Imitators

"You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord..." Thessalonians 1:4b-5a

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. We actually don't have much of a high regard for imitation. It reeks of not being the real thing, or of being inauthentic. Paul says in another verse that we should imitate him as He imitates Christ. He would also say not to imitate him if he wasn't imitating Christ.

I picture it like this. In the early church, people didn't know how to act. How to be with each other or how to treat each other. They didn't know how to talk or how to be Christian. Not like there is some special language or secret code of what Christians do or say. The early church leaders modeled Christian behavior, attitudes and ways. They didn't make it up, they just started being like Jesus.

We have much to learn from this. Cultural practices and societal values have a way of greatly influencing Christian ways. We tend to adapt to a fault. We become like the world instead of like the Word. We are so afraid not to include everything from everybody that we become a hodgepodge of a bunch of stuff that can be pretty unchristian.

I can hear the arguments already. Are you saying Pastor that Christianity should not adapt to culture? Are you saying that Christianity cannot be reflected in any culture? First of all, please know that I am not promoting any type of Western or American Christianity. As a matter of fact I think I see Biblical Christianity often better reflected in other non-western and non-American cultures and societies. I frankly think all culture and society ought to be subordinate to the character of Christ Himself. Maybe then we wouldn't add so much 'churchy' stuff that isn't reflective of Christ's values.

So what do we do? Throw ought everything? Start over? No, but we should try to conform the practices of the church and how we talk and act and be Christian to the teachings of Christ and His attitude. I don't think any of us can go wrong if we imitate Jesus. Not in some phony unreal way. Not in some pious misrepresentation of who He is. But how He is. That is how Paul and the others acted when they lived with the Thessalonians. They were being like Jesus and therefore could be imitated. If you don't want people to imitate you, you might ask why? When I was preaching one of my first sermons, I was standing behind a pulpit that had a plaque on it that simply said...."Sir, we would see Jesus." Really convicted me. Convicts me today. Imitate me as I am convicted by that.

In Him,
Pastor Fred

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