In Bethlehem 2,000 years ago a male Child was born.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. One of His titles was Paraclete (helper).
He gave Himself to helping others. When He saw hungry people, He fed them. When
He saw sad people, He cheered them. When He was weary people, He strengthened
them. When He saw discouraged people, He encouraged them. When He saw poor
little children, He blessed them. When He saw bereaved people, He comforted
them.
He never hated anybody. When people cursed Him, He blessed them. When people hated Him, He loved them. When people despitefully used Him, He prayed for them. When one betrayed Him, He called him, "Friend." When people reviled Him, He did not retaliate. He never sought vengeance. His feet never trod a wicked path. His mind never had a wicked thought. His hands never took that which they should not have taken. His tongue never spoke that which was sinful to speak. His heart never entertained an unholy motive. His hands never performed a sinful deed.
It was wonderful. One of those who knew Him best summarized His life by saying He "went about doing good." Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil; for God was with Him." yes, it was wonderful.
Yet there was something sad about this. You say, "Something sad about his wonderful life of Jesus?" Yes, there was something very sad. The sadness is that His entire life was spent in a small geographical area of no more than 75 miles by 40 miles and in a chronological era of 33 years. America never saw Him. China never saw Him. Southeast Asia never saw Him. The Islands of the sea never entertained Him. The other countries of the Middle East never saw Him. People of Russia never saw Him. Only those who lived in that small little country of the Palestine and only those who lived during His brief life span on earth saw this wonderful life.
Do others not need to see Him too? Is it fair for most of the world to live and die and never see the life of Jesus? No, it is not. So God conceived a plan. This plan included that there be a Jesus in every city of every country and in every neighborhood of every city in every home, factory, office, shop and school of every neighborhood. He arranged for each of His people to have access to the same power through which He lived His life. That power was the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not live His life, perform His miracles, preach His sermons nor do His deeds as God. He did them as a Spirit-filled man. Luke 4:1, "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." That same Holy Spirit has been made available to every Christian so that every one in the world will have opportunity to see the amazing life that Jesus lived. Now every country can see Him, every business can see Him, every office can see Him, every factory can see Him.
There are so many passages that remind us of our obligation to be Christlike.
We are to present Christ on earth. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are here "in Christ's stead." II Corinthians 5:20, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
We are to have His mind. Philippians 2:5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
We are to do His work. John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto My Father." We have been sent by Him, even as He was sent by the Father. John 20:21, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." We are to attempt to live in His likeness. Psalm 17:15, "As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness."
We are to be exactly as He was as we walk and talk among men. I John 4:17, "Herein is our live made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world."
We are to love as He loved. John 15:12, "This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."
We are to do as He did. John 13:15, "For I have given you and example, that ye should do as I have done to you."
Our son, David, is now a preacher and a father. For years he rode home from church with me. He would wait until nearly the middle of the afternoon to ride home with Dad after I had counseled with scores of people. Then I would again counsel after the evening service and Dave through the years would wait and ride with Dad. When he was just a little boy he was promoted into his first Sunday school class where he sat up and listened to a teacher in a classroom situation. Going home one Sunday morning, I asked him what he learned in Sunday school that day. He said, "I learned about God." I said, "What did you learn about God?" He replied, "I learned that God loves me more than anybody loves me." "What else did you learn about God?" I asked. "I learned that when I do bad, God spanks me and does He spank me Hard!" "What else did you learn?" "I learned that after God spanks me, He hugs me and tells me that it hurt.........Him.....more than it hurts me......Hey, Dad, are you God?"
I hugged my little boy to my breast and said, "No, son, I'm not God, but I'm glad you think I am, and I hope after you've been in our home for 18 or 20 years, that you still get me mixed up with Jesus."
A little boy in our church used to call me Brother God. One day I was preaching Hell, fire and brimstone. He looked up to his mother and said, "Mama, ain't God mad today!" One day I went by his house to make a visit. He hollered into the house and said, "Mother, Brother God is here." I noticed his bicycle was broken. I tried to fix it and failed. As I left, his father came home from work. His father saw the broken bicycle and said, "Hey, son, is your bicycle broken," whereupon the boy replied, "Yes, Dad." The father said, "Let me fix it for you." The son said, "You can't fix it, daddy." "Why?" asked the father. The boy said, "Well, God came by and he couldn't fix it, and if God couldn't fix it, Daddy, you dead sure can't."
One day I tied a little boy's shoe. He was a bus kid. His mother watched as I tied his shoe. As I walked away, he looked up to his mother and said, "Mama, did you see God tie my shoe?"
