wwjdGrowing up in Christian sub-culture of the 90’s there was one question everyone was asking – WWJD? What would Jesus do? We loved this question. We put it on our bracelets (and then wore them inside out), bumper stickers, pens and anything else that could be imprinted. We even made movies with that question as their title. In fact, that question became the answer to every other question. Should I go to that concert? WWJD? Should I be friends with that person? WWJD? Should I change careers? WWJD? This was the filter that you were to use to judge your behavior and the behavior of others. Would Jesus walk out of the Grammy’s in protest of all the twerking or would he stay and go to the after parties (he was notorious for hanging out with sinners, you know)?

It turns out this was a much more difficult question than we had bargained for when we tattooed it on our forearms. It was either really hard to do what Jesus actually did – love, forgive, show mercy, resist temptation or it was impossible to determine what Jesus would do in our situation based on the evidence we have of his first century life. So the craze ended.

However, the WWJD craze signified a belief that is still as pervasive now as it was when we were wearing sewn bracelets inside out, the belief that to follow Jesus means to imitate him. If the core of my Christian faith is to do my best to do what Jesus would do in any given situation then to be a disciple of Christ is to be a mimic. In case you haven’t noticed, you may not be doing the best job of copying Christ’s culture-shaping behavior. He changed the world in three years of ministry, but you can’t get your neighbors to notice your Christian. I know, because I’m in the same boat.

Discipleship has to be something other than just doing a really good job of imitating Jesus or I am doomed to failure (and so are you, probably).

At the end of his ministry, Jesus says something really interesting to his disciples. He says, “…as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21). Great. Jesus left the earth and then left his ministry up to us! He announced the arrival of the kingdom of God, called people to repentance, cast out demons, healed the sick, dies for the sin of the world and then defeats death through resurrection – that’s a lot to live up to!

Before you get too discouraged, you should understand something. The perfect tense in the phrase, “as the Father has sent me” means that Jesus is continually being sent; or that he exists in a continuous state of “sent-ness.” In other words, we don’t “take over” Jesus’ ministry, we continue his ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit because He is still with us.

Left to imitate Jesus in our own power we would fail every time. Now, through the Holy Spirit and the presence of Christ we can make him incarnate. In other words, discipleship is about incarnation, not imitation. We are to make Christ manifest, not mimic Christ! The difference is profound. If my goal is to imitate Christ, I have to have all the right answers, say the right thing every time, do the right thing every time, and have perfect discernment. If my goal (and calling) is to manifest Christ, I depend on him to work through me in the midst of my weakness. In fact, it is because I am so unable to imitate Christ that he can make himself manifest in me.

The next time you find yourself in a situation where you feel helpless to live up to the Jesus standard, don’t try to DWJWD (do what Jesus would do). Instead, allow Christ to make himself manifest through you. When you do that, you’re being the best kind of disciple.

 

Andy Lucas is the Pastor of Emmaus Road Church in Fort Collins, CO. Emmaus Road Church is a community of believers that seek to make Christ manifest in our lives as we do life together. Join us each Sunday at 10:00am or listen to messages online.