December 30, 2019
1 John 3:1-2
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
New International Version (NIV)
Whom do babies resemble?  One day we look at our little granddaughter and we see her dad all over again.  Other days, we think she looks just like her mom.  With confidence I may say, like all the rest of us, she will be a mix of her two parents. 

John, the beloved disciple overflows with joy when he says, “See what great love . . .”  “Can you believe it?” he seems to ask.  God calls us his children.  “That is what we are,” he reminds us.  We need to be reminded.  Sometimes our resemblance to our heavenly Father can be hard for us and others to see.

Sooner or later we will resemble our older brother Jesus.  In fact, when he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.  Until he comes we progress in Christ-likeness.  We avoid sin and purify ourselves.  So what was Jesus like?  He loved people.  So to be like him we will need to love others.  John tells us to start at home.  We love our brothers and sisters by laying down our lives for them.  Good news:  the Spirit is helping us in this work.

My work as a pastor is to nurture a culture of Christoformity in the church.  I want to help us become more like Christ.  As we stand on the threshold of a new year, how do we need to become more like Jesus?  Identify one area of your life where you have not become enough like Jesus.  Ask God to show you.  Is it an attitude?  Do our words reveal our need to grow.  Hold your challenge up to the light of his perfect love.  Ask him to help you.  Then watch him work.  God loves us too much to leave us as we are.  Let us so live this year that someone along the way will wonder, “Whom do they resemble?  They remind me of Jesus.”  

Pray with me:       
Father, we exult in your perfect, transforming love.  Thank you for forgiving us.  Thank you for forming us in the image of your Son Jesus.  Don’t stop working on us Lord.  We have a long way to go to look like Jesus.  Thank you for being relentless in this regard.  Show us how we may cooperate with you today. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.  
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan.  Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download 
the app at readscripture.org.  Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully, 
Duane 

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