally share that good news and what that means for sinners and sufferers all around us, and we must also see an active faith in our lives, where those who see our lives see evidence of the change that the Gospel has made. Our decision-making, our parenting, V\YLU[LY[HPUTLU[VY\ZLVMÄUHUJLZV\YHSSVJH[PVUVM[PTL and much more are indispensable aspects of our evangelism. We must be willing to speak the Gospel with our lips as well as demonstrate the power of the Gospel in our changed lives ·[V[OLNSVY`VM[OL-H[OLYPUZ\ITPZZPVU[V2PUN1LZ\ZHUK by the power of the Spirit.

For good or bad, each of our lives is an example to others. . .

;OPYK^LZLL[OH[[OL`^LYL.VKZLY]PUN0U]LYZL ^LZLL that they took the radical step of abandoning those gods that were part of the worship of their family and their community and they gave their full, whole-hearted allegiance to the Triune God of the Bible. As you consider your life and what others would say as they observe your life, do you have a reputation for being radically converted to God and his ways, forsaking the idols of our generation in clear, resolute, and decisive ways? Do you exhibit to those who know you a clear YLQLJ[PVUVM^VYSKS`]HS\LZHUKHKLSPILYH[LJVTTP[TLU[[V the service of God?

(UKÄUHSS`^LZLL[OH[[OL`^LYL*OYPZ[H^HP[PUN0U]^L read that they were known as men and women who “wait for His son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” Is it evident to others that you are depending on a power that is not of this earth, but comes from heaven through your faith in Christ? Does your lifestyle give you the reputation as someone whose treasure is most truly in the world to come, so that your thoughts, passions, and longings are directed toward Christ?

-VYNVVKVYIHKLHJOVMV\YSP]LZPZHUL_HTWSL[VV[OLYZVUL ^H`VY[OLV[OLY>LYLTPUKV\YÄ]L`LHYVSKZVUVM[OPZHSS the time. Whether good or bad, he as a big brother is always being an example to his little two year old sister. She’s going to repeat what he says. She’s going to act like he acts. She’s going to respond like he responds. You are, we tell him, her big brother, and she’s taking her cues from watching what you do and how you handle things. The challenge and goal is to be a good example rather than a bad one.

The same is true for each and every one of us. If you claim to be a Christian, you are an example to others around you as to what a Christian is and how a Christian should behave. The question for you is, “Are you being a good example? Is your life worthy of imitation?” Can you tell others, “Look at me. By the grace of God, through the work of the Spirit in my life, follow me as I follow Christ?” May God, by His Spirit, work in LHJOVM\Z[VILQV`M\SS`WLYZL]LYPUN.VZWLSZWYLHKPUN.VK serving, and Christ awaiting — and thus pursue a life worth PTP[H[PUN(UKPM`V\HYLYLHKPUN[OPZHUK`V\KVUV[OH]LH saving knowledge of God though Jesus Christ, let me invite `V\[VV\YJO\YJOVYHU`VM[OL9.JO\YJOLZ>L^V\SKSV]L to share with you what God has done to save sinners like you HUKTL[OYV\NO[OLZ\IZ[P[\[PVUHY`ZHJYPÄJLVM/PZ:VU1LZ\Z VUV\YILOHSM