Imitate Me: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:00 We’re going to talk about fathers this morning of course and uh last week we had during our communion time there was a great scripture brought up and it’s excellent it talks about. Imitate he brought up imitate imitate how Paul said imitate. Me and uh here’s a few pictures here you have a daughter imitating her mother and you have a child imitating his father and if you spend time along if you spend enough time with a father and their child you might begin to notice that the child imitates the father if you spend time with my sisters and I and you spend time with my dad and my mom you’ll see that we do a lot of similar things Stephanie and Christina they will close their eyes like this when they talk to you and that’s okay but we learn that from our parents parents some things you pick up and uh and we want to talk about this that this morning how important it is and 1 Corinthians 4:1.

▶ 1:13 15 Paul writes and he says for though you might have 10,000 instructors in Christ you do not have many. Fathers and that is so true in our nation today we have a real problem so first here Paul is saying that a father is hard to come by and I’m going to complete the verse in a minute but I just want to go over a few statistics you do not have many fathers he says and that’s in the church world it’s same in America 20 million children live in a fatherless home and I’ve quoted these statistics before but we got to make sure I want to make sure we get it in us 71% of dropouts come from a fatherless home 71% of teenage pregnancies come the the children the children that are doing these things come from a fatherless home 90% of homeless and runaway children come from a fatherless home 85% of youth in prison come from a fatherless home and 85% of children with behavior disorders come from a fatherless home if it’s so important fathers are so important and I’m not just talking about fathers that have children I’m talking about fathers that will take the time to love their kids and discipline

▶ 2:44 their kids that’s the thing about God he’s always balanced he’s got mercy and he’s got uh judgment he’s got both things going on and it says in the scriptures in Proverbs God loves whom he corrects whoever he loves he will. Correct and we know that and it’s and we need that in America we need. Dads hanging in there doing their best when things are very difficult when it’s hard being a dad when it’s hard being a husband whatever it is we’ve got to you may have to suffer a little bit but it’s for the sake of your children and here here’s the verse again 1 Corinthians 4:15 he says you do not have many fathers for I for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel and we know that Paul wasn’t married we know that Paul didn’t have children he didn’t have any kids and what he’s saying is that he is a father and he’s a father a spiritual father somebody that had spiritual children people accepted Christ and started to follow Christ because of his involvement in their life and therefore I urge you imitate.

▶ 4:11 Me and a and after that he says imitate me as I imitate and follow Christ we just don’t go around imitating. People some aren’t worth. Imitating we imitate people that are imitating Christ it’s great to be around somebody on earth that you can see everyday life you can look at their life you can follow what they do you can spend some time with them and you can you can start to imitate what they do and the reason why I showed this video is because these two kids came from different parts of the world and if they had grown up in their families they would be imitating and speaking the language and doing everything that their parents are doing but because they grew up in this family’s home you could tell these guys you know they’re americanized okay right they’re speaking the language.

▶ 5:08 They and that’s the kind of influence that a father and a mother have on children doesn’t matter where you’ve come from doesn’t matter what life has thrown you parents can really pick you up and and give you a great life and that’s what these kids are experiencing it’s really. Awesome and they are imitating their parents that they have even though they’re not their biological. Parents now Paul says imitate me and as we have learned in 1 Timothy 1:15 he tells Timothy I am the chief sinner I was the chief sinner I was the worst and as we talked about before in Acts 26:12 Paul was miraculously confronted by Christ God appeared to him a light shed around him and he turned from his sin Paul was the worst sinner and Christ confronted him and Paul turned from his sin.

▶ 6:12 And he was miraculously transformed and we need to experience this Jesus when we repent when we confront when Christ confronts us with the scriptures we have to respond we have to repent there has to be something where he is involved you’ve got to get Jesus involved he’s real he’s alive you can’t just try to do this on your own you got to you’ve got to involve him in the process you know once Paul had his moment where he met Christ he was going after Christ with everything he had in the past God overlooks such ignorance but now he commands all people everywhere to repent doesn’t matter who you are are it doesn’t matter what sins you’re committing it doesn’t matter who you relate to what community what group in America in another country he’s calling everybody doesn’t matter your ideals he’s the creator of all things he’s the creator of all spirits he’s the giver it all came from.

