After we are saved, we should begin becoming more like Jesus. This is not an instant transformation, and it requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Salvation is merely the beginning; the tip of the iceberg of what is available to you. I will be talking mostly about the life of the Apostle Peter, but I want to begin with something Jesus said to all of His disciples: 

(Luke 6:40 NKJV)  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Jesus was speaking to His disciples when He said this, and He meant that when they were fully trained, then they would be like Him. As we are taught by Jesus and grow spiritually, we become more like Him. More and more, we are conformed to the image of the Son (Romans 8:29) and ultimately, when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is:

(1 John 3:2-3 NKJV)  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

We shall be like Him when He is revealed. That means that we change. We change our hearts and our minds as we become more like Jesus Christ. This occurs over time, over the span of our lives. Paul wrote:

(Philippians 1:6 NKJV)  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

So there is a beginning, and one day there will be an ending. At the moment, all of us are somewhere in between these two points. That means that we are all at various stages of development, at various levels of faith. A key component of becoming more like Christ is a rebuke, and we will see it throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ and His disciples:

Rebuke: means to express sharp, stern disapproval or criticism of someone because of their actions, behavior, or statements. It is a stern warning or correction intended to bring someone back into alignment with truth.

Let's take a look at the life of Peter, the fisherman. In the summer of 28 AD, Jesus was teaching on the beach of the sea of Galilee. There was a large crowd of people who were pressing in closer and closer to hear Him. So He got into a nearby fishing boat, that belonged to a professional fisherman named Peter, and He asked him to push off from the shore a little. Then Jesus taught the crowd from Peter's boat.

When Jesus had finished speaking, He told Peter to go out to the deeper water and let down his fishing net. Now Peter and his partners had fished all night and caught nothing, so they had washed their nets and called it a day. But because Jesus asked him, Peter agreed to try again. It would have been easy for Peter to have puffed up here as he was the professional fisherman, and Jesus was a carpenter, but he did as Jesus asked.

(Luke 5:5 NKJV)  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."

When they let down their nets, they caught so many fish that their nets began breaking, and they had to bring a second boat to help gather them. There were so many fish that the two boats began to sink, and Peter, James, and John were amazed at the catch. Peter fell down at the feet of Jesus and told Him to go away for he was a sinful man, but Jesus told him "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men." And that was the day that Peter's spiritual journey really began. When he left everything behind and followed Jesus.

At this point, Peter was not an Apostle, nor filled with the Holy Spirit. He was simply a fisherman who was following Jesus. Yesterday he was fishing, and now he was watching Jesus turn water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. Each day Peter's faith grew a little more. He watches in wonder as Jesus fashions a whip, and drives the money changers out of the temple. Jesus turns over their tables and pours out their coins while the disciples look at each other uncomfortably. It tells us a lot when they didn't jump in to help Him... (John 2:15).

Peter and the other disciples worked baptizing new converts, bringing supplies, running errands, rowing the boat, acting as ushers, and praying for people while they traveled with Jesus. They watched Jesus teach, saw Him heal people, and cast out demons. They went to Peter's house where his mother-in-law was sick with a fever, and Jesus healed her. Peter watches Jesus heal lepers, the blind, and people who were paralyzed.

After a long night of prayer, Jesus chose twelve men from the crowd of disciples following Him, and He calls them Apostles. Peter is one of them, and he becomes one of Jesus' closest friends and one of the innermost three: Peter, James, and John. He watches Jesus bring a widow's dead son back to life in the city of Nain, then Jairus' daughter, and then Lazarus. Peter watches Jesus feed thousands of people with a couple of fish and some bread. From here, Peter is an Apostle, and his faith grows a little more.

The Apostles grow in importance and began to argue about which of them was the greatest. Jesus rebuked them. James and John ask to sit on Jesus' right and left hand in His kingdom, and the others become jealous. Jesus rebuked them. The "Sons of Thunder" ask to call down fire from heaven and burn up a village that rejected them. Jesus rebuked them. When Jesus tells them of His coming crucifixion, Peter rebukes Jesus. Then Jesus rebuked him.

