6 Ways to Look More Like Jesus
Who do we look like? Were we the spitting image of our mother or father at birth, as a child, or now?
Maybe there’s a resemblance to both our parents or not to either one. Perhaps people tell us we look like someone else.
As a twin, my sister is always someone I resemble.
Besides physical attributes, there’s another way we resemble someone—in character.
To look more and more like Jesus is one of the most important aspects of Christianity. But if we miss this, we miss the purest meaning for CHRISTian.
Yet, how do Christians look like Christ? After our spiritual birth, is there a way to really grow to resemble Jesus?
In Matthew 6, Christ seizes an opportunity to teach His disciples and listeners how to pray. While the prayer, line-by-line, is beautiful and powerful. There’s other discoveries in the text.
It showcases who God is. And we uncover the mission of Jesus. Still further, it reveals how to look more like Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10 #blog Share on X6 Ways to Look More Like Jesus:
1.) Jesus recognized His Father’s holiness.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Hallowed means holy, sacred, and revered (Merriam Webster). Jesus acknowledges, Holy are You, Father, revered is Your name.
Resembling Jesus, we recognize our Father as holy and we revere His name. Voicing it to God in prayer. And voicing it to others—My God is holy, hallowed is His name.
2.) Jesus desired His Father’s Kingdom.
“Your kingdom come.” Jesus spent His life bringing heaven’s kingdom to earth. It’s seen in His words, actions, and disciples. And God’s kingdom is displayed in His peace, grace, love, and mercy.
We may spend years building our kingdom. But it often crumbles.
Looking like Jesus, we desire God’s Kingdom over our own. It’s seen in our words, actions, and in how we disciple others. We display the peace, grace, love, and mercy of Jesus.
To resemble Jesus, we desire God's kingdom over our kingdom and His will over our agenda. #Jesus Share on X3.) Jesus busied himself with His Father’s business.
“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
At only 12-years old, Jesus focused on His Father’s business (Luke 2:29, NKJV). And there are many other accounts where Christ states His purpose was to do the Father’s will.
Resembling Jesus, we busy ourselves with our Father’s business. We pray and seek His will. Instead of our life characterized by mere busyness, we make the business of heaven our life.
4.) Jesus relied on His Father’s provision.
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
As modeled in His life, Jesus asked God to provide—daily. These needs included physical and spiritual nourishment. But Christ never concerned himself with tomorrow’s provision. This reminds us of the manna God provided each day to the Israelites (Exodus 16).
Looking like Jesus, we trust God’s provision for each day. We ask Him and we trust Him for physical and spiritual nourishment.
5.) Jesus extended His Father’s forgiveness.
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Jesus extended forgiveness for sins to a woman marked “sinful” (Luke 7:48). He asked the Father to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34). And Christ died so that our sins were paid for and forgiven.
Resembling Jesus, we freely and liberally forgive others who wrong us. Even those who are repeat offenders.
6.) Jesus combated evil with His Father’s Word.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Jesus overcame temptation with Scripture, “It is written” (Matthew 4:1-11). Christ freed people with evil spirits. He spoke about abstaining from evil. And Jesus said to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
Looking like Jesus, we use God’s Word to overcome temptation. We protect our heart from evil. And we overcome evil with good.
Which of the 6 ways do you desire to resemble Jesus most? Or, what would you add?
To look more and more like Jesus is one of the most important aspects of Christianity. But if we miss this, we miss the purest meaning for CHRISTian. #Christianity Share on XCheck out how my ministry, life vision, and blog is about Jesus.
*All Scripture ESV unless noted.
*Top photo by Bekah Russom on Unsplash.
*Middle photo by María Victoria Heredia Reyes on Unsplash.
*Last photo by Jeremy Vessey on Unsplash.
*Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Debbie Kitterman/#Dare2Hear, Lori Schumaker/#momentsofhope, Jaime Wiebel/#SittingAmongFriends, Crystal Twadell/Fresh Market Friday, Kelly Balarie/Purposeful Faith, Patricia Holbrook/Soaring With Him, Meghan Weyerbacher/TeaandtheWord, Lyli Dunbar/#FaithOnFire & Crystal Storms/Heart Encouragement.
