“Imitating Jesus” | Dr. Rev. Carol Kerr | February 28, 2010

We are creatures of conformity. We are inherently imitators of people around us. Imitation is how we learn at every level. We learn to speak by imitating. I remember when Gavin was no more than 2 years old. He was sitting in the car seat and I was pulling up to the bank window, and holding a check in my hand. “Deposit!” he called out. When we are teenagers we insist that we are absolutely unique. At least I did in the late 60’s when I had long hair and wore tie died t-shirts and blue jeans. Which my mother didn’t hesitate to point out that everyone who was a “non-conformist hippie” all looked alike! We imitate whether we know it or not. Gavin who is in Vancouver is picking up those subtle Canadian intonations “Eh?” And of course, whether we want to admit it or not, we will imitate our spouse. I wear L. L. Bean slippers, Dave wears L.L. Bean slippers.

Some things we imitate are innocent enough. But, some things are not. I remember one mother shouting at her child on the side walk “Goddam it! Don’t swear at me!” Or the alcoholic parents who wink when their underage child has a beer pong contest. The bully on the play ground in the morning was hit by his father at dinner.

For better or for worse, we are what we imitate. Although we like to pretend to be unique individuals and nonconformists, the reality is about 99% of what we do is imitating someone. Monkey see, monkey do. Each of us is a mosaic of influences resembling many people in our past and present. The question is not whether you will imitate someone but who you will imitate

Who do you copy? Who do you aspire to be like and to imitate? Most people at some time in their lives aspire to be rich, like a John D. Rockefeller. He was an industrial tycoon who made his wealth on Standard Oil and the petroleum industry. He is considered possibly the wealthiest man that ever lived. His income adjusted for inflation would be about $600 billion dollars today. He owned 1.53 percent of the U.S. economy. On the outside, being rich like him seems good to imitate. But, the truth is that wealth will only get you so far, if anywhere at all. When he was asked what would make him happy, despite all he wealth he responded “One dollar more.” 600 billion didn’t make him happy, but I guess 600 billion and one dollar would!

Some people will imitate their favorite sports hero. Tiger Woods seemed like a clean cut, hard worker… we all know the problem with that scenario.

Women like to imitate beautiful Hollywood stars. There is a new line of lipstick in the store whose colors are named after the stars that wore them. Indian model turned actress Aishwarya Rai wears L’Oreal “Tickled Pink” lipstick. But, women will go further. Not only do they want to wear the same lipstick but want to look as young as they do. So Botox injections enter into the picture. Get rid of those wrinkles between the eyes that make you look angry and annoyed. Or those little lines around your mouth that make you look sad. I just read an article that found that women who have these Botox injections actually loose some of their ability to read other people’s sad and mad feelings, as well and their own. Something with the body mind connection. If you don’t express it in your face, you are less likely to understand it.

So if rich people and sports hero’s and movies stars don’t’ work out well, who can we imitate? It seems the ones that we tend to pick are filled with flaws and as lost if not more so than we are. This is where the apostle Paul comes in with his letter to the Philippians. Paul writes in chapter 3:17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Let me paraphrase what Paul is trying to say here: You’re going to copy. You’re going to mimic someone’s steps and mirror someone’s movements. That’s how we roll as human beings. So if you’re going to imitate somebody, go ahead and imitate me. Follow me as I follow Jesus.

We are here this morning because we are looking for someone to imitate and the best one we can think of is Jesus. Professor Alice Camille says that “stakes are high” but following Jesus will free us like nothing else will. She writes:

If Christ is our king, the stakes are high. The usual controlling bodies – media, public opinion, the quest for security, the lifestyle of acquisitions – have o sovereignty over us. The authority of Christ is not just another voice; it is the only voice to which we need to respond. And Christianity is not just more homework, a dungeon-like oppression to suffer; it is the only authority that liberates those who subject themselves to it. Not to embrace Christ the King is to continue to bow before the countless sovereigns of the world and to light the sacrifices at too many altars. Not to listen to Christ is to face the schizophrenia of voices beckoning, demanding, cajoling our obedience, all the while spinning their web of half-truths.

But, how do you imitate the son of God? We all have seen the bumper sticker “WWJD?” Which stands for “What would Jesus do?” How do you answer that question for yourself and in your particular situation. Do what Jesus would do, but what would Jesus do? Do you wear a toga and sandals? Do you grow a beard? Do you observe the Jewish holidays such as Passover, and worship in a Jewish temple as Jesus did? Some people have actually tried these very things. But, they seem to be missing the point.