▶ 7:17 Him and he commands all people everywhere he’s not overlooking anyone anymore he commands all people everywhere to repent and Paul is a great example was the worst I bring him up because he was the worst in the worst condition and Jesus turned him around that stuff was out of his life because Paul went after Christ just like Peter Peter had a conversion he jumped out of that boat he said where is Christ I denied him I got to meet with him I got to make this right amen I’ve got to repent I’ve got to show fruit worthy of repentance and he’s not he’s not quoting those scriptures in his head but he has a desire he knows that Jesus is the key and every one of these people’s lives the disciples the apostles Jesus is the key and even though Jesus had died even though Jesus had rose already he was gone it was like he never left that’s how real Christ was to them and that’s how real Christ can be to us and that’s where you will see change where you’re not you’re no longer identifying with some group that is in sin you’re no longer identifying yourself with you are a Christian you’re a follower you’re you’re you’re a new.

▶ 8:42 Creation Galatians 4:19 my little children for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you you see you have fathers that will have children and they’ll just have children and for the rest of their lives that child is by by themselves they have no love they have no discipline maybe they’re there but the father doesn’t do anything to be a father maybe the father just leaves but you see Paul here is saying I not just am getting you to turn from your sin I’m not just getting you to accept Christ I’m actually seeing it through until Christ is formed in. You Paul he labored he worked in the church he did whatever it took he taught he was always trying to convince.

▶ 9:35 People he was trying to get the word in their hearts so that Christ would be formed in them he didn’t just say hey baby there you go you’re out good luck no he raised them and we’re talking about spiritually we’re not talking about naturally and when you talk about spiritual things you got to remember when God looks at you the Bible say says he looks at you he sees neither Jew nor Gentile doesn’t matter what race you are he sees neither male nor female you can be someone that is bearing children having spiritual children and like Paul doing here he is working in people people involved in people until Christ is formed in them male or female it doesn’t matter when God looks at you he’s looking at someone who has a spirit who can influence somebody’s life and he goes on after Paul had his conversion for years he studied the scriptures there was a time when he had to go and study and even during that time he preached the gospel he started churches he led them he wrote these letters to them that we know of he wrote scripture to.

▶ 11:05 Them and Paul we want to imitate Paul Paul gave it all Paul gave it all for the church and for Jesus Christ he preached the message but he also was involved in the church when you come and you’re involved you got to remember Paul he was a tentmaker Paul would do the menial things Paul would do the small stuff when a church couldn’t pay his way he was out making money for himself that is such. Integrity and there was a time where he didn’t have to do that and Jesus or Peter in 1 Peter 2:21 Peter writes because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps so when Christ I’m sorry when Paul writes imitate me we looked at Paul’s example but he says as I follow Christ when Jesus was here he had he lived an example and we are to follow in his footsteps we all know that I know you know that but Jesus is an example we want to look at some of the things that he did amen amen let me hear an amen amen let me hear another amen amen all right I got people falling asleep on me I got to get you back up wake.

▶ 12:35 Up Matthew chapter 3:13 Jesus came to John to be baptized and of course John is saying I need to be baptized by you and you’re coming to me and his response is permit it to be so now for it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness now here Jesus is just getting baptized and a lot of people may look down on that look think that it’s small but Jesus he says this statement it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness the king of glory the king of kings is saying baptism is so important and it really is it’s really important Jesus did it himself and he spoke very highly of it do we follow in that example fathers are you following in that example in Luke 7:30 it says the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves being not baptized of John a lot of people hated John the Pharisees came out to mock John to test John and John would preach to them but they would not be baptized by him they rejected John and it’s important Jesus Christ he went to John and he was baptized by him.

