Perhaps the highest compliment one can be given is that others would follow them and desire to be more like them.
This is the parent – child relationship at it’s finest.
Key Scripture: Ephesians 5:1 ¶ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
The first chapter of Genesis, verse 26, reveals that God created mankind in His image and after His likeness. Why? Evidently God intends for men and women, boys and girls to be like Him. This, by the way, is the Gospel message.
It was, is and always will be God’s desire for us to be like Him in what we think, what we want, what we feel and what we do. This is why God has gone to such great lengths to show Himself to us in ways He hopes we will understand.
In:
John 1 – NKJV – the bible says:
1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Later in the chapter we read:
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Then, a few verses after, we are told why Jesus came to earth as a man … why the Word of God became flesh …
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Jesus, the Living Word of God, was born in the flesh, as man in order to show us the Father. In fact Jesus declared:
John 14:9 … He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
So, in attempt to advance the plan of God for our lives turn with me to a story in the Gospel of John and let’s take a look at Jesus. This event was no doubt recorded to show us the Father so we could see Him closer, know Him better and become more like Him.
John 8 NKJV
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
12 ¶ Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
This passage reveals three eternal facets of God:
1. God is Patient
2. God is Persistent
3. God is Purposeful
The First Eternal Facet of God is Patience
God is Patient
He is a God of peace who gives everyone a chance for surrender.
Patience is where His peace stems from … He is not anxious, worried, fretful or hasty.
We are told that patience is a fruit of the spirit that keeps us anchored in the midst of the storms of life and allows God to act on our behalf.
Scripture references: (Hebrews 10:36; James 1:4; Romans 5:3; Matthew 24:13)
In the story of the adulterous woman who was brought to Jesus, it is to be noted that Jesus was patient. He was not only patient with her but also with her accusers as He waited for them all to leave before rising and patiently and peacefully addressing the woman. He did not get angry, impatiently discourteous, anxious or forceful. Jesus continued this vein of peace as He directed the woman to focus on the future and not the past.
Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Much later in Jesus’ ministry Luke recorded Jesus explaining to His disciples that difficult times would come to the lives of His followers but that they should not lose patience.
How long should we be patient? James wrote:
James 5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.
Patience is a virtue … it is a virtue of God and if we are to imitate Him we must be a patient people.
A Second Eternal Facet of God is Persistence
God is Persistent
He is a God of Commitment, unafraid to promise, to give His Word and do whatever is required to keep it.
God is dependable, if He said it He will do it and if He spoke it, He will make it good. (Numbers 23:19ff)
God is unmoved by things that don’t move the first time.
God chooses a best course and sticks to it unmoved by things that don’t move the first time. (Reference Jesus praying twice for a blind man in Mark 8 & God at Kadesh Barnea)
In John 8:6 Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger … when they did not get the message right away He rose and addressed them and then in:
John 8:8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
… this time He did not get up until all those who were accusing the woman had left. I’d say that Jesus was fairly persistent.
We too are encouraged throughout the word to stand and be steadfast in our commitments, keeping our promises as dependable sons and daughters of God, swearing to our own hurt without change, not being tossed about, riding the daily roller coaster of opinion, drifting in the winds of current trends, moved by the political polls of life.
Be persistent.
Find a course of action you believe in and stick to it.
The Third Eternal Facet of God is Purpose
God is Purposeful
God is a God of Vision and Strategy … He makes plans to succeed. God is proactive not reactive. He is prepared …
God knows where He is going and has calculated His future. He is making things happen not just letting things happen.
We may not be able to control everything but it is certain that we can affect so much with just a little forethought and planning.
John 6 records the feeding of the multitudes with only five barley loaves and two small fish. Verse 6 says that when Jesus asked His disciples where they could buy bread for so many people, He was only asking them to stretch them. Jesus already had a plan …
John 6:6b … for He Himself knew what He would do.
It is without question that Jesus did what He did in John 8 on purpose. He had a plan, a strategy, a vision, a purpose to writing on the ground, asking the pointed questions, lowering Himself beneath the woman who was standing in front of her accusers, allowing conviction instead of condemnation to move hearts and change hearts and minds …
What was His purpose? To give this woman a future He could be proud of.
That’s the purpose of God for your life as well.
God wants to give you a future that He can be proud of.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
What is God’s plan for your life? To make you just like Him!
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
1 Corinthians 15:51 We shall not all die but we shall all be changed.
Begin the change today … become more like God … imitate Him …
How?
1. Be Patient
Give God time to work.
2. Be Persistent
Don’t be moved when things don’t move the first time.
3. Be Purpose Filled
Find and follow God’s plan for your life.
