Sermon: O To Be Like Thee!
Scripture: “Be imitators of God as dear children.” Ephesians 5.1
Most of the hymns we use in our worship and devotionals are intricately intertwined with messages from the Bible. And that is why when we sing them, we must not sing them because of the melody alone but, with understanding and of the spirit of God (1 Corinthians 14.15). The reason for this is because every of the Christians’ songs are aimed towards admonishing, and teaching one another for they are spiritual songs (Colossians 3.16).
So, this morning, we want the scripture to reveal more of Christ’s characters in our songs.
The song “O To Be Like Thee” is found in songs of the church (SOC) 408 and it was written by a fellow named T.O Chisholm in 1897. Unlike other songs with events behind them, this was different in the sense that the writer was just expressing his uttermost gratitude to God for helping him be like Christ.
“O To Be Like The” simply means to be like Christ! And the Holy Spirit says through Paul that Christians should strive to be just like Christ by imitating God. Thus, He says; “Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus!” Philippians 2.5
Therefore, the devotion this morning should help us to restructure our resolution this year to be just like Jesus Christ.
“O To Be Like Thee” we must:
1. Sacrifice like Christ. The first stanza of the song says;
O to be like Thee, blessed redeemer; this is my constant longing and prayer. Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasure, Jesus the perfect likeness to wear.
This verse of the song reveals to us that for us to be like Christ, we must sacrifice like Christ. Now, how did Christ sacrifice? Christ sacrificed by coming to earth to die in our stead in order for us to live. John 15.13, Jesus says; ‘Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends’. Christ consider us to be precious thus, the reason for Him to die. John 3.16 reveals God’s ultimate sacrifice for giving us Christ as sacrifice for our sins. “For He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world”. 1 John 2.2. We can go on listing from the Bible Christ’ sacrifice for us. He did not considered His glory, crown, and position as God (Philp. 2.5-10; James 1.18), left all, forfeited all, and gave it all for you and I. The question now is, how are we sacrificing for Christ? Okay. Sacrificing for or like Christ doesn’t mean we need to die for one another. We can sacrifice like Christ by using our talents to expand the kingdom, picking up a ministry in the local congregation, serving and meeting the needs of the destitute through our time, resources and all. Getting out of our way to help our brethren (1 John 3.16; Colossians 4.17; James 1.27). These can be done when we forfeit all of earth’s treasures; the things that easily beset us, the weights of the flesh (James 1.21; Colossians 3.1-7; Hebrews 12.1-2).
2. Behave like Christ. Listen to the second verse of the song;
O to be like Thee, full of compassion! Loving, forgiving, tender, and kind. Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting. Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
We can decide to sermonize on each word in this verse. For us to be like Christ, we must have compassion like Christ. Compassion is a deep feeling of sympathy for someone in trouble. The Bible tell us that when Christ saw the crowd, He had compassion on them because they were afflicted, helpless, and scattered like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9.35-36). Christ was moved from within when He saw the helpless state of the people. It reveals two truth; we must not castigate those who are in the state of helplessness and we must be ready to extend a physical hand of fellowship to the helpless (Galatians 6.10; 1 John 3.17-18). And it also reveals the spiritual aspect of reaching out to those who are perishing. In this passage of scripture of Matthew 9.35-36, we see Jesus’ compassion, His love to help the helpless, to cheer the fainting and in verse 37, His desire to rescue the perishing. Can we have this character of Jesus towards one another? Can be compassionate, loving, and forgiving those who have hurt us? Remember, even on the cross, Jesus forgave those who wrongfully accused Him. Think about Stephen in the cradle stage of the church (Acts 7.60). Can we take it upon ourselves to seek the wandering sinner to find? (Romans 1.14-15).
We can also behave like Jesus through our speeches; they must be seasoned with salt and bring grace to those who hears us (Ephesians 4.29; 5.4; Colossians 4.6). We behave like Christ by speaking the truth to one another in love (Ephesians 4.25). There are so many ways we can choose to behave like Christ. Even in our giving, we can also give like Christ. Avoiding trouble like Christ would do (John 8.59).
3. Commit like Christ. The third and last stanza of the song in the original manuscript says;
O to be Thee! Lord I am coming, now to receive the anointing divine. All that I am and have I am bringing, Lord from this moment, all shall be Thine.
Committing like Christ is to give in all that we have; be dedicated to His service. Christ committed all He has, investing them in our salvation. He had no home, no luxury houses, because His mission is greater and He needs to be committed to service of HIM who sent Him (John 4.34, 9.4). We can be committed like Christ in the little things we do for Him this year. We can be committed in the work of the local congregation; in evangelism, visitation, and benevolence. In our attendance to weekly activities, we can be committed as well. Cleaning the church meeting place and attending to the Lord’s Table is a beautiful service we must be committed to. Above all, we should be committed to serving, loving, and honoring God with our lives, finances, and time.
Conclusion: our lives will be transformed when we become imitators of God as dear children. By sacrificing, behaving, and committing like Christ to His service. Therefore, our mantra should be thus, ‘dear Lord, may my life in 2026 and beyond reflect your perfect character of sacrifice, attitude, and commitment’, amen.
Saint Oghenevwede Arison Ubiuku
Evangelist/Christian Therapist
[email protected]