▶ 13:59 Matthew chapter 3 the next verse the heavens were open to him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him we also know that Jesus was filled with the spirit he is the spirit you know everything’s him he says to his disciples I and my father are one Philip asked him a question he said you know when are we going to meet the father and he says you’ve been with me so long and you don’t know that I am the father when you meet when you meet me you’ve met the father we’re the same thing and you see Jesus is the Holy Spirit everything’s in him but they’re separate it’s the godhead all right we’re not going to go into that but it there’s a point where it shows that the spirit of God descended on him and he was filled with the spirit and we got to have fathers we’ve got to have that experience we need to have that experience where the spirit of God comes on us because it’s a lot different when Jesus in his human body did it he already had you know he’s already doing great but us we need that spirit we need the power of God coming in us we need something that comes from the inside out something in our mind that influences us from the inside out and that’s the spirit of God.

▶ 15:20 And a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and this is important here Jesus has not done anything he hasn’t preached the word he hasn’t he’s just getting baptized and he’s walking out of the water and God is stopping what he’s doing he’s stopping heaven and he makes the statement I am well pleased with my son and he makes it known and what was Jesus doing he was living right in him the Bible says was no sin. For 30 years he had no. Sin God was pleased with he wasn’t going out and hurting people he wasn’t going out and molesting children he wasn’t going out and doing all these horrible things that people do today and fathers we want him to say that about us when I go up and I stand before Christ and we’re there we’re being judged at the judgment seat of Christ I want God Jesus the Holy Spirit there.

▶ 16:31 Saying enter in my good and faithful servant that’s all right with me I’ll take good and faithful servant sure you don’t have to say that you’re well pleased I know I got my problems God I’ll take whatever you you. Know just get me in there I want to be with you amen Matthew. 4:1 Jesus was led up by the spirit to be tempted by the Devil and after fasting for for 40 days and nights he was hungry and uh this is where the Devil likes to come in with his suggestions he comes in with his statements he comes in with his lies oh man he’s a liar you know as soon as he start talking he’s a liar and he doesn’t want you to know it’s him he’s just he’s just inserting. Things inserting things you know she is not he they are you sure you want to do this you know if you’re someone that’s fired up for Jesus he wants to get you off on that and if you’re someone.

▶ 17:43 Uh the Devil is out to get you and he’s going to come after you when you’re weak when you’re when you’re down in the dumps and Jesus Christ was hungry after 40 days and 40 nights and here comes the Devil any [unclear] that we have today is being propagated by the Devil it came from the Devil the Devil is good at that stuff he’s good at influencing people’s minds especially those that don’t know Jesus Christ so the Devil tries to tempt Jesus three times how many times before Jesus says hit the road and in every time that the Devil tried to tempt him Jesus what did he do he quoted the Scriptures Jesus many times quoted the Old Testament when they asked him about divorce he said God made the male and female when he asked about this he’s quoting the scriptures he’s quoting the Old Testament he was there when it was written he was there when it was spoken he was the one feeding Isaiah he was the one feeding.

▶ 18:52 Jeremiah and we want to say that the Old Testament is no good the Old Testament is just as good as the new. Testament and Jesus quoted it all the time and he never said to throw it out and he used scriptures from the Old Testament to shut that Devil. Up and it’s so important it’s so imperative that fathers do you know the scriptures do you read the scriptures if you’re somebody that wants to be someone that influences Christians or be a spiritual father you need to know the Scriptures because people need answers you’ve got to read it it doesn’t you know when the pastor comes up it’s not just him knowing the [unclear] we’ve got to know we’ve got to take time we’ve got to read throughout the week and the Bible not only is it information that we need need to know the Bible actually will give you life Jesus said said it’s it’s or or the the disciples and the apostles would say it’s better than my daily food it’s my daily bread we need it and I’ve read it many times and I tell you sometimes it doesn’t feel like food it just feels.