One night while the disciples were in the boat, Jesus came to them walking across the water. They screamed in fear thinking He was a ghost. Let's read that again: The disciples of Jesus screamed in fear when they saw Him walking across the sea. (Matthew 14:26). Let's call that growing...

Peter asked if he could come to Jesus on the water and Jesus told him to come. So Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water, but when he saw the wind and waves becoming violent, he became afraid and began to sink. Jesus caught him and said, "Oh Peter, why did you doubt?"

Jesus sent these twelve out to minister in the towns that He planned to visit, and then later He sent out seventy disciples in pairs of two. The Apostles heal some people and cast out devils, but later meet one they were not able to cast out. 

(Mark 9:28-29 NKJV)  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

The disciples are still a work in progress. People bring their children to Jesus for Him to bless them, but the disciples rebuke them for wasting His time. Jesus rebukes the disciples again, and sits a child in His lap. Apparently, they were not in tune with the "Mind of Christ" that day. This is only time mentioned that Jesus was "greatly displeased" with the disciples:

(Mark 10:13-16 NKJV)  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

Peter, James, and John go up a mountain with Jesus one day, and He transforms before them while praying. His face changed, and His clothing became gleaming white. Moses and Elijah appeared, and spoke with Jesus about what was coming. Peter and his companions were of course, sleeping. But when they awoke, Peter offered to build them a shelter from the sun. Then a Voice came from heaven and rebuked them.

On the night of the last supper, their last evening together with Jesus, the disciples argue about which of them was the greatest while on the way there. Then they sit in awkward silence while Jesus washes their feet one by one. Later, when Jesus is in the garden praying and sweating great drops of blood, the Apostles sleep. Jesus rebukes them.

When Jesus is arrested, Peter pulls out a sword and gives Malchus a whack beside the head, taking off his ear. Jesus reaches down, picks it up, and puts the ear back on Malchus' head. Then Jesus rebukes Peter. Later in the courtyard, a girl recognizes Peter and says that he was with Jesus, but Peter began to call curses down on himself and denies knowing Jesus three times. Jesus looks at him, and Peter begins weeping.

When Jesus was crucified, Peter didn't attend. Nor was he at the burial because he was scared they would crucify him as well. After a while, Jesus got up and left the tomb. He later appeared to others, and then to Peter on the beach. Jesus gave the disciples final instructions from the Holy Spirit and then ascended to heaven, His job complete.

Ten days later, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, and it changed their lives. The Apostle Peter preached a message and 3,000 people were saved on the first day. When Peter confronted Ananias and Sapphira for lying about what they had given to the church, they fell dead. Soon Peter was raising the dead, healing the crippled and sick. People lined the sick in the streets so that his shadow would fall on them when he passed by. The fisherman Peter had become like his Teacher.

The point of this message is that you don't start out as the wise Apostle. You begin your journey as the young fisherman. And young people, make young people mistakes. The longer that you are faithful and obedient, the more that you will become like Jesus. Yes, obedience is part of it. Jesus told some disciples this:

(Luke 6:46 NKJV)  But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?

Those disciples were not becoming more like Jesus, because they were not doing what He said. Did you notice how many times Jesus had to rebuke His disciples for doing something wrong? Having the Holy Spirit rebuke you isn't the end of the line; it's just a course correction. We often need it. Sometimes the disciples didn't even know which team they were on:

(Luke 9:55 NKJV)  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of."

Jesus gave His Apostles more power as they grew mature enough to handle it. He didn't give it to them as long as they wanted to call down fire from heaven and burn people up, or while they were arguing about which of them was the greatest. He simply waited until they grew up.

You can pray this with me if you like: 

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Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me see the world through Your eyes and understand Your love for people. Help me stay teachable and listen to Your gentle whispers. Wash me clean, fill me with Your Spirit, and help me become more like Jesus every single day. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: This week's Creation Photographers theme is "Let Your Love Light Shine", so let's see those photos, folks :)! The themes are entirely optional, so feel free to share anything that inspires you! All are welcome to join any of our RHM groups! As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network. If you are interested in joining the prayer team, here is how to get started Prayer Partners.