Modeling Christ Week 3
- Jul 29, 2024
- 7 min read
INTRODUCTION :
Modeling Christ was never meant to happen in isolation. Many times, we consider the imperatives to “imitate Christ” and “reflect His character” as something we do to please God and meet His qualifications for being a Disciple.
A true disciple must ask not only WHAT am I modeling, but also WHO is observing and imitating my life? Remember, we are all modeling something to someone!
Up to this point in this section of our study, we have focused on application to our own lives.
However, we must concern ourselves with more than personalizing Biblical principles. We have the responsibility of modeling the Savior contagiously, creating a desire in the heart of those we influence to become like Christ.
An important measure of the Believer’s walk is to influence and equip those around them to model Christ in their own lives. We must strive to see Christlikeness in others and assist in that process.
This week, we shift our focus from personal spiritual growth to the reproduction of Christlikeness in others.
Ephesians 4:11-13
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
There is some fun stuff in there, especially lots of commas and a really long sentence. But we don’t have time to get into that today.
Once you get past that, we see that God is a God of order and not chaos when it comes to how the “Church operates” as the Body.
I love that it starts with “And he gave”
Christ Gave what?
He gave People to his church. People with the specific gifts needed to equip the Saints to grow His Church. Isn’t that cool? The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers are all gifts to Christ's saints and carry a specific role or position among the body.
What can we learn from this passage of Scripture?
Jesus gives gifts to church leaders for the specific purpose and role of equipping the saints, the saints then serve through works of the ministry, the body is then built up through this whole process.
The goal of leaders is to equip the believers so that they can carry on the ministry so that the ministry grows.
The ministry positions will be needed until we reach the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Let’s now look at another complimentary set of verses that speak to our main focus today which is the reproduction of Christlikeness in others.
1 Corinthians 12: 1-30
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
What can we learn from this passage of Scripture?
Paul gets straight to an important topic here.
Non-believers (referred to as pagans) are easily led into worship of mute and powerless idols by any variety of ways (habits, impulse, emotion, etc.…). They are being led by a different spirit.
Those that are led by the Holy Spirit look will never curse Jesus.
Those that are not led by the Spirit cannot say Jesus is Lord.
How one speaks about Jesus reveals the Spirit/spirit by which they are led by…
There are a large variety of gifts, and ways to serve God and others but they are all sourced from the same place. The scripture says the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the Same God… sound like the Trinity to you? It does to me.
Gifts are given for the common good and reveal the sovereignty of God.
One Body - God has designed the church/body of Christ to have no divisions among the members – that everyone should have the same care of others, what happens to one, is experienced by all.
Within the One Body are individual members with specific gifts that all work to build up the church and prepare for the Kingdom of God. Paul seems to rank these gifts, but not for hierarchy or status – they are of importance because of the order. Without the first ones listed (apostles, prophets, teachers) to establish and teach, the other gifts will lack an eternal purpose. The other gifts are those that carry out the ministry, building and encouraging and reaching out to others.
The big takeaway is YOU HAVE A ROLE IN THE CHURCH. There is not a believer in this entire world that God doesn’t have some work planned for and that doesn’t have the proper means/gift to accomplish this work. There are not supposed to be some sitters and some servers. There are not supposed to be some hearers and some speakers, some watchers and some doers. EVERYONE has a role.
Your role is essential and ordained by God. You must be content in your role, whatever it is, and not be jealous of others. You must be willing to fulfill your God-given responsibility without shrinking it in favor of something He didn’t give to you to do. If you don’t know what God you would have to do, start serving and volunteering and finding out. You must be humble and not seek glory for whatever God has given you to do.
Paul tells us to desire the higher gifts – again not because of status or perceived value, but because those are the gifts that expand the kingdom of God.
If you have a more visible role than others, you must not ever look down on them or get puffed up. We are all in the same boat and we are all there because of God’s grace, not because of our skills.
If you have a more visible role, spend time caring for and showing our love to those who are not as visible, while letting them know we appreciate all that they do.
Paul ends this chapter on spiritual gifts, with an exhortation that the gifts are not the end goal of following Jesus – there is a more excellent way he will show: Spoiler alert It’s Love…
CONCLUSION:
When we choose to commit our lives to Jesus and follow him, we are joined with all other believers for one common purpose – to further the Kingdom of God. We have been given gifts to build up the body of Christ. As we grow in our own faith, wisdom, and knowledge we continue to use those gifts for the good of others, not ourselves. In modeling this, we are showing others how to do the same. We want to be contagious.
Think of a motivational speaker. Their confidence and energy is often contagious. How about a baby or young child who starts to belly laugh? Now that’s 100% contagious. Who can witness that and not start laughing?
Being a contagious Christian means spreading the love for the gospel and Jesus through our lives and interactions with others. It involves sharing our faith authentically and influencing others to fall in love with Jesus.
You have a gift, you have a role, how will you use it?
Thoughts/Questions To Consider:
What are examples of how these gifts are used in the church?
How can I use my gifts or find my place or my role to use those gifts?
What are some examples of people or characteristics that make you want to emulate them?
Today’s Scriptures:
Ephesians 4:11-13
1 Corinthians 12: 1-30