© 2019 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Great blog Karen. I had never thought about how I can look like my heavenly Father. Such great examples of reflecting Him so the world sees Jesus in us.
Thanks, Yvonne. I pray we resemble Jesus more and more as we seek the Father’s kingdom above all else.
Karen, I just love how you’ve taken the Lord’s Prayer and modeled Jesus in it so beautifully. I will never look at that prayer the same way! Yes, we need to look to Jesus, staying focused on His Word, so we can better be His light in this world.
Blessings!
I agree, Martha. Looking to Jesus, focused on His Word…to be light in the darkness! May we grow to look more and more like our blessed Savior.
Of the 6 you list, I think I’m in greatest need of seeing God’s Kingdom. I really want to see God’s will done in several areas of my life and in the lives of those I love. Whether it’s a breakthrough for those who are distant from the Lord or healing for my wife, I am constantly in need and dependent on my Father. I want to see his Kingdom come.
I love the Lord’s prayer for this. Of all the interactions Jesus had with his disciples in the Gospels, this is one of the times he explicitly answers a question. He usually redirects or answers questions with another question. He’s mysterious. But not here. Here he is clear and concise. This is how you pray. I love it!
Chip, I never thought about it, but that’s true. This is one of the times Jesus directly answers and teaches on the issue. Beforehand, He even teaches how NOT to pray…as those with pious hearts who want to be seen by men. So, He really covers every angle.
Desiring God’s Kingdom to come is often hard. I may work for years to build my own kingdom, then it crumbles and I’m left with rubble. May we want God’s Kingdom over our kingdom and His will over our agenda.
So good, Karen. I need growth in all these areas — love how you hone in on the specifics in each part. Your passion for making Christ known is contagious.
Cathy, thanks so much sweet friend. May the Lord help us recognize His holiness, desire His kingdom, busy ourselves with His business, rely on His provision, extend His forgiveness, and partner with Him to combat evil.
Karen, I love how you broke down each aspect of the Lord’s prayer into an application we can remember. I’m so thankful God gave us this prayer so we can learn to be more like Jesus in daily life. In some ways, the prayer seems general, and yet, God uses it to teach us specific applications. Your first point speaks directly to what God is teaching me right now, “Instead of our life characterized by mere busyness, we make the business of heaven our life. ”
I am so good at making myself busy with all kinds of things, whether at home, in the world, or at home writing. Each of these things can be good things, and things God has called me to do. But I can also make them all about me by not consulting Him first with what HE wants me to do each day. Appreciate your thoughts! Thank you!
Yes…we often don’t consult the Lord on our plans, goals, or even daily agenda. 🙂 I relate, Elaine. And like you said, they can be good things, “But I can also make them about me….” Yep, do that too. One of the ways we look like Jesus is remembering when He said, “Follow Me” it isn’t about us (me), it’s about Him. It’s about following Him in the ways He looked like His heavenly Father and following through with those things in the Christian life.
Karen, there’s no better way to model Christ than by implementing His words. Love this break down of the Lord’s prayer.
Powerful!
Blessings, friend <3
Beckie, love your line about implementing the words of Jesus models Him best! Amen! Thanks for your thoughts and comment. “Lord, help us believe your words and implement them and live them out. Amen.”
Karen, I love the way you used the Lord’s Prayer to reveal the ways we can resemble Jesus. I think the one that is most challenging is extending the Father’s forgiveness; especially when one keeps hurting someone. However, I have learned that forgiveness does more than just extend grace to another, it actually frees the hurting person from the bondage of resentment, hatred, and anger. It is such a prison to be in a state of constant hostility toward someone else. Great post and very needed! Thank you!
Marcie, forgiveness is a difficult action to incorporate in our lives when there’s a pattern of injury from the same person(s). And yes, it brings us freedom and releases us from enslavement and imprisonment to the things you mention that only “hurt” us further like resentment and anger. If possible, we can distance ourselves from these kinds of people. But forgiveness is not an option for the Christ-follower. The fact that it’s for our own good helps. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Thank you for dissecting this prayer so uniquely! Karen, you focused on this in a way that truly blessed me! There Christ is, all interwoven through this prayer, an eye opening perspective! Thank you for this great encouragement today!
