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don’t study the bible to know the Bible. We study the Bible to know
the Lord. If our hearts are open to see the Lord, God will meet us.

This morning I’d like to look at the great foundation of conformity
to Christ. What does it mean to be made like Jesus? I want to give
a Bible verse and then I’ll pray. John 1:42, “He brought him to
Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, ‘You are Simon the son of
John; you shall be called Cephas’ (which translated means Peter).”
I want to focus on these words “you are” and “you shall be”; “You
are Cephas; you will be Peter.” That is what we want to look at,
that change. God will take me from what I am to where He wants
me. Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank You again for the indwelling
Holy Spirit. We know that it is Your delight to show us Jesus. Take
the veil off our eyes, we pray, and take the veil off our minds, we
pray and take the veil off our heart, we pray and show us the Lord
Jesus. We thank You. In Jesus’ name. Amen

We’ve come to look at that wonderful truth; what it means to be
conformed to the Lord Jesus. That is a big truth. Usually the way
it is approached, the theologians call “sanctification”. Sanctification
deals with our progress in the Christian life. Usually when you talk
about sanctification you are talking about holiness, godliness,
separation and surrender. Some people say that if you are going to
study conformity, you’ve got to study what it means to grow in
Christ. 2 Peter 3:18, “…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and
to the day of eternity. Amen”

I think the Apostle John might have had that in mind when he wrote
1 John. He addresses fathers. He addresses young men and he
addresses children. Perhaps Jesus had that idea of growth in Mark
4:28, “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the
head, then the mature grain in the head.”