Exodus 33:12-23
John 10:30
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Becoming like Jesus is something that everyone should be, whether or not
they are Christian, but unfortunately, today, even most people who think of
themselves as being Christian are not like Jesus Christ, because they still
live in the corrupt ways of this world with all its pain, suffering, and
death, which is mostly inflicted upon animals.
And becoming like Jesus is also becoming like God, for as Jesus tells us in
John 30:10, “I and the Father are One.”
Here on earth, we should be the peacemaking children of God who live in His
heavenly will and do everything in our power to help free creation from its
present corruption.
When Jesus taught us to pray for God’s heavenly will to be done here on
earth as it is in heaven, He wanted us to really do it, and if we prayed for
it, then we should be living it here on earth, which means that we do not
intentionally cause or inflict any pain, suffering, or death, which
obligates us to be vegans, not only in our diets, but also in our lifestyle,
and if we are living this way, we will also help heal the environment.
Becoming like Jesus also means that we will be filled with unconditional
love, compassion, and empathy, and unconditional empathy allows us to feel
the pain and suffering of the whole of creation, and if we really think
about this, it means that we will also end prejudices, and all social
justice problems, and this would go a long way toward ending the terrorism
and wars that plague us today.
Let’s begin today’s Biblical journey of becoming like Jesus by looking at
Exodus 33:12-23…
12. Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, Thou dost say to me, 'Bring up this
people!' But Thou Thyself hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me.
Moreover, Thou hast said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found
favor in My sight.'
Remember that becoming like Jesus is also like becoming like God, for they
are one and the same.
God had asked Moses to be His emissary here on earth to accomplish an
immense task and Moses didn’t feel comfortable doing it alone, and he really
wanted to have the Lord go with him.
As true Christians today, we have the Holy Spirit with us always, but in
those days the Holy Spirit may have only been given sparingly, and Moses
also seems to have wanted to have God’s presence visible, which doesn’t seem
to be happening today.
13. "Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me
know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight.
Consider too, that this nation is Thy people."
Moses also seemed to be saying that he wanted to become like God in all His
ways, which is the same thing as becoming like Jesus.
14. And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest."
And the Lord agrees.
When the Lord told Moses that He would give him rest, we believe that this
also meant that he would be at peace in doing everything that God wanted him
to do without worrying about anything he was called upon to do.
15. Then he said to Him, "If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead
us up from here.
In other words, Moses wanted the Lord’s presence to be visible for the sake
of the people, for as he says, he knew the Lord was going to lead them up
from there.
16. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and
Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people,
may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the
earth?"
Moses knew that most of the Israelites had very little faith to see the
Lord’s presence to even begin to believe, and that they most likely wouldn’t
see or understand that the Lord was working through Moses.
Today we don’t have the Lord showing His presence visibly, and people need
to believe based upon the works that we do or from the way that we live.
If we are loving, compassionate, and empathetic vegans, people can see that
we are doing no harm to others, humans or animals, and that we are not
harming the environment, even if they won’t admit it to themselves.
17. And the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have
spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name."
We find this response very interesting, not only because the Lord said He
would do as Moses requested, but that perhaps if we are truly living in the
heavenly will of God, and becoming like Jesus, then He is more likely to
respond to our requests.
18. Then Moses said, "I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!"
However, Moses wanted something more; something for himself of which we are
not told, but maybe it was to boost his self-confidence.
19. And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and
will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to
whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show
compassion."
This is another very interesting statement for it doesn’t tell us what
brings the Lord to the point of being gracious or compassionate to someone.
20. But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!"
This tells us that there was still something in Moses’ life that wasn’t
completely holy, for we have all fallen short of the glory of God.
21. Then the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand
there on the rock;
22. and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put
you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed
by.
23. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face
shall not be seen."
NASB
This favor the Lord also grants, with limitations, which to us means that
even if we are becoming like Jesus, we still need a Savior to get into
heaven for here on earth we most likely cannot cleanse ourselves of all the
sins of this corrupt world.
Let’s now jump ahead in the Bible to 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, and see what it
teaches us about becoming like Jesus.
1. Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
They are praying for the blessing of God to be upon the Thessalonians, even
though they believe in Jesus.
We believe that we all need this kind of prayer, because no matter how hard
we work at becoming like Jesus, we always fall a little short of the glory
of God, and need that added boost to keep us from allowing the sins of the
world to creep into our lives.
But becoming like Jesus is still something that we all need to do here on
earth, for we need to at least do this to overcome the sins of the world,
even if it doesn’t make us as perfect as Jesus.
2. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our
prayers;
3. constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and
steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God
and Father,
4. knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
This seems to be very much like the way that the Lord saw Moses, who was
still not fully separated from the corrupt ways of this world.
5. for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in
the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men
we proved to be among you for your sake.
This is what it means to becoming like Jesus, but we believe that most of
us, if not all of us still fall short in having complete empathy for the
whole of creation, such as swatting a pesky mosquito instead of having the
faith to rebuke it.
6. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word
in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
7. so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in
Achaia.
Even though we all fall short of the glory of God, we still need to be born
again believers who live in the heavenly will of God as examples before the
people, so that they might be convicted in their hearts and souls, and
repent and start becoming like Jesus.
8. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in
Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone
forth, so that we have no need to say anything.
This is the way we all should be.
9. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with
you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
We have observed that even most people who call themselves Christians, have
not completely turned away from the idols of this corrupt and violent world,
because, as an example, they still eat the products of violence, pain,
suffering, and death.
10. and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that
is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
NASB
We are still waiting, but we know that God sees the intent of each of our
hearts and souls, but we need to keep being convicted in our own heart and
soul to separate ourselves from every aspect of the corrupt ways of this
world with all its violence, pain, suffering, and death, such as eating
animals or swatting mosquitoes, or allowing ourselves to lose our temper, or
any number of the worldly ways that surround us, and this we believe is all
part of becoming like Jesus.
Amen?
Amen.
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