Glad it blessed you, Melinda. Praise Jesus! Thank you! As you stated about Christ interwoven in this prayer, may that be true of our lives…Jesus interwoven in every aspect to help us resemble Him more and reflect His character.
There are certain people who shine God’s love in their faces, words and actions every day. When I meet these people, I feel a peace. I pray that I will be one of those people, who show God’s love and that others will draw closer to Him through my words and actions.
What a powerful desire and prayer, Melissa. To shine the light of God’s love in a dark world, so that it shows in our face, words, and actions. Then we really do look like Jesus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I love this! As a child who grew up from 3 to 18 with my stepfather, it means SO much to me when someone tells me I look like him. Because I know it can’t possibly be physical. It means that I have spent so much time with him that I have come to resemble him. Let it be the same with us and Jesus! Thank you for the reminder, Karen. Such a wise post.
Stephanie, that’s a wonderful example with your stepfather. May we have Jesus’ eyes to see people through His love and grace. May we have Jesus’ hands to reach out for kingdom purpose. May we have His heart to minister good news to the heart of others. And may we have His feet to walk paths where the Lord asks us to go.
Karen, thanks for drawing our attention back to the Lord’s Prayer. It is such a mighty profound prayer and yet it sometimes becomes so familiar we can disregard its insights and beauty. And yes, keeping our eyes on Jesus, striving to be like him and seeking his kingdom rather than the worldly kingdom helps to keep our focus on him and helps to ensure we grow in our sanctification. Blessings!
Anne, I agree how a passage or Scripture is so familiar we gloss over it with an attitude of “heard it, know it.” The truth and beauty as you point out is often lost in this familiarity. I pray resembling Christ is our desire as God sanctifies us for His glory.
Karen, this was a great post to read. I know that I do need to become more Kingdom focused and less worldly focused. I want to be more like Christ in looking at the eternal side of things instead of the way the world sees it. Thank you so much for sharing this!
It is a Christian worldview, Angela, to focus on eternity and what matters most in this life. Appreciate you sharing and commenting. Blessings as you resemble Jesus more and more.
Karen, what a powerful way of highlighting the beauty and gravity of each part of the model prayer that Jesus taught us. I loved this! May His kingdom come and His will be done in my life, just as it is in heaven. Blessings!
Melissa, you are such a sweet encourager. You always bring so much emotion and enthusiasm for Jesus. I’m grateful for you and blessed by you, my sister. Not only do I love YOUR writing and blog, but I even adore reading your comments. They always bring a smile to my face.
Thankful to know you on this journey as we labor together to bring God’s kingdom to earth!
Karen — this is such a wonderful post.
I loved the way you broke down the prayer-
Del
Thank you, Del. I often wondered if we rush past the Lord’s Prayer in the familiarity of it all. So since I desire to look more and more like Jesus, it made sense to start with how He prayed and taught on prayer. Blessings!
Relying on the Father’s provision is definitely something I need to work on to look more like Christ! I was just praying this morning that I would continue to be grateful for the beautiful apartment my husband and I have as we go into month five of house hunting. God has provided for us each step of the way, and that needs to be my focus and my heart attitude of thanksgiving! Enjoyed being your neighbor on #TeaAndWord today. 🙂
Relying on God’s provision is challenging at times, Emily. Glad for your provision of housing and hope you find the right house in the right time. Just as Jesus prayed, provision for today…and that’s what you have. The house will come the day the Lord deems it so. Thanks for commenting!
Somewhere along the way I picked up the idea that Christian literally means “little Christ,” and that has stuck with me. We will never represent him perfectly, but HIS image, HIS likeness is our goal.
Me too, Michele. I remembered hearing that teaching as well. That’s why this resembling Jesus thing is important to our faith and Christian walk. Amen, His likeness is our goal.
The more unrushed, quiet time I spend with Him, the more I sense His fruit of the Spirit at work …
And that’s when I know that He’s alive and well and active.
Karen, I’m so grateful for that grace gift …
Love this, so well thought out!
Thank you, Danell. May we look more and more like Jesus every day. 🙂
I really love the application points you made to the Lord’s prayer! So true. Reminds me of John 15:5-7 about remaining in the vine of Christ. Blessings!
Hey Valerie, remaining in the vine certainly plays a vital role in us being like Christ. Thank you for commenting!