Transformed Like Jesus

By Gary Jarnagin, Minister of Senior Adults and Education

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Rusty Ricketson wrote in his work, “followerfirst,” “Jesus was the greatest follower who ever lived.  At first blush such a statement might fly in the face of much of the literature that presents Jesus as the consummate leader.  However, upon closer inspection, it was Jesus acting as a follower that influenced more people than His actual leading a small band of disciples” (p. 18).  If I were to ask today, “What would you like to be: a follower or a leader?”  Perhaps the majority of individuals would immediately respond, a leader!  The prevailing thought is that leaders are the ones who get to make all the  decisions, they are the ones who receive all the perks, after all, leaders are the ones who direct the path, pace, and perceived privileges of those following.  However, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” (Rom. 8:29).  The word “conformed,” means “pertaining to that which has a similar form or nature—‘similar in form, of the same form.’ ‘he set them apart in order that they might be similar in form to the nature of his Son’ Rom. 8:29 (Lowe, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament). Therefore, if we are to be conformed, live in the likeness or form of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t we become followers?

      The Apostle John wrote, “…For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me” (John 6:38).  “I can of myself do nothing…because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me” (John 5:30).  “I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak” (John 12:49-50).  “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above…” (John 19:11).  “Christ Jesus…made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. Being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5-8). “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4).  ”Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42).  “I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me” (John 6:38). Through these few examples of Scripture, evidence suggests that Jesus was a follower.  If we are to obey Scripture and become conformed to His likeness, shouldn’t we become followers?

      Christ’s statements, “Follow Me,” were commands not options or an invitation.  As Ricketson concluded, “Jesus was not looking for leaders, Jesus was looking for followers…The Bible is clear that Jesus came to follow, call followers, and follow the will of the Father” (p. 23,31).   If one calls themselves followers of Christ, then it is Christ’s attitude and actions with which our lives should be conforming. Seemingly, Luke summarized the “followerfirst” philosophy when he wrote, “…A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).  As we follow Christ, we must remember that all followers of Christ are sinners saved by His grace. I would submit to you, that as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to re-exam our relationship with the one who saved us and be trained by Him. In doing so, we submit ourselves, not to become leaders, but to become followers of Jesus Christ.  It is only when we become follower of Christ, that someday we may hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).    

Unlimited Blessings

Well, it’s November and time for Thanksgiving.  That means it is time to talk about blessings.  Do you remember the hymn Count Your Blessings?  The first verse is significant: “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed.  When your are discouraged, thinking all is lost.  Count your many blessings--name then one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”  What has the Lord done for you lately? 

1 Peter 1: 3 reads, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Maybe you have read this verse and just skipped over it, thinking it is the just part of the salutation, the greeting from Peter to the recipients of the letter.  This small verse is much more than a howdy or the usual hello.  The word Praise in the original language means: being worthy of praise, to celebrate praise.  It is the word where we derive the word: “eulogy,” “to speak well of.” 
This verse is suggesting we speak well of God, to praise Him because He is worthy. 

The following phrase is also significant: “God and Father.”  Only one time in Scripture does Jesus address God as God.  That was on the cross when he cried out, “My God, my God, why are you forsaking me?”  The other times Jesus addressed God, it was always with the title: Father.  Jesus was claiming to share in God’s nature, characteristics and attributes.  In fact, John 11:17, 21 both confirm that Jesus and the Father are one. The term LORD, identified Jesus as sovereign Ruler.  The name Jesus identified Jesus as God’s incarnate Son.  The name Christ, pointed to God’s anointed Messiah-King. Perhaps the most impactful point of this verse is the word, “our.”  Think of it, the God who created all that there is, the God who loved us with a love that was demonstrated by sending His only unique Son to die on the cross for us can become “our” Father.  The word “our” signified the personal, intimate relationship believers in Jesus Christ possess with the magnificent, glorious God and Father of the universe.

What has God done for you lately?  He has provided and blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).  In Christ, we have redemption through His blood, and forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7).  God has not only provided our salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, but He has also promised His never-ending faithfulness. Truly we are blessed people!  “So amid the conflict, whether great or small.  Do not be discouraged, God is over all. Count your many blessings angels will attend.  Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.”  My prayer this Thanksgiving; that you will be praising God for providing you a blessed Thanksgiving!   