▶ 20:16 Like oh man it’s tough especially when you’re tired that Bible that I’ve started to walk around now I get the Bible out and I start walking around in a circle because my eyes will shut and I’ll start going to sleep why because that’s what the flesh wants to do oh you’re nice and calm oh it’s good to read the Scriptures hey we all face it and you sit there and you say I don’t understand this you’ve got to engage your brain amen you got to get your flesh you got to get that flesh your mind is fleshly you’ve got to rip it out you said get. Awake what is this talking about let me read it five times I’ll tell you I can read 10 pages and I’ll say to myself what did I just read that happens all the time all the time and that’s when I get up and I say okay I got to walk around I got to and I say it I start speaking it and you know I’m in a room at work or something like that and people are probably hearing me like what’s going on over there they open the door and I’m by myself what is wrong with this.

▶ 21:27 Guy but you know you got to you got to come up there’s always a solution. Right if you’re tired you just get up and walk. Amen tangent don’t get me on those. Tangents so the Devil says to him command that these stones be made to bread because you’re hungry command that these stones be made bread and his reply is it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God I remember I had a class and the guy you know it’s like a bad class and they’re teaching all this junk you know it was a speech class and they were teaching me about tolerance and they’re teaching me about uh you know situational ethics and all that stuff I’m like what speech class what is this anyway so he quotes this man shall not live by bread alone and I’m like but by every word of the mouth of God he’s like no and I don’t even remember what the answer was but here I am I’m like I know that that’s that’s a scripture why are you bringing that up and he was bringing up some other point I’m like what what is going on here anyway getting back to the story but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God I just said it the Bible is not just information it will actually give your spirit life and we need that we need life every day being a Christian with all the stuff going on and all the problems it’s

▶ 22:57 hard hard and you need something that will give you life something that will give you joy and peace and that those scriptures. Will and the Devil says to him cast yourself down he brought him up to the pinnacle of the temple big you know shows them all he says cast yourself down he says for it is written you shall not tempt the Lord thy God all these things I will give unto you he tests him again you know the Devil here he is lying again you know first two he’s saying to do something to Jesus now he’s telling a story you know he shows them all the kingdoms of all the world and and he says to Jesus I’ll give you all these things all these things I will give unto you if you fall down and worship me so here we go the Devil is up to his old tricks he’s lying he doesn’t own anything he doesn’t have.

▶ 23:50 Anything he got nothing all he has is lies he’s the father of lies he’s got a whole bunch of lies he owns lies that’s what he owns. And Jesus said to him for it is written what for it is written in the book thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and he knew the scriptures Jesus would read the scriptures he understood the Old Testament he he was there when it was written John. 1:1 in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and John 1:14 he clarifies it and he said the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and the only person we know that did that was Jesus Christ he’s the word he’s the one that give you.

▶ 24:46 Life and here he is quoting this stuff and he’s an example of what we should do he didn’t have to quote that stuff he could have just slapped the Devil around and said get out of here but he does it so that we see the example when the Devil comes around when the lies come around the word is the standard and right now the church has a real hard time with the scriptures we have a real hard time in trusting that Jesus knew what he was talking. About we have a hard time. Trusting the word of God if you love Jesus you love the Bible because he is the word he’s the same person I love Jesus if you’re not reading the book you’re not loving a part of God love for Jesus will drive you to reading the word of God Luke 14 sorry Luke 4:1.

▶ 25:46 16 we need to imitate him when it comes to the church as his custom was as his custom was as his his tradition as what he did all the time time his custom the the things that you. Do he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read where did he go he went to. Church and we’ve got to go to church that’s why we go to church cu Jesus is our example there’s something important at the church if you love Jesus you love his people that’s where the body of Christ it all makes. Sense we’ve got to come. Together we are the body of Christ if you want to be a father are you being faithful no matter who you are whether you’re male male or female Jew or Gentile doesn’t matter who you are are you being faithful to the house of God to the work that needs to be done to the small things hey you know Paul if he were here he’d be vacuuming this place and then he slapped me around and say what are you doing.

