BECOMING WHO YOU WERE CREATED TO BE - PART 1
As we continue to think about what it takes to “become who you were created to be,” it is important to realize that we are not the first to embark on this journey. Christian history, from the first disciples to modern times are saturated with people who are seeking to truly become who they were created to be. Just this past Sunday, I heard Stephen Manley preach about the fact that being who you were created to be is all about “one thing.” And that “one thing” is Jesus. We are saved by Him. We are sustained by Him. We are called to be like Him. The word we use to describe this is “discipleship.”
Many people are talking about how we can practice more discipleship. There is a constant conversation about Jesus mandate to “Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit. And teaching these disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20). We realize, as the people of God, as the church of God, as the Body of Christ, that we need to follow through on this. But, if we are ever to truly live into this, there are some other things we must explore first.
The first of these is to explore the question, “What is a disciple?” After all, if we are going to be disciples. If we are going to make disciples. It might be important for us to have an idea of what we are attempting to become and to make before we barge off into the fray. Running to-and-fro in order to try and “do something” for God has never brought about anything except frustration and anxiety. Therefore, we must first realize what a disciple is.
A disciple has often been described as a “follower”, someone who is learning from someone else. While this is true, at its basic understanding, it does not encompass the full scope of what Jesus desires when he calls us to become his disciples or to make disciples. Throughout Scripture and history, we find that being a disciple goes beyond simply following someone. It goes beyond learning everything about them, or even learning all their teachings. Being a disciple is following with the intent to become like the other person. Paul tells us that Jesus was the ”firstborn” for everyone that would choose to follow him (Romans 8:29, NIV). The Greek word for firstborn (prototokon) is the word we get our English word “prototype” from.
When we think of prototypes, we tend to think of people like Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, or Bill Gates. People who come up with new ideas and items to help out in life. A prototype is what the inventor creates, to meet a need or to make things easier, in order to test to see if it works. If it works, they mass produce it and try to make a lot of money off of it.
Jesus was God’s prototype to see if a human could actually live the life they were created for, a life of relationship with God. Jesus, so fulfilled the purpose of being human that God has been working diligently to recreate people to be like Jesus. In fact, Paul tells us that God has predestined all who choose to be in relationship with Him to be conformed to the image of Jesus since Jesus was the “firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29). Notice, He doesn’t predestine who will be saved, but He does predestine what will happen to those who choose to receive God’s forgiveness and be saved - we will continually be transformed to become like Jesus. What does this mean? We will talk about that more next week.
However, before we can become who we were created to be, we must make a choice. We have to choose to submit ourselves to God and to His plan and purpose for our lives. We must commit to seek after Jesus, to listen to Jesus, to allow God, through the Holy Spirit, to transform us to become like Jesus. He must become our priority. He must become our purpose. He must become the passion of our lives. Only then, can we get on the right path to becoming who we were created to be.
Have you made Jesus your passion, priority, and purpose? If so, what is God calling you to in order to continue to grow? If not, what is keeping you from doing so? Take some time, this week, to spend some quiet time with God and ask Him how you are doing in this area and what He desires for you. Then commit to letting Him work it in and through you as you continue forward with Him.
- PASTOR TIM GERDES