The Great Commission

Over the next few monthly newsletters, a discussion concerning The Great Commission will be the subject.  Throughout the New Testament, the commission for disciples to engage and evangelize non-believers is explicitly or implicitly written. 

 While Matthew 28:19-20 is commonly known as the Great Commission passage, there are numerous passages highlighting the Lord’s continuous and all-encompassing nature of the commission.  1)  Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 2) Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” 3) Luke 24:46-48,  E Th   “…The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” 4) John 20:21, “…As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  5) Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”  The Lord’s command to go and tell others is a continuous theme throughout Scripture.  Jerry Rankin, former International Mission Board President of the Southern Baptist Convention, commented specifically on Matthew 28:19-20, when he wrote, “This record of Jesus’ concluding challenge to His disciples before He ascended to the Father …was not just the introduction of a new task; it was a reminder and final commissioning of a task that had already been clearly defined and articulated throughout the biblical narrative.”

            There are some who believe that the Commission is only for those who heard Jesus in the first century.  This theory is flawed as the scope of Matthew 28:19-20 is for all nations, a task too large for the original disciples to fulfill.  Of paramount importance then, is defining who is a disciple.  Michael J. Wilkins wrote, “…a disciple is a title for those who have placed their faith in Jesus and are now followers of Jesus, converts.”  This definition of a disciple is accurate as Luke informs readers in Acts 8:4, how the initial imperative, as you are going, was initially completed, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”  Note the three elements in this verse, “those who had been scattered,”  “preached the word,” and wherever they went.”  The word for preach the word is the word, evangelize. David Earley connected all disciples with preaching when he wrote, “The word preach sounds formal, like some man standing behind a pulpit…That is one way to preach but certainly not the only way.  Anytime we tell the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection for our sins to another person, we are preaching the gospel.”  Therefore, the first realization in fulfilling the Commission is for all disciples, wherever they go, to tell others about the gospel.  Cleon Rogers wrote, “…there is a command to go.  Without the going, the making disciples is not possible, and especially when “all nations” is the object.” Concerning the Commission’s mandate for all believers, Richard D. Land wrote, “The Lord’s Great Commission to the church and to all His disciples down through the ages is an all-embracing mandate. Jesus commands all Christians to go into the world and to proclaim the Gospel with the goal of conversion of the listeners to saving faith in Jesus Christ.”

            Many Christians feel inadequate, not being able to clearly articulate the gospel message or fearful of embarrassment or failure.  Nevertheless, Scripture suggests the heart of a disciple should be overflowing with a great attitude of what Jesus has done in the disciple’s life.  What is your story?  What has Christ done for you?  Is your relationship with Him worth sharing? 

Evidence suggests communicating God’s message of salvation for disciples is not optional.  David Early commented on Matthew 28:19-20 when he wrote, “Jesus’ commission to evangelize the world was not a suggestion to be considered but a command to be obeyed.”  Bill Bright wrote, concerning the responsibility of the Great Commission, “This command is the duty of every man and woman who confesses Christ as Lord.  We cannot pick and choose which commands of our Lord we will follow.” Concerning God’s purpose for all believers today, Ed Stetzer wrote, “…if we understand the Bible applies to the immediate hearer and to us, then all believers are called and sent by God to go wherever and for whatever purpose God chooses.”  How many opportunities do we miss sharing the good news of the gospel?  Pray for God to bring into your life, one person, the day after you read this article to share the gospel message.  I promise you, He will answer your prayer!  It is simply a matter of obedience, motivated by an overflow of love.  As the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 states, “As you are going, make disciples…!  You can only make disciples when you go and tell.

Rob Bell's Book Love Wins.......

