JUST LIKE JESUS PART 2 (MAX LUCADO)

SEVEN: GOLF GAMES AND CELERY
(A FOCUSED HEART) 
1. Life is tough enough as it is. It’s even tougher when we’re headed in the wrong direction. One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on target. His life never got off track. Not once do we find Him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative assistants or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to do. He kept His life on course.

Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it from Jesus Himself. “The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them” (Luke 19:10). “The Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many people” (Mark 10:45).

The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one task. The day He left the carpentry  shop of Nazareth He had one ultimate aim—the cross of Calvary. He was so focused that His final words were, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Wouldn’t you love to be able to say the same? Wouldn’t you love to look back on your life and know you had done what you were called to do?

2. God wants us to be just like Jesus and have focused hearts. How do I select the right flag and stay on target? The one who designed our course left us directions. By answering four simple questions, we can be more like Jesus; we can stay on course with our lives:
• Am I Fitting into God’s Plan?
Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we  love God and are fitting into His plans” (TLB). God’s plan is to save His children. “He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants all to turn away from their sins” (2 Pet. 3:9 TEV). If God’s goal is the salvation of the world, then my goal should be the same. Regardless of what you don’t know about your future, one thing is certain: you are intended to contribute to the good plan of God, to tell others about the God who loves them and longs to bring them home.
• What Are My Longings? 
Your heart is crucial. Psalm 37:4 says, “Enjoy serving the Lord, and He will give you what you want”. When we submit to God’s plans, we can trust our desires. Our assignment is found at the intersection of God’s plan and our pleasures. What do you love to do? What brings you joy? What gives you a sense of satisfaction? The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passions to turn your life. God is too gracious to ask you to do something you hate. Be careful, however. Don’t consider your desires without considering your skills.
• What Are My Abilities?
Be aware of your strengths. When you teach, do people listen? When you lead, do people follow? When you administer, do things improve? Where are you most productive? Identify your strengths, and then—this is important—major in them.
• Am I Serving God Now?
Want to bring focus to your life? Do what Jesus did. Go home, love your family, and take care of business. Your first mission field is under your roof. What makes you think they’ll believe you overseas if they don’t believe you across the hall? Be a good employee. Show up on time with a good attitude. Don’t complain or grumble, but “work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people” (Col. 3:23).
3. Pretty simple PLAN, don’t you think? It’s even easy to remember. Perhaps youcaught the acrostic:
Am I fitting into God’s Plan?
What are my Longings?
What are my Abilities?
Am I serving God Now?
Why don’t you take a few moments and evaluate your direction? Ask yourself the four questions. You may find that you are doing what I did: hitting some good shots but in the wrong direction. God allows you to start fresh at any point in life. “From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires” (1 Pet. 4:2 TEV).

God will give you a fresh scorecard. Regardless of what has controlled you in the past, it’s never too late to get your life on course and be a part of God’s P.L.A.N.

EIGHT: NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
(AN HONEST HEART) 

"So from now on, there must be no more lies. Speak the truth to one another" (Ephesians 4:25 TJB).

1. The Christian, too, is a witness. We, too, make a pledge. Like the witness in court, we are called to tell the truth. The bench may be absent and the judge unseen, but the Bible is present, the watching world is the jury, and we are the primary witnesses. We are subpoenaed by no less than Jesus Himself: “You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world” (Acts 1:8).
2. Our Master has a strict honor code. From Genesis to Revelation, the theme is the same: God loves the truth and hates deceit. In 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 Paul lists the type of people who will not inherit the kingdom of God. The covey he portrays is a ragged assortment of those who sin sexually, worship idols, take part in adultery, sell their bodies, get drunk, rob people, and—there it is—lie about others.
“The Lord hates those who tell lies but is pleased with those who keep their promises” (Prov. 12:22).
“The Lord hates … a lying tongue” (Prov. 6:16–17).
God “destroys liars … [and] hates those who kill and trick others” (Ps. 5:6).
3. Why? Why the hard line? Why the tough stance? For one reason: dishonesty is absolutely contrary to the character of God. According to Hebrews 6:18, it is impossible for God to lie. It’s not that God will not lie or that He has chosen not to lie—He cannot lie. For God to lie is for a dog to fly and a bird to bark. It simply cannot happen. The Book of Titus echoes the same three words as the Book of Hebrews: “God cannot lie” (Titus 1:2)
God always speaks truth. When He makes a covenant, He keeps it. When He makes a statement, He means it. And when He proclaims the truth, we can believe it. What He says is true. Even “if we are not faithful, [God] will still be faithful, because He cannot be false to Himself” (2 Tim. 2:13).
4. Perhaps the most tragic death that occurs from deceit is our witness. The court won’t listen to the testimony of a perjured witness. Neither will the world. Do we think our coworkers will believe our words about Christ when they can’t even believe our words about how we handled our expense account? Even more significantly, do we think God will use us as a witness if we won’t tell the truth?