▶ 27:06 Amen what are our customs some of us we have customs we got we have to watch a certain thing or we have to go to a certain place maybe you’re a weekend warrior and you’ve got to go and you’ve got to go to the lake to the to the desert to drive something to you know you got to shoot what are our customs you know when I think about I have I’d have a lot of time if I weren’t here to do a lot of stuff I mean you really can fill your time. Up you know I could it’s all about choice what do you choose to do you can sit and say I don’t have time to go to church it’s I’m too. Busy well where is God in your priority. List where is this house in your priority list yeah we’re all busy but you know with with the word priorities you go after the priorities you know if my child is hanging off the ledge and I go and uh you know do the dishes you’re missing your priorities.

▶ 28:17 You’re missing the priority the priority is that child and the priority as a human being as a Christian is God’s house he has that so important it is so important in his eyes the church Psalms 92:13 those that be planted you’ve got to remember just because he wants you to go to church doesn’t mean that there’s not something in it for you and we like that there’s something in it for us those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of their God and when you hear that scripture you know you you imagine a plant you know growing up really high flourishing when and you think what does it have to do with. Me well you’re a tree you need to grow you need to bear fruit you need to bear fruit the fruits of the spirit love joy peace longsuffering self-control you got to have these things so when you go to the house when you’re planting the house you’re going to grow it’s key to your christianity it’s key to your relationship with Jesus.

▶ 29:30 Christ and Jesus Christ is our example fathers are you being an example are you being an example to your children fathers spiritual fathers that want to be an example to other people the Pauls of the world that don’t have kids are you being an example John 2:15 he drove them all out of the temple with the sheep and oxen and poured out the changers’ of money and overturned the tables. Whoa one thing remains your love never fails never gives up you know sometimes love looks like. This Jesus Christ he said to those who sold doves take these things away do not make my father’s house a house of merchandise.

▶ 30:28 And the Pharisees and the Jews came up to him and said what sign do you show to us since you do these things what right have you to do this and the disciples remembered the scripture it says it says in the New Testament they remember the scripture zeal for your house has consumed me do we have any zeal for God’s house when somebody tries to come in and make the church something that is not supposed to be some place of where you’re selling and making money and we’re making hand over fist and we’re bringing people in with a a certain kind of message because we want to make money because I want to become a millionaire hey Lara I want to live in that house you know a million dollar house so what can we do here to just make the dough you know we’re fine where we’re. At fathers will stand fathers will stand and say no you’re not going to do this.

▶ 31:32 Here and you can be a male or female doesn’t matter I’ve seen women say get out of here you know we were at the playground and somebody was touching messing with Brooklyn being mean to her I said you better get out of here right now and I got him out of there and I it was was in a play place and I had to go up into some you know the little play area I had to go in the little tubes I don’t care don’t mess with my daughter. Please and I wasn’t nice about it and I’ve already asked for forgiveness for Jesus okay. But we’re moving. Forward sometimes you just you got to say no you know if somebody comes in here.

▶ 32:27 And you guys know if somebody comes in here and they want to make this church about selling stuff about making money and they want to turn it into uh a business where we are just you know wrongfully obviously we’re doing stuff wrong we got to say no you can’t let people walk all over you there he is he’s. Smiling right he’s smiling as he’s overturning the tables. Saying get out of here and those guys are trying to make money off of God’s house also says in Matthew 21 this happened twice you guys know that in John chapter 2 it happened and that was when Jesus was starting off and it also happened near the end when uh they they got all the palm trees and everything and they were waving around saying hosanna hosanna to the son of David he was coming in and he was about to be uh crucified and they said.

▶ 33:28 And they were doing it again so he he got rid of them the first time and they came. Back they were doing it again and he says it is written my house shall be called the house of prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves you know Jesus is showing us the example they’re still doing it today in churches but he’s showing us an example we have a responsibility and some of us we want to we want to be too much in this area always standing and kicking people overturning the tables say what are we doing in here there’s a balance but we’ve got to stand you know I grew up trying to be a nice person and uh a lot of people have worked hard to get that out of me to not be so nice I’m just kidding Matthew.