These are but a few illustrations to remind us that we are to be like Jesus. Cindy, our youngest daughter, used to stand on the hearth of the fireplace when she was a little girl and sing, "To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask to be like Him. All through life's journey, through hill and valley, all I ask, to be like Him." Though she didn't always get the words exactly right, often her dad would weep as her little voice would sing clearly, "To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, all I ask is to be like Him. All through life's journey, through hill and valley, all I ask, to be like Him." The entire Christian life can be wrapped up in those words. We are to be like Jesus. He cannot be here in person to forgive now. I have to show people how he forgives. He is not here in person to feed the hungry, to strengthen the weak, to encourage the discouraged, to clothe the cold, to help the widows and orphans, so He says to me and too you, "Show them how I would love. Show them what I would do. Go where I would go. Preach what I would preach. Teach what I would teach. Sing what I would sing. Love as I would love. Forgive as I would forgive. Be kind as I would be kind. Do good as I would do good."
And so I set out to be like Jesus. I tried so hard. I would sing, "Trying to walk in the steps of the Saviour." I would sing, "O, to be like Thee! O to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou are. Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fulness; stamp Thine own image deep on my heart." I would sing, "Be like Jesus, this my song, in the home and in the throne; be like Jesus all day long! I would be like Jesus." I really tried, but I failed. I found that I would rather be served than serve. I found that I would rather be helped than to help. I found that I would rather receive than to give, to be fed than to feed, to be clothed than to clothe. I found that I would rather hate my enemies than love them. I found it difficult to bless those that cursed me, and I also found that I would rather be cheered than to cheer and be comforted than to comfort. Try though I may, I failed. I could not be like Him.
Then one day I came across a verse that transformed m life. Roman 8:11, "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you."
I had always thought that that passage dealt with the resurrection of the body. I thought that our Lord was saying that if His Spirit dwelt in us, we would be resurrected someday, even as His body was resurrected. Then I became aware that Romans 8:11 is not talking about our coming physical resurrection but rather the availability of the resurrected life while we are yet in the body. Our Lord is saying that if the Holy Spirit can raise up Jesus from the dead, that same Holy Spirit can raise me up from selfishness and self- centeredness in order that I may live a resurrected life. That resurrected life can be lived only in the power of the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit of God could raise the body of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that Holy Spirit can raise us to walk in the Spirit and to have daily victory to live a resurrected life.
Bear in mind that it was by the holy Spirit that Jesus cast out devils. Matthew 12:28, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." It was by the Holy Spirit that Jesus offered Himself as our substitute. Hebrews 9:14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" In the millennial kingdom when our Lord reigns, he will reign by the power of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2, "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord."
When I was in Rome I went with our party to visit the Vatican City. High on my list of priorities was that amazing Sistene Chapel adorned with Michaelangelo's famous painting, "The Last Judgment." The painting covers the entire ceiling and much of the walls. It is an unbelievable work of art.
Now suppose for a minute that we were to go to the Sistene Chapel, and suppose that the Lord Jesus said to me, "Paint another `Last Judgment' like the one painted by Michelangelo." It matters not how hard I tried; I could not paint a likeness of that masterpiece. I would say, "Lord, try though I may, my painting is as a child's first-grade attempt."
There could be a way, perhaps, that I could paint another "Last Judgment." Suppose God offered to take the spirit of Michelangelo and place that spirit within my body. Could I not them make a replica of his famous painting? To be sure, it would take some time. Day by day, week by week, month by month and even year by year I would add a little bit as did Michelangelo until someday perhaps I could, with Michelangelo's spirit within me, make a replica
The Lord Jesus came to me and said, "My child, make another life like Mine." I tried, but I failed. I miserably failed. Then one day He said to me, "You could succeed perhaps if I would put My Spirit in you." So He made His Spirit available to me, and by that Spirit I can attempt to paint a likeness of the life of the Son of God.
Yet again I failed. I could not match His masterpiece. I could not completely show this old world how He lives. Then I came across what to me is the most important Scripture in the Bible on this subject. II Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Notice the words, "are changed into the same image from glory to glory," and notice the words, "even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Then it dawned on me I AM NOT THE PAINTER! I AM THE CANVAS! THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE PAINTER! My job is simply to present myself, or to yield to Him. Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
So as I yield to Him, just as a canvas yields to the artist, the Holy Spirit paints from glory to glory a likeness of Christ in my life. Ha, here is the secret: Yield, yield, yield, yield, yield! He does the work that I cannot do.
Yes, I tried to be like Him; I failed. Then in the power of the Holy Spirit I tried to paint His likeness. This helped some, but again I failed. Then I realized that I am not the painter; I am the canvas. I, as canvas, yielded to the master artist, and He in turn paints day by day the life of Christ in my yielded flesh.