Most people would say, imitating Jesus is is living according to the moral standard that he lives by. But, if you spend any time checking out what Jesus is asking us to do, doing this is harder than it looks. For instance, telling the truth no matter how badly it hurts to hear it. In the Comedy “Crazy People” Dudley Moor plays Emory Leeson, an advertising man who comes up with an outrageous idea: telling the truth. “Let’s face it,” Emory tells a coworker, “you and I lie for a living.”

Emory launches out on a different path by composing ruthlessly honest ads. Instead of a thousand subtle deceptions about how some product will make people happier, sexier, or richer, he says things like “Volvos: they’re boxy, but they’re safe” or “United Airlines: most our passengers get there alive.”

Of course Emory’s new commitment to truth lands him in trouble. He is sent off to a psychiatric hospital to restore his “sanity.” But while he is locked up, his agency accidentally releases his ads to the public and the results are astounding. The public is surprised and delighted by hearing the unvarnished truth for once.

Even though the movie had a happy ending, it also underlines the fact that living a life like Jesus is tough in a world that is riddled with half-truths and operates on many deceptions.

Another example, the rich man asks Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell everything and give it to the poor. Raise your hands, who here is really willing to do that? Really go out and sell you house, your car, pawn your rings and jewelry, sell your business, drop off you clothes at the Goodwill, unload your furniture at the consignment shop, cash in your IRA and 401K and give it all away? John D. Rockefeller said that what would make him happy is one more dollar – that might have been extreme, but on the other hand we need to keep at least one dollar to our name.

Actually the moral bar that Jesus set is impossibly high. Take some of his suggestions he has on the Sermon on the Mount…. Don’t lust after women in your heart, Never be angry with your brother or say “You fool!” Pluck out your right eye if it causes you to sin. Never divorce you wife. Never swear, ever. Here is an all time favorite, “if someone hits you on the right turn to him the other cheek also.”

How do you imitate Jesus. WWJD? What would Jesus do? Even if we are ready and willing, it seems the bar is set impossibly high. We might as well go back to celebrities with pink lipstick.

Let me tell you a story, from “the Wisdom of the Desert.” These are stories from early Christians in aroud the fourth century who fled to the deserts of Egypt in order to get closer to God and be more like Jesus.

It seems a young man – John the Dwarf – prayed for God to remove all his passions. He believed that he were unmoved by difficulties, without feeling toward those who attacked him, and unable to be swayed by the devils he would be alive to God. So, John the Dwarf asked God to take away ll his feelings. He wanted to live without emotions.

Being gracious, God answered John’s prayer and made him “impassible.” By an act of God, John the Dwarf ceased to feel – anything. He became passionless. Then, in his new condition, John the Dwarf went to see some older men in the desert community. Standing before them he boasted of being without any struggle, any anxiety, or temptation. “I am completely at peace,” he said. “God has removed from me all temptations. Nothing moves me.”

“Well,” said these old wise companions, “You had better hurry back to your cell. Go and pray to God to command some struggle to be stirred up in you, for the soul is matured only in battle.” Now, this was not what John the Dwarf had expected from these trusted companions. Still, he respected these men and so he obeyed. He returned to his desert hut and asked God for something to struggle against, something to test him.

God heard his prayer and set many temptations before John. However, though the temptations came hard and fast, John the Dwarf never again asked for these strange companions to be removed. Though evil surround him and constantly tried him, he had been enlightened by the counsel of wiser companions. Now John the Dwarf simply prayed, “Give me strength to get through.”

One of the most famous Christian devotional books of all time is by Thomas a Kempis and is called, The Imitation of Christ. His central theme is that to imitate Christ is not about being perfect but it is about the struggle to be better people. It is only through this struggle that, as John the Dwarf learned, our souls become wiser and purer. Jesus came down to earth and took on the suffering of the world in order to free us through the outreach of grace and love and so to strengthen us. Through the struggle we gain humility and through humility we set aside our egos and realize how we must rely on God and God alone.

What would Jesus do? With the wolves of sin nipping near, Jesus would live from God, live on God, and live for God. That is the path we should follow. That is the model we should imiate.