Week Two: Living Like Jesus Lived
Welcome to week two of our three-week journey (or week four, or five, or however long it takes you)! Last week, we discovered that being a Christian begins with a choice to accept God’s gift of forgiveness, followed by a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus.
Now, you might be wondering: What does it actually look like to become more like Jesus?
Is it even possible to become more like Jesus?
After all, Jesus is God, the Creator of everything, who has always existed and who never sinned. How could we possibly become like Him? How do you become a concert violinist, pro basketball player, or expert chef? First, you start somewhere. You say yes to a new way of life. Saying yes doesn’t make you a master, but it does make you a learner in the process of becoming something more.
As a learner, you gain knowledge, develop relationships, practice skills, and overcome setbacks. Learners also make mistakes, fall short, and keep moving forward. The word Jesus used for a learner is “disciple.”
When we said yes to Jesus, we said yes to a lifelong process of becoming His disciples.
For the next two weeks, we’re going to explore how to be a disciple of Jesus. First, we’ll learn about some of the habits and mindsets Jesus valued and lived out, also called spiritual practices. Then, we’ll explore how Jesus loved and how we can show the same kinds of sacrificial care to others.
During Jesus’ time on Earth, some people were trying to figure out whether Jesus was really God’s Son. They asked Him, “What’s the greatest command of God?” He responded:
“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” — Matthew 22:37-40 NLT
Jesus summed up all of God’s words to us as: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Becoming the kind of person who loves God and loves your neighbors is a process that will take your whole life.
Every disciple experiences setbacks and failures. If you’re like the rest of us, you may have experienced some of those setbacks already. You might have returned to a bad habit, used hurtful words, or failed in the past week. When we fall short, we don’t need to hide or run from God or others. His forgiving kindness is always available to help you continue becoming more like Jesus.
Pray with your own words, or try these:
God, You see the mistakes I make. Thank You for forgiving me and guiding me as I become more like Jesus. Holy Spirit, will You help me see one step I can take to grow in love for You, myself, and others today? In Jesus’ name, amen.