God says if we are faithful with the small things, He’ll trust us with the greater things (Matt. 25:21). Can He trust you with the small things?

5. Examine your heart. Ask yourself some tough questions. Am I being completely honest with my spouse and children? Are my relationships marked by candor? What about my work or school environment? Am I honest in my dealings? Am I a trustworthy student? An honest taxpayer? A reliable witness at work? Do you tell the truth … always? If not, start today. Don’t wait until tomorrow. The ripple of today’s lie is tomorrow’s wave and next year’s flood. Start today. Be just like Jesus. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

NINE: THE GREENHOUSE OF THE MIND

(A PURE HEART) 

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith" (1 Peter 5:8–9 NIV).

1. If the heart is a greenhouse and our thoughts are seeds, shouldn’t we be careful about what we sow? Shouldn’t we be selective about the seeds we allow to come into the greenhouse? Shouldn’t there be a sentry at the door? Isn’t guarding the heart a strategic task? According to the Bible it is: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Prov. 4:23 NIV). Or as another translation reads: “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life”.

2. Jesus guarded His heart. If He did, shouldn’t we do the same? Most certainly! “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” (Prov. 4:23). Jesus wants your heart to be fertile and fruitful. He wants you to have a heart like His. That is God’s goal for you. He wants you to “think and act like Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). But how? The answer is surprisingly simple. We can be transformed if we make one decision: I will submit my thoughts to the authority of Jesus.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matt. 28:18 NIV). Jesus claims to be the CEO of heaven and earth. He has the ultimate say on everything, especially our thoughts.

3. As a Christian, you aren’t your average person. You are led by the Spirit. So rather than let the thought in, you take it captive. You handcuff it and march it down the street to the courthouse where you present the thought before the judgment seat of Christ. “Jesus, this thought says I’m a bum and a loser and that I’ll never amount to anything. What do you think?” See what you are doing? You are submitting the thought to the authority of Jesus. If Jesus agrees with the thought, then let it in. If not, kick it out. In this case Jesus disagrees. How do know if Jesus agrees or disagrees? You open your Bible. What does God think about you? Ephesians 2:10 is a good place to check: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). Or how about Romans 8:1: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (NIV)?

The point is this. Guard the doorway of your heart. Submit your thoughts to the authority of Christ. The more selective you are about seeds, the more delighted you will be with the crop.

TEN: FINDING GOLD IN THE GARBAGE

(A HOPE-FILLED HEART) 

"Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times" (Romans 12:12 TEV).

1. This garbologist finds treasure in trash. Jesus did the same. What everyone else perceived as calamity, He saw as opportunity. And because He saw what others didn’t, He found what others missed. Early in His ministry Jesus said this about our vision: “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar” (Matt. 6:22–23 MSG).

How we look at life determines how we live life. 

2. If you follow the example of Christ, you will learn to see tough times differently. Remember, God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to have a hope-filled heart just like Jesus. Here is what Christ did.

• He found good in the bad

Those who betray us are victims of a fallen world. We needn’t place all the blame on them. Jesus found enough good in the face of Judas to call him friend, and He can help us do the same with those who hurt us.

