The Path, Pattern, and Picture of being like Christ

Psalm 1:1-6

God made man in his image and likeness, “And God said, let us make man in our image after our likeness…” (Gen. 1:26)

The likeness and image are the moral characteristics of God: to love, to reason, to make moral choices, and to worship God.

Adam and Eve were in a perfect, harmonious fellowship with God until sin marred the image of God in them.

Isa. 59:2 says our sin hath separated us from our God.

Adam and Eve once pleased God according to Gen. 1:31, “And God saw everything that he had made and behold it was very good.”

From the third chapter of Genesis to the Book of Revelation is God’s plan to restore God’s image in mankind.

Gen. 3:15, God promised to send His Son, Jesus, to show us the image of God the Father.

Jesus showed up some two thousand years ago in Bethlehem and lived a perfect life and died a perfect death, defeating Satan, sin, and the grave.

Jesus pleased the Father, for at Jesus’ baptism God spoke from heaven, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many brethren.”

Well, the reason we are to become like Christ is because He is the only one who completely pleases the Father.

The First Psalm gives us the path, the pattern, and the picture of being like Christ.
 
  1. The Path to becoming like Christ- vs.1
  2. The Pattern to becoming like Christ- vs. 2
  3. The Picture of being like Christ- vs. 3

The reason for the image of God being marred in them is because they did not follow the path of obedience.

We can’t do what we want to do and become like Christ.

We can’t go everywhere and do everything and become like Christ. 
 
  1. The path to becoming like Christ-vs.1

“Blessed is the man that walked not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”


Blessed is the Heb. word esher means happy, with a reference to spiritual blessing which encompasses becoming like Christ.
 
  1. There is a certain path that leads to becoming like Christ; you just can’t travel any road.
  • David said he leads me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake.
  1. Jesus says in Matt. 7:13, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go thereat.”
  2. To become like Christ, you've got to be careful where you walk.
  3. The path not to walk to become like Christ.
  • Walk not in the counsel of the ungodly means he does not take the advice of wicked or morally corrupt people
  • Nor standeth in the way of sinners means he does not follow the course of life of the wicked
  • Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, meaning doesn’t take the place of a scoffer or mocker.

To become like Christ is not to follow the path of this world or the ways of this world.
 
  1. The pattern of becoming like Christ- vs. 2

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night”

  1. Loving the word of God makes us like Christ.
  2. But is the contrast of becoming like Christ, compared to one who is not like Christ.
  • Delight is the Heb. word hepes means to find pleasure in
  • Law is the Heb. word Torah means instruction
  • Meditate is the Heb. word haga means to think about
  • LORD is Jehovah, the God of heaven and earth, the one who made everything and sustains everything
  1. Being like Christ requires meditating in the word of God
Because he loves the word of God, he meditates in the word day and night
  • He wakes up in the morning with the word on his mind
  • He goes to bed at night with the word on his mind
  • All through the day, his mind is on the word, and the word is on his mind
The pattern of reading, studying, meditating, and lovingly obeying God’s word is how we become more like Christ!
 
  1. The picture of being like Christ- vs. 3

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth for his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doth shall prosper.”

  1. Being like Christ is to be strong and tall like a tree.
  2. Being like Christ is to be rooted and grounded by rivers of water.
  • Planted by the rivers indicates that all your needs are met.
  • Being like Christ, God supplies all your needs.
  • He is Jehovah Jireh!
  1. Those who are like Christ prosper in the Lord.
  • He brings forth his fruit in his season.
  • His leaf shall not wither.
  • Whatsoever he does shall prosper.

Being like Christ is living the best life in Christ and through Christ.

If you want more of God in your life, start being more like Christ.

Being like Jesus causes God to smile upon your life.
 
  1. The Path to becoming like Christ.
  2. The Pattern to becoming like Christ.
  3. The Picture of being like Christ.

The more time I spend with God, the more I become like Jesus!