Imitator

Children are by far our best examples...for something begins with one generation and continues to be an impact in the following....they learned from their parents, we learned from our parents, our children learn from us an now their children are learning from them. We watch and become imitators. We imatate speech, walks, mannerisms, traditions...looks. Just take a minute and consider how much like you your children are...if yoiu don't have children consider how much you are like one or both of your parents. You just pick things up by watching and living and listening....and soon we incorporate them into our own lives.
Some of them good, some not so good. But who we are and what we are, to some degree, is made up by the choices we have allowed ourselves to adapt to regarding experiences we have had, things that we have heard or events we have witnessed. Who have we chosen either consciously or unconsciously to imitate? What behavior modes? What speech? What values?

We went to a Bible church yesterday in Austin and a student pastor named Timothy Ateek gave a terrific talk on being imitators of Christ. It was taken from the book of John, chapter 4 regarding the story, many of you know it, about the lady at the well in Samaria..but there was some interesting background that I had never heard.

The following are some suggestive senarios about this story:
1) Apparently there were several alternative routes to get to Galilee...and most Jews would go out of their way to circumvent having to go through Samaria... becasue the Samaritans were not on tier same page with what they believed about the bible. They had adopted their own version of bible...and it casued friction among true believers.

2) The Samaritian woman went to get water at Noon becasue she didn't want to hang out with the rest of the group that got their water either early morning or early evening...if she went at noon she would not be noticed...for she had a bad reputation and wherever she lived he reputation would draw complaints..

3) Jesus had an appointment with this woman at the well...she did not know it but Jesus did...and to make that appointment he had to go through Samaria...
That being said there were 7 points made from watching and listening and living as imitators of Christ.

1) Imitators of Christ are intentional....we have to intentionally make an effort to share what we know about Christ..Intentionally focus on someone who doesn't know Christ and "make an appointment" or take advantage of an appointment and gently share what it is we have experienced....through Christ that has made our life better...EX: Christ going through a town that is not necessarily one he would choose just to meet with a woman one on one so that he can make a difference in the life that she is leading

2)Imitators of Christ get uncomfortable for the sake of others comfort...sometimes we have to go to places that we are not familiar with or deal with folks that are very different from us...different background, different places, different ways to communicate...but we have to be willing to change our spot before they are willing to chance theirs..EX: Christ went to her....in her spot....he did not wait or hope for her to come to him.

3) Imitators of Christ do not live in bubbles...this one hit me between the eyes..he used Halloween as an example, and going to "R" rated movies...and how we in our own Christian minds have this opinion that we are to be of judgment of others who are stepping over the line of "what would Jesus do". The point made was that what we do do...is so much more important, as an outsider looks into our lives, than what we don't do. Are we there to tell others about Christ or judge them for their way of life... Ex: Jesus asks for water and then he tells her about living water ....it is not about he water but it is about Christ and who he is and what he can do for her...

He made a comment her that I just loved...."Christ wants to invade our souls"...he wants to be the defibrillator that brings us back to life so that we can have the joy that is available to us. To me that was such a clear picture of what Christ does....when we get to know him , he does bring us back to life...he restores the life within us.He wants us to not run from him but to him. The question is: What direction are we running... from or to God?
A serious consideration....in regards to what we want to do or where we want to go vs what God wants us to do and where does he want us to go.

4) Imitators of Christ are not about the place...but about the person. It is not important that you go to church ..it is important that you know Christ...and worship him wherever you and in whatever you are doing. Ex: It is not about the water and coming to the well..what I (Christ) am telling you about is water that will nourish your soul for a lifetime.

5) Imitators don't just see people for their sin, they develop eyes to see the needs of people becasue of their sin ...seeing the sin initiates judgement and causes us to withdraw to the bubble, where having eyes to "see the need" motivates us to come along side the person who is hurting or dejected or town down and share with them the person of Jesus Christ..and who he is and what he can do.

6) Imitators find satisfaction from helping others find LIFE. Isn't that the essence of the gospel. Helping others to find Christ...and to get to know him.
Ex: Christ made an appointment, met the woman at her spot on her terms....asked for water...bringing a familiar topic to the surface...and then told her of what he knew of her...and her eyes were opened...and she not only came to believe but went to the town and brought others to see him as well.

Jesus tapped into her need....he knew her shame, he knew her despair, he knew her loneliness....we obviously do not have the instincts or knowledge that Christ has....oh but as Christ lives within us he gives us the foresight and the forethought to forge ahead in the lives of those he has put on our path....and to make his name known...and to encourage others to seek HIm.

7) Imitators have a sense of urgency....not one of procrastination. A life that each of us touch could be different beginning today...if only we will allow God to use us as vessels to spread his word. It doesn't matter what the hurt or hangup or habit is within us or within the heart of another who God has allowed to cross our path...God can conquer it all.

It we want to truly imitate Christ...then we must walk with him and study his habits and his words and his ways...and then adopt them into our own lives.,,,just as we have done through our parents and our children have done through us and their children will do through them.

John 4
21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Dear lord, We try so often to imitate things and people who are not worthy standards...help us to be imitators of You....and and reach out to people in need and help them to know who you are and to seek your ways. May you invade my very soul this day and help me to pass along the joy that I receive from you to others who may be hurting.. Amen


Praise God wherever you are or whatever situation he has allowed you to be in...for His glory will shine through.

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