• He found purpose in the pain

Of the ninety-eight words Jesus spoke at His arrest, thirty refer to the purpose of God. Jesus chose to see His immediate struggle as a necessary part of a greater plan. He viewed the Gethsemane conflict as an important but singular act in the grand manuscript of God’s drama.

That is how Jesus chose to view the storm that came His way: necessary turbulence in the plan of God. Where others saw gray skies, Jesus saw a divine order. His suffering was necessary to fulfill prophecy, and His sacrifice was necessary to fulfill the law.

God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them. God can correct your vision.

3. He asks, “Who gives a person sight?” then answers, “It is I, the Lord” (Exod. 4:11). God let Balaam see the angel and Elisha see the army and Jacob see the ladder and Saul see the Savior. More than one have made the request of the blind man, “Teacher, I want to see” (Mark 10:51). And more than one have walked away with clear vision. Who is to say God won’t do the same for you?

ELEVEN: WHEN HEAVEN CELEBRATES

(A REJOICING HEART) 

"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the  Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord and praise His name; every day tell how He saves us" (Psalm 96:1–2).

"Rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20 NIV).

1. The point is clear. Jesus is happiest when the lost are found. For Him, no moment  compares to the moment of salvation. Let one child consent to be dressed in righteousness and begin the journey home and heaven pours the punch, strings the streamers, and throws the confetti. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner changes his heart and life” (Luke 15:10).

2. Who would imagine that our actions have such an impact on heaven? According to Jesus our decisions have a thermostatic impact on the unseen world. Our actions on the keyboard of earth trigger hammers on the piano strings of heaven. Our obedience pulls the ropes which ring the bells in heaven’s belfries. Let a child call and the ear of the Father inclines. Let a sister weep and tears begin to flow from above. Let a saint die and the gate is opened. And, most important, let a sinner repent, and every other activity ceases, and every heavenly being celebrates.

3. When you arrive and enter the party, something wonderful will happen. A final transformation will occur. You will be just like Jesus. Drink deeply from 1 John 3:2: “We have not yet been shown what we will be in the future. But we know that when Christ comes again, we will be like Him”. Of all the blessings of heaven, one of the greatest will be you! You will be God’s magnum opus, His work of art. The angels will gasp. God’s work will be completed. At last, you will have a heart like His. You will love with a perfect love. You will worship with a radiant face. You’ll hear each word God speaks. Your heart will be pure, your words will be like jewels, your thoughts will be like treasures.

To have a heart like His is to look into the faces of the saved and rejoice! They are just one grave away from being just like Jesus. To have a heart like His is to look into the faces of the lost and pray. For unless they turn, they are one grave away from torment.

4. Ask God to help you have His eternal view of the world. Every person you meet has been given an invitation to dinner. When one says yes, celebrate! And when one acts sluggish, stir him up and urge him to get ready. It’s almost time for the party, and you don’t want him to miss it. 

TWELVE: FINISHING STRONG

(AN ENDURING HEART) 

"Let us run the race that is before us and never give up" (Hebrews 12:1).

1. You know as well as I, it’s one thing to start something. It’s something else entirely to complete it. To be honest, I don’t believe you should finish everything you start. There are certain quests better left undone, some projects wisely abandoned. We can become so obsessed with completion that we become blind to effectiveness. My desire is to encourage you to finish the right thing. Certain races are optional—like washboard abs and speed reading. Other races are essential—like the race of faith. Consider this admonition from the author of Hebrews: “Let us run the race that is before us and never give up” (Heb. 12:1).

2. Jesus’ best work was His final work, and His strongest step was His last step. Our Master is the classic example of one who endured. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that Jesus “held on while wicked people were doing evil things to Him” (v. 3). The Bible says Jesus “held on,” implying that Jesus could have “let go.” The runner could have given up, sat down, gone home. He could have quit the race. But He didn’t. “He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to Him”.

