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“Conformed to the Image of Christ”

Allen Dvorak
12/29/24 - Sun AM

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I suspect that probably all of us at one time or another have wondered what Jesus looked like.

How tall was he?

What kind of physique did he have?

What?

How did his face appear?

So this morning I'm here to help you.

By sharing with you some of the pictures that people have painted or drawn over the centuries to represent Jesus, his appearance as they pictured him.

Some of these pictures, uh, Look Like just kind of an average person.

Some of them look almost a little bit effeminate.

Uh, you'll notice that in some of them, particularly this one here, he seems to have lipstick on almost in that photo.

Um, And so Jesus is often pictured.

As basically a Caucasian European, he has the same features that uh people from that area of the world would typically have.

Some have suggested that picturing Jesus as a Caucasian individual is actually racist.

That in fact, Jesus might very well have been a black man and so you'll see lots of pictures if you were to get on the internet of black Jesus.

Uh, but I would note that although we don't have any specific details about Jesus' appearance, we do know that he was a Jewish male.

And so, I would suggest to you that he probably looked something like that picture, although his skin, I believe, probably was a little darker as is characteristic of people in that part of the world.

And that's really the only thing that we have to judge or to go by if we were to talk about the appearance of Jesus.

Because in almost in an astonishing way, the four Gospels say almost nothing about his appearance.

Isaiah 53 verses 1 and 2 have been cited by some as to suggest that he was actually not a very good looking person.

I'm not sure that's what's being said in verse 2 of Isaiah 53, a Messianic's passage, for he grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no form or majesty that we should look at him and no beauty that we should desire him.

I don't believe that.

Isaiah was saying that Jesus was uncomely, but just simply that there wasn't anything uh majestic or particularly handsome of just an average Jewish male, unlike Saul, who was head and shoulders above all those of Israel or David, who was a handsome young man.

Jesus apparently was just an average Jewish male.

And so what I want you to understand is that the focus of the scriptures is not on the physical appearance of Jesus, but rather on his character.

I want to draw your attention back to the passage that was read uh just a few moments ago as a scripture reading.

Uh, actually, Jim read from verse 3 down to verse 14, but I want you to look specifically at verses 3 through 153.

Ephesians one in these early verses of the chapter contains perhaps one of the most comprehensive summaries of God's redemptive plan from before the foundational world, even to its culmination in our response to the gospel and our redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ.

But read along with me again, if you will, beginning in verse 3, where Paul writes, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy.

And blameless before him.

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved.

And so Paul tells us that before the foundation of the world, before the world was even created, before man appeared on this earth, that God had already predestined that men and women would be adopted as spiritual children, that they would become holy and blameless in Christ.

Paul would explain further the objective of God's plan in the book of Romans in chapter 8 and beginning in verse 26.

I'm going to just look at verse 29 and 30 as Paul gives this whirlwind summary of what God's plan comprehended.

For instance, he says in verse 29, for those whom he foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

And those whom he predestined, he also called, and those whom he called, he also justified, and those whom he justified, he also glorified.

And I believe that in the last part of that verse 30, talking about the glorification of those who have been justified, that Paul is actually talking about what will happen in the future to us, to those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

But since God's purposes are not thwarted, Paul writes about it as though it is a fact already.

It is so certain that it will occur according to God's plan.

God foreknew, and he predestined those whom he foreknew.

I think he's talking about people who would be in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

He predestined that those people would be conformed to the image of His Son.

And so people were called by the gospel and justified by the blood of Jesus Christ.

And of course, will be glorified eventually in heaven with God.

And so, I believe Romans 8:29 and 123 really gives us a broad and uh not a real specific summary, but a broad summary of God's intentions uh in his redemptive plan.

One other passage that I would perhaps suggest for your consideration is 2 Peter the 1 chapter, verses 3 and 4.

In that passage, Peter indicates that God has given us His precious and very great promises, so that through them, these promises, you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

And so, if you consider these passages in Ephesians 1 and Romans the 8th chapter and 2 Peter 1, we need to know what the image of Jesus is, because God's plan is for us to be conformed to the image of his son.

Now, that's a huge study.

Some of you are beginning to wonder if perhaps the only reason there'll be one assembly today is that it'll last all day.

There'll never be any break.

We'll just stay here until we would normally leave in the evening.

Let not your hearts be troubled.

I know that's a huge study, but we're only going to talk this morning about two characteristics.

Of the image of Christ.

Two things that I think are significant about the character of Jesus that I want to highlight.

There are many others, but we're just going to look at two, and that is the humility of Jesus and the holiness of Jesus.

Paul would write to the Philippians in chapter 2 and verses 23 through 8.

That they needed to have the same mind as Jesus Christ, who verse 6, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.

Jesus didn't feel as though it was something that he couldn't let go, but instead, we're told, he emptied himself for 7 by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

And so Paul emphasized the humility of Jesus.

Two phrases that are highlighted in that text uh on the screen.

The first one that he emptied himself, and we're told at least in some way, in some sense or aspect, how it is that he emptied himself.

