Imitating Christ

Rebecca Sheridan
Sunday, March 13, 2022
Philippians 3:17-4:1

Last week, I tried to get us thinking about our different roles, titles, and identities – how they might help us in our faith lives, but also that we remain grounded in our most important identity as children of God.  We are children of God, no matter what, and we rest in this promise.  Let’s hang on to that as we continue to think about who we are and who we want to be as Christians.  This week, I want us to think about who are faith role models are.  When you think of someone who really lives out their faith, or someone who helped you learn and grow as a Christian, who comes to mind?  We might think of Sunday School or school teachers, pastors, family members, close friends, or even famous people like Billy Graham.  Our focus for Lent this year is on transformation – positive life change that allows us to become more Christ-like.  We need examples of what to do or how to live to give us an idea of what it means when we talk about becoming “Christlike” or “imitating Christ.”  AND, here’s a slightly intimidating thought: we can be examples or faith role models for others, too.  How are we both following the example of others we admire, and striving to be examples for others?
    We have at least three examples of faith leaders in scripture we could look to for inspiration in our readings for today.  Father Abraham, in Genesis, who even as an old man had patience and faith that God would give him the land and descendants he had been promised.  When everything seems hopeless, Abraham does not give up hope in God.  Abraham’s example helps us place hope in God even when a situation seems hopeless.  Jesus, of course, is a faith role model who in our gospel doesn’t shy away from conflict with the Pharisees or with King Herod but rather stays committed to doing the will of God, which is to go to Jerusalem and die on the cross.  We’ll talk more about Jesus in a little bit.  And then, we have this snippet that I’d like to unpack a bit for us today from Paul to the Christians in Philippi in our second reading.  Paul, probably THE most effective Christian evangelist, an apostle, is a faith role model who inspires us to live like Christ.
    In chapter 3 of Philippians, Paul asks us as the church to join in imitating him, which sounds a bit egotistical, doesn’t it?!  Imagine me starting out my Easter letter to you all, “Christ is risen!  Now, here’s some advice: try to be more like me.”  But in Paul’s day, the concept of imitation was a widely practiced teaching technique.  Still today, of course, we use imitation to teach people how to dance, to swim, to play a sport, or to play an instrument.  Babies learn to walk and talk and do almost everything else by imitating others all the time!  The teacher demonstrates, and then we try doing it like the teacher does.  In this way, perhaps, imitating our faith role models isn’t being egotistical, but just is a practical way we learn from others. 
“Observe those who live according to the example you have in us,” Paul goes on to say.  Watch and learn, in other words, from those who are striving to live Christ-like lives!  What do they do? How do they behave?  What sustains their faith and how do they talk about their faith?  How do they encourage you to be you and be your best, rather than meet some unreachable higher standard?  Because here’s the thing, Paul isn’t perfect. Remember, he was a Pharisee who persecuted Christians.  He is open to being transformed himself, and his letters include his story of powerful transformation to his commitment to following Christ.
I’d encourage you this week to go back and read the whole letter of Philippians.  It is not long, just four chapters.  With the bigger picture of Paul’s message in mind from the whole letter of Philippians, we can see that imitating Paul’s example, or Timothy or Epaphroditus as Christian leaders Paul mentions in this book, is connected to imitating Christ himself and following Christ’s example.  And this is what Christ does – he is obedient to God, he is humble, and he is not selfish but rather empties himself on the cross to save others.  Jesus doesn’t let earthly worries dominate but rather looks toward his Father in heaven and doing the will of God.  Jesus seeks to serve others, to bring healing to those in need, to speak words of good news and hope, which includes the promises of resurrection and heaven.
Of course, we may be hesitant to call ourselves examples of Christian living because it seems too egotistical, but it also seems intimidating to try to live like Jesus.  We aren’t Jesus, and thankfully the cross reminds us we don’t have to be Jesus, either.  We can’t walk on water.  We can’t raise people from the dead.  We can’t turn water into wine. We are often reminded that our efforts to live like Christ are a pale imitation of the real thing.  Rather, Paul’s point is that we turn from living for ourselves and existing for ourselves and instead partner with Jesus in God’s mission.  We ask the Holy Spirit to help us turn away from our god being the belly, our minds set on earthly things (as Paul puts it) and instead turn our attention to serving Christ and living like Christ.  
Jesus “will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory,” Paul goes on to say.  That’s a mouthful!  But here we have our focus word, “transform.”  Jesus will change us, Paul assures us.  Jesus will change us from focusing on what’s right in front of us and worrying about ourselves in a self-centered way to focusing on the glory of God in Christ Jesus.  Jesus helps us not wring our hands about earthly things we can’t change and instead rejoice in the promise that our citizenship is in heaven.  Jesus is our Savior and Lord.  
There was a powerful example of a Christian role model in the news this week as we continue to be horrified from all that is happening in Ukraine.  A 43-year-old mother and her two children, 18 and 9, were killed by mortar shells trying to evacuate from Irpin to Kyiv.  The photograph of lifeless bodies alongside the girl’s opened suitcase went viral.  There was another man killed along with them who was at first thought to be the husband, then a family friend.  Then it was discovered that 26-year-old Anatoly Berezhnyi, was a church volunteer from the Irpin Bible Church who had safely evacuated his family but had returned to help others.  We don’t know how well if at all Anatoly knew this family, but certainly he was striving to follow Paul’s and Christ’s example, emptying himself for the sake of others, courageously risking death to help save others.
Thankfully, the transformation the Holy Spirit works not just in individual Christians, but for the church.  Remember, one of Paul’s central descriptions of the church is “the body of Christ.”  The church is the body of Christ.  We are not just another institution with a constitution and bylaws, a governing board and committees who are trying to keep this building or even our organization operational.  The church does not exist to serve itself and the “in club” of its members.  Rather, the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit seeks to transform or change the church into a community of believers that reflects God’s glory and imitates Christ so that more and more people want to follow our example and be a part of God’s mission.
The good news is this means we are not alone!  We are not alone as individual Christians in our efforts to pray for peace around the world, especially in places like Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.  We are not alone in financially supporting ministries and missions that seek to bring healing and the good news of salvation in Christ right here in Syosset and across the globe.  We have a community of faith, a support system in the body of Christ to help us grow spiritually in prayer, worship, generosity, service, and sharing our faith.  Being imitators of Christ does not rest on any one of our shoulders alone, but rather it is a group effort.  “Therefore, my brothers and sisters…my joy and crown, “stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.”  Amen.