So every morning I yield to Him, and then I ask Him to let me cross the path of people whose path our Lord would cross and whom our Lord would help if He were on earth. I must yield to Him to make me like Jesus, and then I must yield for Him to lead me where Jesus would go, for what value is it to be like Jesus if my path does not cross the path of that one that Jesus would help today.
Several years ago I made several trips to see my dentist. His wife was both his nurse and receptionist. When I would go visit the dentist's office, I would sit in the waiting room and attempt to witness to his wife. She had no interest in the Gospel and my attempt proved feeble. One morning I arose early, yielded to the Holy Spirit, and asked Him to let me cross the path of that one that Jesus would help if He were on earth today. On my schedule was a trip to the dentist's office. As I was sitting in the waiting room reading an old magazine, the door opened. An old lady walked in wearing tennis shoes and clothing associated with poverty. She was holding a handkerchief in her hand, and in the handkerchief was a set of false teeth covered with blood. She said through a toothless mouth, "My teeth don't fit! My teeth don't fit! Could the dentist make my teeth fit?"
The dentist's wife said, "Mary, I'm sorry but your guarantee is past." Mary replied, "But my teeth don't fit and my gums hurt. I've got to have my teeth made to fit." The dentist's wife again replied, "Mary, I'm sorry, but you should have come earlier." Mary replied, "I couldn't come earlier. I don't have a car and it's been cold and snowy. This is the first day I could come." Again the dentist's wife said, I'm sorry, Mary. Your guarantee period has past." I looked up, as the Holy Spirit reminded me of the prayer I had prayed that morning. I asked the dentist's wife, "How much would it cost to have a new set of teeth made for Mary?" She told me that it would cost a little over $400. I said, "Then make her a new set and put it on my bill." The dentist's wife then asked me if I knew Mary. Of course, I replied that I did not. I told her about my prayer that morning, as I yielded to the Holy Spirit and asked Him to let me cross the path of the ones that Jesus would help if He were on earth.
A few days later I received a call from the dentist's office. It was the wife of the dentist. She said, "Reverend, could I come to your office to see you. I cannot forget your kindness to Mary. I believe I can get saved now." She did come to my office. She did get saved.
May God forgive me for the many times that I have forgotten to ask Him to let my path cross the path of that one that our Lord would help, and may God forgive me for the many times that I have crossed paths and have forgotten or refused to help.
Someone is saying, "Dr. Hyles, I could not afford that kind of money." Then maybe the following illustration would fit your life better. I was at a supermarket waiting to be checked out. The little lady in front of me was very poor. Her bill came to $4.72, but I noticed she had only $4.00. She timidly told the clerk that she didn't think she would take the bananas that she had planned to buy. She just was not very hungry for bananas any more.
The clerk was offended and suggested that she make up her mind. With tears in her eyes the little lady who had only $4 had no other choice but to place the bananas back. After she was checked out and had received several insults from the lady at the chick-out counter, I picked up the bananas and added them to my bill. I them followed the little lady who could not afford the bananas. When I came to where she was I said, "Lady, you left something back at the supermarket." She said, "Oh, I didn't buy those bananas." I said, "Oh, yes, I saw you buy them." She began to weep and she said, "Mister, are you giving me those bananas?" Then with a stunned look on her face she said, "You're Reverend Hyles, aren't you? you're the Jesus- man. I've seen you before." It wasn't difficult to win her to the Saviour.
In Bethlehem, 2,000 years ago a male Child was born. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. One of His titles was Paraclete (helper). He gave Himself to helping others. When He saw hungry people, He fed them. When He saw cold people, He clothed them. When He saw sad people, He cheered them. When He saw weary people, He strengthened them. When He saw discouraged people, He encouraged them. When He saw poor little children, He blessed them. When He saw bereaved people, He comforted them.
He never hated anybody. When people cursed Him, He blessed them. When people hated Him, He loved them. When people despitefully used Him, He prayed for them. When one betrayed Him, He called him, "Friend." When people reviled Him, He did not retaliate. He never sought vengeance. His feet never trod a wicked path. His mind never had a wicked thought. His hands never took that which they should not have taken. His tongue never spoke that which was sinful to speak. His heart never entertained an unholy motive. His hands never performed a sinful deed.
It was wonderful. One of the ones who knew Him best summarized His life by saying He ""went about ding good." Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil; for God was with Him." Yes, it was wonderful.
Yet there was something sad about this in that His life was confined to one area that at most would be 75 miles by 40 miles and to one era of 33 short years. Yet, thanks be to God, His plan makes it possible for every one of His people to be like Jesus and to so yield himself to the master painter, which is the Holy Spirit, that people in every country, state, county, city, township, neighborhood, school, office, business and home can see the life that Jesus lived!
Oh, Holy Spirit of God, may people who cross my path have the privilege and the blessing of seeing Jesus!
