Can I Really Live Like Jesus?

I’ve started back at the beginning of watching “The Chosen” series. I wanted Jesus’ life in movie form to remind and inspire me once again about Jesus’ walking this earth before I start on the new Season 3.

What I have seen in this incredible series makes me love our real Jesus even more. “Can I really live and be like Jesus” takes on new meaning when I see Jesus’ laughter, His thought-provoking stories, analogies, and examples He uses.

Jesus was the master storyteller and lived by example. But that was Jesus. What about us? Can we possibly conjure up the idea that we could measure up to living like Jesus?

I totally believe Jesus is God’s Son. I believe He came to earth, as a man. It says clearly in Hebrews 2:17-18 that He was made like us, in all things, in every respect. But the Bible says that Jesus didn’t sin. And, I wonder, how is that even possible for us?

My whole life I have heard that, “God looked down at us sinners, and had compassion on us.” So, God sent His Son to earth. He came to take the punishment for our sins and die for us, to forgive us our sins, so that we who believe in Him can spend eternity in heaven!

Every time I heard this; I would get a nagging feeling that something just didn’t add up. Can’t God help us to stop sinning? Isn’t the Almighty God powerful enough? Then one day I heard a different story that finally made sense:

God looked at the world and the men and women He Himself created. He saw people living openly in sin. He also saw people who were trying to keep His commandments — people who were desperately trying to be obedient to the laws He had made for them. All these people had something in common. They still made lots of mistakes.

So God sent His own Son down to earth to save us. Jesus died for our sins, and God promised to forgive us our sins if we accept Jesus as Lord in our lives. But that was only the beginning of God’s plan!
The most important part of the story of Jesus wasn’t the fact that He died on the cross for us. It was the life He lived! He was here. He was a man, and He was tempted—in all points, just like us. (Hebrews 4:15) But He didn’t sin!

In 1 Peter 2:21 we read: “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.” We are called to follow in the footsteps of a man who committed no sin. That means that we can also live without committing sin! And to ensure we had help, when He ascended to heaven 40 days after His resurrection, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to help, teach and give us power to overcome. Thank you, Jesus, for THE HELPER!

With that kind of help, we CAN measure up. We can live a life of blessings and the virtues of the Kingdom of Heaven become our life! This story – this truth makes so much more sense to me.

Yes, it is possible to live like Jesus! In fact, we are told to do so in several places in scripture. Jesus even says to numerous people, “Follow Me…” “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15)

God wouldn’t tell us to do something that’s impossible to do. If He tells us to live like Jesus, then it’s completely achievable and that’s my goal. Is it yours?