Do You Look Like Jesus?  

Have you ever wondered what it really looks like to live your life as Jesus did? Has anyone ever told you that you look like Jesus? I can honestly say that I do not recall anyone ever telling me that I look like Jesus, but it is something I would definitely like to hear one day.

Throughout the Bible we see Jesus, even in the Old Testament. While Jesus isn’t explicitly named in the Old Testament, we, as Christians, can interpret these verses as prophecies or foreshadowings of His coming, His ministry, and His death. They describe a Messiah, a suffering servant, and a future King.

Genesis 3:15  “I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

As believers, we should see this verse as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Isaiah 7:14  “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”

Isaiah 53 describes a servant who suffers for the sins of others, is pierced for transgressions, and is lifted up as a sacrifice. This is a prophecy of Jesus’ suffering and atoning death.

Micah 5:2 predicts that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. We see in many more passages in the Bible about Jesus, including: Daniel 9, 1 Samuel 2, and 2 Samuel 7.

We probably have all heard the saying that became very popular some years ago: 

“What would Jesus Do?” Bracelets and shirts were made with  ‘WWJD’ on them. I recently started thinking about that question. Even though we don’t see those bracelets or shirts around anymore, that question should still remain in our minds. ‘What would Jesus do?’

It’s like asking, “How would Jesus handle this situation?” 

In John, chapter 10:30, Jesus tells his followers that “The Father and I are one.”

The Holy Trinity shows us that there is GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT. All are God, all in one. 

So with that in mind, look at Ephesians 4:24 “Put on your new nature, created to be like God–truly righteous and holy”, and Epesians 5:1-2  “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

Everything that Jesus did during His three year ministry was for our benefit. He was an example for His followers and is still, now, our example to live by. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE! What He was then, He is now and always will be.

Jesus’ life was about serving others and He wanted His followers to do the same. He taught them by demonstrating to them. Mark 10:45 tells us this,  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In John 13:12-17 we see that Jesus washes His disciples’ feet, demonstrating humility and service. 

In Philippians chapter 2, Paul talks about, as believers, we should have the attitude of Christ, and that we should “be humble, thinking of others as better than ourselves”.

Verse 5 says, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”.

God sent His Son to us as a human being. Jesus was born without His divine rights and privileges (see Philippians 2:6-7). Our Heavenly Father has given us the most precious of all gifts–His Son Jesus, our LORD and Savior. He is our High Priest who we can go to and receive grace upon grace.  

Hebrews 4:15-16  “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most”.      

Throughout the New Testament, the Bible shows us how much Jesus, because of His life of serving and humility, loves us and wants us to live as He did. We are all capable of this. 

In his final chapter in his letter to the Philippians, Paul encourages his readers by telling them to rejoice and be filled with joy. He tells them to always pray, and to think about good and honorable things. He tells them, in essence, to mimic me as I mimic Christ (see Philippians 4:4-9).

So, do you want to look like Jesus, become more like Him? An easy starting point is to receive Him as your LORD and Savior. We become more like Christ as we grow in our knowledge of Him, and we grow by being in the Word and through obedience of the Word.

1 John 2:5-6  “But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in Him, Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did”.

Colossians 3:17  “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father”.

Author: Christine Platt