He took the form of a servant.

Being born in the likeness of men, he emptied himself by becoming like us.

And then secondly, being found in human form, he humbled himself, which I think is also implied in the idea of emptying himself, but he humbled himself by becoming obedient.

And so his humility was illustrated or manifested in his obedience to the will of the Father.

That's contrary.

To what seems to be the general tendency.

Among Those who are religious.

And I'm not poking at anybody here or this congregation, but I would remind you that one of the criticisms that Jesus proffered for the Pharisees and the scribes in his day is that they were sinfully arrogant.

And so in Matthew chapter 23, he says to them, uh, he talks about them, I guess I should say, in the early verses of that chapter beginning in verse 5, they do all their deeds to be seen by others, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.

In other words, they draw attention to them.

Selves in terms of being religious or spiritual in the eyes of others.

And they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

And so these religious leaders were all up about themselves and their uh appearance before others.

In verse 12, Jesus would continue by summarizing whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

These religious leaders exalted themselves, and they were keen on having others see them for their good works, for their Religious exercises.

Earlier in his ministry in the context of the sermon on the Mount, Jesus said in Matthew 6 of the Pharisees, beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

I believe that Jesus may have engaged in what we would call hyperbole here when he says they sounded trumpets before them.

I don't know that they literally did that.

I can't find any evidence of that historically, other than this passage.

And it may be that what Jesus is trying to say is they just want to make sure everybody sees what they're doing.

When they give, when they do good works.

They want everybody to know about them.

And so their arrogance was criticized by the Lord.

But by contrast, Jesus gave up position.

He emptied himself to live among men, to live among us, and to die for our redemption.

We've looked at verses 5 through 8, but I wanna back up in the chapter so that we can see clearly the connection between the beginning verses of Philippians 203 and these verses that have to do about having the mind of Christ because I believe those early verses helped to define what Paul means when he says, have this mind in you which was in Christ Jesus.

So read along with me, beginning in verse 1 of Philippians 2.

So if there's any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the spirit, any affection and sympathy, if any of these things are true, and of course, there's no uncertainty in Paul's mind, he's suggesting all of these motivations for them to complete his joy by being of the Same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others.

And then he begins to talk about Jesus, who put our interest before his own interest.

Jesus, who was not possessed of selfish ambition or conceit, but humbled himself, even Paul says to the point of death, even the death on the cross.

There's another passage in the writings of Paul, which also connects the attitude of Jesus with the way that we ought to behave.

Mind you, we're talking about the need for us to be conformed to the image, the image of Christ, not his appearance, but to his character.

And so in Romans the 15th chapter, having talked extensively about not putting stumbling blocks.

In front of others in chapter 21, Paul continues that discussion in verse 214 of chapter 22.

He says, we who are strong, have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Now, look at the next verse.

For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.

And so as he talks about how we ought not to please ourselves, but that we need to bear with the failings of others, the weaknesses of others, he then moves to Christ and says, and that's what Jesus did.

In a way, Paul is saying very clearly, you need to be conformed to the image of God's son in the matter of loving your neighbor, of pleasing your neighbor, doing what's best for him and not necessarily just for yourself.

Verse 215 may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another.

And so there's the definition, the theme of this, of these verses in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One voice, unity is the issue here.

Therefore, welcome one another.

As Christ has welcomed you.

Be conformed to the image of God's Son.

Act like God's son acted is what Paul seems to be saying here.

We've been studying in the Gospel of John now for a couple of teaching sessions, and we recently, recently talked about John 212, where Jesus says, a new commandment I give to you as he speaks to his apostles on that last night of his life, that you love one another just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

By this, all people will know that you are my disciples.

If you have love for one another.

Jesus actually said the same thing twice here.

In verse 22, he says, you love one another just as I have loved you.

In other words, you do what I've done, be conformed to my image.

But then in verse 23, he says, if you love one another, people will know that you are my disciples.

A disciple is one who follows, one who is an adherent to the teaching of another.

And so Jesus says, if people see you loving one another, they'll know that I am your teacher, I'm your master.

They'll know that you are my disciples.

The apostle Paul wrote basically the same thing in the conclusion of chapter 22 of Ephesians, when he said, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.

Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

And so the first characteristic of the image of Christ or of his character that I want to impress upon you is his humility and specifically that humility being manifested in his obedience to the Father's will.

But I said there will be too, and I want to talk a little bit now about the holiness of Christ.

I mentioned earlier, 25 Peter 217 verses 3 and 4.

Let's read that passage together.

Peter writes, his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them, these promises, you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

When Peter writes that we will be able to become partakers of the divine nature, he is not suggesting that we're going to become gods.

There's actually a religious group.

That teaches something similar to that idea, but that's not what Peter's talking about here.

He explains his meaning in the last phrase of verse 4, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

The way in which we become partakers of the divine nature is that we can, can become holy like God's Son is, like the Father is.