3. He knew heaven before He came to earth. He knew what awaited Him upon His return. And knowing what awaited Him in heaven enabled Him to bear the shame on earth. He “accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before Him” (Heb. 12:2). In His final moments, Jesus focused on the joy God put before Him. He focused on the prize of heaven. By focusing on the prize, He was able not only to finish the race but to finish it strong.

4. Such a moment awaits us. In a world oblivious to power abs and speed reading, we’ll take our place at the table. In an hour that has no end, we will rest. Surrounded by saints and engulfed by Jesus Himself, the work will, indeed, be finished. The final harvest will have been gathered, we will be seated, and Christ will christen the meal with these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23 KJV). And in that moment, the race will have been worth it.

CONCLUSION: FIXING YOUR EYES ON JESUS

"May He enlighten the eyes of your mind so  that you can see what hope His call holds for you, what rich glories He has promised the saints will inherit" (Ephesians 1:18 NIV).

1. There are times when we see. And then there are times when we see. There are times when we observe, and there are times when we memorize. There are times when we notice, and there are times when we study. Most of us know what it means to see a new boat or a new boy… but do we know what it’s like to see Jesus? Do we know what it’s like to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2 NIV)?

2. What does it mean to see Jesus? The shepherds can tell us. For them it wasn’t enough to see the angels. You’d think it would have been. Night sky shattered with light. Stillness erupting with song. Simple shepherds roused from their sleep and raised to their feet by a choir of angels: “Glory to God in the highest!” Never had these men seen such splendor. But it wasn’t enough to see the angels. The shepherds wanted to see the One who sent the angels. Since they wouldn’t be satisfied until they saw Him, you can trace the long line of Jesus-seekers to a person of the pasture who said, “Let’s go…. Let’s see” (Luke 2:15).

3. Not far behind the shepherds was a man named Simeon. Luke tells us Simeon was a good man who served in the temple during the time of Christ’s birth. Luke also tells us, “Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Christ promised by the Lord” (Luke 2:26). This prophecy was fulfilled only a few days after the shepherds saw Jesus. Somehow Simeon knew that the blanketed bundle he saw in Mary’s arms was the Almighty God. And for Simeon, seeing Jesus was enough. Now he was ready to die. Some don’t want to die until they’ve seen the world. Simeon’s dream was not so timid. He didn’t want to die until he had seen the maker of the world. He had to see Jesus. He prayed: “God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation” (Luke 2:29–30 MSG). 

All who sought Him found Him. Long before the words were written, this promise was proven: “God … rewards those who truly want to find Him” (Heb. 11:6).

They were earnest in their search. One translation renders Hebrews 11:6: “God …  rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (NIV).

Another reads: “God rewards those who search for Him” (Phillips).

And another: “God … rewards those who sincerely look for Him” (TLB).

I like the King James translation: “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”.

4. Diligently—what a great word. Be diligent in your search. Be hungry in your quest, relentless in your pilgrimage. Let this book be but one of dozens you read about Jesus and this hour be but one of hundreds in which you seek Him. Step away from the puny pursuits of possessions and positions, and seek your King. Don’t be satisfied with angels. Don’t be content with stars in the sky. Seek Him out as the shepherds did. Long for Him as Simeon did. Worship Him as the wise men did. Do as John and Andrew did: ask for His address. Do as Matthew: invite Jesus into your house. Imitate Zacchaeus. Risk whatever it takes to see Christ.

5. God rewards those who seek Him. Not those who seek doctrine or religion or systems or creeds. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus Himself. And what is the reward? What awaits those who seek Jesus? Nothing short of the heart of Jesus. “And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us,  we become more and more like Him” (2 Cor. 3:18 TLB). Can you think of a greater gift than to be like Jesus? Christ felt no guilt; God wants to banish yours. Jesus had no bad habits; God wants to remove yours. Jesus had no fear of death; God wants you to be fearless. Jesus had kindness for the diseased and mercy for the rebellious and courage for the challenges. God wants you to have the same.

He loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.

JUST LIKE JESUS

MAX LUCADO