Conformed to the Image of Christ – Br. David Vryhof

SSJE Sermons

Br. David Vryhof

Micah 5:2-5a
Rom. 8:28-30
Matt. 1:18-25

As some of you know, I was raised in the Reformed tradition of the Church. Reformed churches are among those that emerged out of the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century. Central to our particular denomination was a statement of faith written in 1563 called the Heidelberg Catechism. It was composed of a series of questions and answers conveniently organized into 52 sections – called “Lord’s Days.” Each Sunday – that is, each Lord’s Day – the pastor would preach on one of these sections, thus explaining the whole of the faith over the course of a year.

There was one question and answer, the first in the Catechism, that most of us knew by heart. It asked:

“What is my only comfort in life and in death?”

(Think for a moment. How would you answer that question?)

The Catechism’s answer began with these words:

“That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”

Our “only comfort in life and in death,” the Catechism taught us, was that we belonged to Christ. And what a comfort that was – and is – for us who believe.

We are followers of Jesus. We belong to Christ, body and soul. This is our comfort and hope. We have been created by God, we have been rescued from the bondage of sin and death by God, we have been given new life in Christ, we are sustained and protected by God, we are told not to fear – because we belong to God.

This is the theme behind St Paul’s words to the Romans in today’s lesson. He reassures and encourages these early believers – many of whom were facing hardship and persecution – with these words: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to [God’s] purposes.” (Rom 8:28).

God has called us according to God’s own purposes, says Paul. And why has God called us? Listen carefully. We are called, Paul says, in order that we may be “conformed to the image of his Son.” (Rom. 8:27)

This phrase is the one that most captured my attention in today’s readings. We are called by God; drawn into the family of God; chosen, called, justified and glorified for this purpose: that we may be conformed to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to be conformed to the image of Jesus? It means we are to be like him, to act like him, to speak like him, to love like him. It means that we are to be “Christ-like” in everything we do and say.

What is it about Jesus that we should imitate? So much could be said here but let me offer a few suggestions that I believe have direct implications for us today, in our personal lives and in our communities, and in this country, especially as we approach one of the most important national elections in our history.

Jesus taught us that the chief commandment was this: to love God with all our soul, heart, mind and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

He taught us that our neighbor is not only the person who lives next door to us but everyone we meet, including strangers and foreigners and those we might consider to be our enemies. His story of the Good Samaritan illustrates the kind of compassion we are to have for our neighbors, even when they are different from us. The Samaritan, considered an ‘outsider’ by Jews, was the hero in that story, caring for one who would have considered him an enemy.

Jesus taught us to respect the dignity of all, and to recognize that every human being is created in the image of God and is entitled to respect. Jesus consistently showed compassion and respect to those who were poor or oppressed or outcasts. He associated with the marginalized and treated them with dignity. For those who imitate him, there is no place for maintaining one group’s superiority over another. Nor is there room for denying the human dignity of anyone based on the color of their skin, their sexual orientation or gender status, or their religious faith or lack of it.

In Christ, Paul tells us, “there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

The “kingdom” that Jesus came to bring – the Kingdom of God – was unlike any of the world’s kingdoms. It was an “upside down” kingdom, in which the first were last and the last first, in which the greatest was the servant of all. It was completely contradictory to the world’s values, which emphasize wealth, power and privilege. Its hallmark was humble service.

Jesus called us to be “peacemakers,” reconcilers – not instigators of conflict and division, mistrust and hatred.

Are these our values as well? Are we being “conformed to the image of Christ,” day by day and year by year? Do those whom we look up to and choose to follow live by these principles? If our purpose is to become more Christ-like, how will that be reflected in how we live, how we relate to others, and how we vote?

We belong to God. God has called us for this purpose, to be conformed to the image of his Son. This is not only our comfort and our hope, but also our purpose and our life’s direction. We live for God.