We are declared righteous, of course, when we're walked by the blood of Jesus Christ, we're baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins, and we become blameless in that sense, holy, but that remaining holy is a task that we must pursue for the rest of our lives as Christians.

Interesting things said about Jesus or that Jesus said about himself.

In the Gospel of John.

Things that indicate that Jesus was determined to do the will of the Father.

That might not surprise us in light of what we know about the unity of the Father and the Son, but listen to the words of Jesus in John 6:38, he says, for I've come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.

Do you recall in John the 4th chapter when Jesus stopped at a well there in Samaria, and there was a woman who came to the well, the disciples had gone into a nearby town to buy some food.

Jesus was tired, he was thirsty, and so he asked this woman for a drink.

And the conversation quickly is, as Lucas said this morning, was quickly pushed to the spiritual.

And so Jesus talks to this woman, she identifies.

Him as a prophet realizes uh that he can tell her uh things of the will of God and so the conversation goes well she goes back into the city and begins noising about the fact that she has found uh this prophet.

The disciples come back and they're urging Jesus to eat.

They've brought food for him, which was their, uh, their task.

But Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Jesus said, what sustains me?

That's what food does.

What sustains me is doing the will of my Father.

And as near as we can say the same thing about our lives, we will approach the holiness that Jesus manifested on earth.

It wasn't that Jesus was God and so he had uh some sort of advantage in that sense, because we're told in the book of Hebrews that he became like us.

He took on flesh and blood, and that he was tempted just as we are tempted.

But so often the difference between us and God's Son.

is that our food is not always to do the will of the Father.

Sometimes we do our own will.

But we're told in Hebrews 53:15 that Jesus never did that.

That his focus on doing the will of the Father was such that he was without sin and thus became the perfect sacrifice for our sin.

We read From 2 Peter.

I want to read now from 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 14.

Where Peter writes as obedient children do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.

Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy.

Peter, of course, quoting from Leviticus, indicating that God's requirement of holiness among his people continues on into the New Testament period or the time of Christ's kingdom.

Peter exhorts us to be holy even as God is holy.

Conform to the image of God's son.

We spent some time in Philippians chapter 2.

Let's just drop down a little bit further in that chapter and notice that Paul says in verse 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the world.

So Paul joins the apostle Peter in encouraging us to be blameless and innocent, that we can be good examples to others.

As Paul says, people will see Christ living in us as we're conformed to the image of God's Son.

In Romans the 12th chapter, Paul says, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

In the Old Testament, you couldn't offer just any animal.

Leviticus, the first few chapters.

They are very specific about the fact that those animals needed to be without blemish.

They needed to be perfect.

Obviously, in a physical way.

What God wants from us is for us to be blameless in a moral or spiritual fashion.

We fall short of that, but that's the goal, that we become more and more conformed to the image of God's Son in His holiness.

The Bible talks about sons being like their fathers.

And you've no doubt seen that in your experience that often you'll see the similarity between father and son.

It used to be that sons would work with their father, often, at least in biblical times, fathers would teach their trade to their sons.

There'd be a lot of time spent together.

And so the son, uh, inexorably would be similar to his father as they spent time together.

If we are going to be conformed to the image of Jesus.

We're going to have to spend a lot of time with him.

We can't do that physically.

That would have been quite the blessing to be able to walk with Jesus and hear his voice and see him physically and spend time with him.

But as we read the scriptures and as we learn more, About the image of Jesus Christ.

We can become more and more conformed to that image.

I think Christians often feel like square pegs in a round hole world.

The fact of the matter is, God doesn't want us to fit in with the world, but the pressure on us is to conform.

To the world.

What God desires is that we conform to the image of His Son, become more and more like Jesus over time.

The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 2 and 20, I've been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Do you not see in that passage as well the confirmation?

To the image of God's Son.

Paul says, I died.

And the life that I live now.

I live, he says.

By faith in the Son of God, Christ lives in me.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the same apostle said, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

The old has passed away.

Behold, the new has come.

Are you a new creature in Christ?

Have you been made holy by the forgiveness of your sins, not by our own merits, not by our perfect obedience, but by the grace of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can be made holy.

And then we can live day after day, becoming more and more like Jesus as long as we live.

Is that where you are?

If not, then I would encourage you and we will encourage you just a few moments in song, to obey the gospel, to express your faith in Jesus Christ, the savior of mankind.

And having confessed that faith and repented of your sins to be baptized in Christ for the remission of your sins, and water is prepared, we would be pleased to help you to become a New Testament Christian, a new creature in Christ.

Most of us here this morning, or at least many of us, are already Christians.

And our task is to continue in that process of being holy.

When we're baptized, when we become Christians, we become new creatures and we're free from sin, but in most cases, that doesn't last very long and we sin occasionally, even as we try to do what is right.

We need to be continually seeking forgiveness that we can be holy in the sight of God and we need to seek to be conformed to the image of God's Son more and more day by day.

If we can assist you in any way by uh baptizing you into Christ or by praying with you for your strength and encouragement, we want to encourage you to come to the front as we stand and sing to invite you.