▶ 34:25 26:39 oh my father if it is possible let this cup pass from me now here Jesus is he’s about to be killed and crucified and he knows what’s going to happen why because he can hear their thoughts he knows that they want to kill him and he can see into the future and he knows what’s going to happen and here he is he’s trying to deal with these Pharisees he’s trying to get them to turn he’s saying wo to you Pharisees woe to you hypocrites you guys are hypocrites you’re sinners you’re going to hell you need to turn and they’re not. Listening and he can see all this stuff happening he can see what’s coming in the future he can see that he’s going to be crucified he can. See and so he is there in the garden of Gethsemane and he says oh my father if it is possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as you.

▶ 35:24 Will and he went out to his disciples and he found them sleeping and here we go we’re talking about the flesh you see Jesus is talking about having to endure this horrific the most horrific beating torture that any man has ever. Experienced he’s about to his flesh is about to be. Mutilated and he feels the pain you know Jesus even though he’s God he still feels everything and that flesh the flesh doesn’t want to get hurt it’s set up to. Survive when you faint the first thing your body does is. Breathe there’s fail safes in our body and he says watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak and I was talking about that earlier when you’re reading the scriptures when you’re praying you want to fall asleep you want to not do it it takes time it sometimes you have to get up early for a long time oh man I love sleeping.

▶ 36:40 In. But God required something out of me he said get up get your little tushy out of bed the spirit inside you wants to read he wants to study he wants to pray but the flesh is there doing its thing it wants wants to not do it it wants to sit down it wants to relax it wants to take it easy it wants uh not just to be lazy it wants to feel. Good and all you guys we all know we’re very versed in the flesh we are good I am good at. This when you’re responsible for your family you have to overcome your flesh when you have a child when you have a wife you’ve got to overcome what the flesh wants to do when your child wants time you’ve got no matter how you feel no matter where you’re at you’ve got to spend time you got to give them that time that they.

▶ 37:44 Need but remember I’m showing this because he said I was an example he said follow in my footsteps and here Jesus is he is is addressing the flesh and this is where a lot of Christians will spend time overcoming and that’s the flesh it’s not the Devil the Devil suggests he’ll use your flesh he’ll come in when you are down and out hurting uh tired as can be he and he’ll just use whatever opportunity he can and it usually involves the flesh but the flesh you’ve got to overcome the flesh is has desires Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15 but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we were yet without.

▶ 38:36 Sin and not only do we have a flesh on the outside we also have a fleshly mind that wants to do fleshly things and Christ is saying not my will but God’s will not what I want to do but what God wants me to. Do and Jesus is our example he overcame remember the scripture that says be do not fear I have overcome the world I have overcome in Revelations the scriptures say to him who. Overcomes and it gives you all of these wonderful rewards to him who. Overcomes which implies that we as Christians have to do do something we have to be involved we can’t you can’t just accept Christ that is part of the process but you’ve got to head and repent and keep.

▶ 39:40 Progressing you’ve got to. Overcome you got to overcome the flesh you got to overcome Satan and his suggestions but you got to overcome the flesh Matthew 20:28 just as the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many and I’m bringing up this scripture because you have kings you have uh people in great authority in our world where they are being served they have servants they have people under them and Jesus has people under him too but he came into the world and he was born in a manger with animals he was humble. And he came and he. Served such a big contrast to the world.

▶ 40:37 And pastors are making tons of money they have all the money in the world to get stuff done and here Jesus is he is serving us and the Bible says he says the greatest in the kingdom is a servant of all. Amen and fathers this statement right here to give his life a ransom for many if you’re a natural father and you have children if you’re. Married are you giving up your desires are you giving up everything that you want to do you know not that you can’t do anything and have no fun you know but when you’re more focused on what you want to do what you want to watch what everything is all about you you got a problem cuz that’s not the way Jesus. Behaved Jesus our example gave up his life he gave his life a ransom for. Many.