It is always amazing to me when someone in our lifetime markets what everyone believes to be a new thought or a new way of looking at something.  People suddenly jumps on the bandwagon and away they go.....There is a new book that hit the shelves not too long ago written by Rob Bell.  The title of the book is "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person who Ever Lived."  The premise of the book is very simple, yet not new, there is really no hell, "every person who ever lived" could have a place in heaven.  Once again the group of people named "Universalists", are setting out to re-write Scripture, God's Word.  Let us remember what the Bible says about new things Ecclesiastes 1:9 "...there is nothing new under the sun."  Many times we dismiss this verse to believe that we are so unique, that our issues in life are so more pressure filled, that our intellect so beyond past humanity that everything is new when it happens to us.  However, the truth is, it is new when we first experience something new, but that newness does not make it new to mankind, only new to us.  Since the beginning of time, there have been individuals and groups attempting to "hijack" the Bible and twist the message of God to meet their standards, what they think and what they believe is the "truth" in the universe.  Some called Sadducees, believed that after life, nothing existed (that is why they were sad, don't you see).   Anoher belief is one that Mr. Bell is espousing.  The belief that an all loving God would never sentence or send anyone to an eternal punishment.  This theory or false doctrine can be traced back to an early church bishop named Origen (185-254).  Origen taught the goodness of God with such fervor that it led him to believe that all creatures would eventually enter heaven.  Some 300 years later, after his death in 553, the Fifth Ecumenical Council declared him to be a heretic, based on this doctrine.  The other aspect of this belief is that "Christian Universalists, believe that Christ's death had a universal effect, thereby resulting in salvation for all mankind, everyone who has ever lived.  The Universalist take Scripture such as Matt. 22:44 and interpret that when Jesus is in heaven and His enemies are under His feet, then all His enemies are in heaven, under the feet of  Jesus.  Yet, that passage makes more sense when comparing other Scripture(Psalm 110:1), that the passage is referring to David's enemies not prevailing over David (a literal, common sense, historical view of interpretation).  Actually, the Universalist believes that the "sense" of separation from God is to achieve a type of purification, eventually having everyone coming to heaven after the purification process. The one aspect that has always intrigued me about a Universalist, is how do they honestly believe God would send His Son to die for them and then simply ask us to have faith in the death, burial and resurecttion of Jeusus Christ and then still accept those who rejected the gift and rejected the shed blood on their behalf.  Why have Jesus die at all?  Why have Jesus go through what he did?  Yes, God is love but love is never coerced nor is God mocked.  What is perhaps the most interesting is the fact that Universalists espouse the fact that they possess religious tolerance.  However, based on the Rob Bell's book, they do not seem tolerant.  Universalism rejects any religions claims of salvation and thereby, ultimately raising Universalism above all other religions including Christianity, Catholicism and Islam which teach Salvation.  The bottom line which I reject Rob Bell's assumptions and theology/doctrine lies in the complete absence of a complete God.  Yes, God is love and loved the world that He sacrificed His Son so that through faith in Jesus, we are justified (Romans 5:1), but Mr. Bell totally forgets the Holiness and Justice of God.  Romans 14:12 clearly states we all are accountable to God under God's standards and God's laws as outlined in His Word.  Just remember one passage of Scripture as we close this blog today...Galatians 1:6-10 "I am astonished that all of you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- which is really no gospel at all.  Evidently, some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.....if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned." Let us remember that Jesus himself taught of a literal hell Matt 5:29-30, 10:28, 13:40-41, 13:49-50, 22:13, 23:15,33, 25:41, 9:43-48, Luke 12:5, 16:19-31.......Let us not be deceived by a false prophet which will tickle the ears of those who are trying to pervert or do not like the way God's plan of Salvation takes us.  Christ is the only way and the penalty for rejecting God's plan is an eternity separated from God.  Let me know you thoughts......

Nashville city council considering “gender identity” protections

Nashville city council considering “gender identity” protections
staff - Mar 14, 2011 - comment - ShareThis
A trio of Southern Baptist entity heads took aim at a proposed Metropolitan Nashville ordinance addressing “discrimination” on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in an opinion piece in the Tennessean. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; Tom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources; and Frank Page, president of the SBC’s Executive Committee, authored the piece.
In the commentary, the three SBC executives wrote that homosexuality is not in the same class as immutable characteristics as race, gender and disability. Discrimination on the basis of these characteristics is “immoral, has no place in our society, and is prohibited under both federal and Tennessee law,” the article notes, warning the proposed ordinance would elevate “gender identity” and “sexual orientation’‘ to the same status.
The proposed measure will expand the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance. It would require companies and other organizations, with some exceptions, who contract with the city to also have in place policies which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Land and two other local notable Southern Baptists also sent a letter to all Metro council members, warning that “imposing this ordinance could lead to disastrous moral and ethical conflicts including trampling on the conscience protections of many residents of the Metro area.” Randy Davis, executive director and treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, and Robert B. Sumrall Jr., executive director of the Nashville Baptist Association, joined Land.
The city’s Metro Council is expected to vote on the measure at its third reading March 15.

What are your thoughts on this ?  Let me hear from you!!