“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters.” — Matthew 10:24–25
Previously, Generosity, Storing Treasures in Heaven, we learned that everything we own belongs to God and that we are stewards of His resources. Generosity teaches us to hold our possessions with open hands, faithfully using what we’ve been entrusted with for His purposes. But the ultimate goal of discipleship is to become like Jesus. Not just acting like Him in moments of obedience but being shaped into His likeness in every part of life.
When Jesus called His followers disciples, He was using a word that meant learner or apprentice. In His day, discipleship was more than just acquiring knowledge, it was imitation. A disciple followed a teacher so closely that he began to mirror his teacher’s ways, values, and even mannerisms. Jesus makes this clear: the goal of discipleship is to become like the Master. To follow Jesus is to reflect His life, His heart, and His priorities. It means learning not just what He taught, but how He lived.
Luke’s Gospel expands on this thought: “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40). To be fully trained is to be shaped, corrected, and transformed by continual learning under the Master’s direction. The goal is not perfection, but progression, growing each day to resemble Jesus more closely in character and conduct.
The process of becoming “fully trained” happens through surrender and obedience. Just as an apprentice learns from a master by both instruction and imitation, so disciples learn Christ by walking with Him. Through prayer, Scripture, and daily faithfulness, we begin to think, act, and love as He did. To imitate Jesus, then, is the calling of every believer.
So what, specifically, are we to imitate? Scripture points to four areas where disciples are called to reflect the example of Christ: His suffering, His humility, His mercy, and His forgiveness.
We Imitate Jesus by Suffering
Just before he was arrested, Jesus told his disciples: “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20). For the disciple, suffering is part of the path that that is walked. Peter also emphases this when he writes: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” (1 Pet 2:21)
However, we often think of suffering as bad, but Paul writes that it is not a punishment but a privilege. “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him” (Phil 1:29). Suffering refines our faith. It purifies motives, strengthens endurance, and deepens dependence on God. As Paul explains it produces perseverance, character, and hope (Rom 5:3–5). Through suffering, we learn obedience and compassion; we become more like Christ, who suffered unjustly but responded with grace.
We Imitate Jesus by Living in Humility and Putting Others First
Jesus both taught and demonstrated what it was to live in humility and put others first. The greatest demonstration was of course his sacrifice for us. In fact, humility was one of the most defining traits of Jesus’ life. Philippians 2:6-9 tells us that though He was in very nature God, He did not cling to His divine privileges but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient even to death on a cross .
To imitate Jesus means adopting this same mindset. Refusing to exalt ourselves and instead, lifting others up. It means serving rather than seeking to be served, listening before speaking, and giving before receiving. While the world prizes self-promotion; Jesus modeled self-denial.
In Philippians 2:3-8, Paul writes “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves… In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”
When we put others before ourselves, we reflect the character of the One who knelt to wash His disciples’ feet. God honors such humility: “Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). True greatness in the kingdom begins with humble service.
We Imitate Jesus by Showing Mercy
Mercy is at the heart of God’s character. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36). The Greek word eleos means compassion or pity. It is the act of withholding punishment from those who deserve it. Grace is its close companion, but with a nuance. It means to give favor to those who do not earn it. Mercy spares the guilty; grace blesses the undeserving. Both find their fullness in Jesus Christ.
God calls his people to be lovers of mercy: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8). Mercy flows from a heart shaped by love. It moves us to forgive when wronged, to help the hurting, and to extend compassion to those who least deserve it.
The more we experience God’s mercy, the more we are compelled to show it. A disciple who lacks mercy has forgotten the mercy shown to them. Imitating Jesus means seeing people not as problems to fix, but as souls to love.
We Imitate Jesus by Forgiving
Forgiveness is one of the clearest reflections of Christ’s character. On the cross, as soldiers mocked Him and enemies hurled insults, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
To follow Jesus is to extend that same forgiveness, even when it’s undeserved, even when it hurts. Scripture commands us to forgive as the Lord forgave us (Colossians 3:13). Jesus taught that our willingness to forgive reveals whether we truly understand grace: “If you forgive others… your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Mt 6:14).
Forgiveness is not excusing sin or forgetting pain; it is releasing debt. It frees both the offender and the offended. Disciples who imitate Jesus in forgiveness live free from bitterness and become instruments of reconciliation.
What this Means for a Disciple Today
To imitate Jesus is to let His life shape ours from the inside out. It means we view suffering as an opportunity for growth, not defeat. It means humility defines how we lead and serve. It means mercy tempers our justice, and forgiveness replaces our resentment.
In a world obsessed with self, discipleship calls us to mirror the self-giving love of Christ. The more we walk with Him, the more we begin to resemble Him – in our speech, our actions, and our responses to others.
Being “fully trained” under the Master does not happen overnight. It’s the lifelong process of learning, obeying, and transforming by His Spirit. Yet every act of obedience, every moment of humility, every choice to forgive or show mercy brings us one step closer to looking like Jesus. When others see our lives, may they glimpse the reflection of the One we follow – the humble, merciful, forgiving Savior who calls us to walk in His steps.
As disciples grow to imitate the Master, we begin to see the world through His eyes and live by His values. Yet the life that Jesus lived often stands in sharp contrast to the world around us. His Kingdom turns the values of power, success, and status upside down, calling us instead to humility, service, and surrender. In the next study, Disciples live in the Upside-Down Kingdom, we’ll explore what it means to live out these Kingdom values in a world that doesn’t understand them as we learn how to walk faithfully in the upside-down Kingdom of God.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Jesus said that “a student is not above his teacher.”
What does it mean for you personally to “be like the Master”? In what ways do you see yourself growing to resemble Jesus and in what areas do you still resist His shaping?
Imitation requires both instruction and obedience.
How do prayer, Scripture, and daily faithfulness help you learn from Jesus in practical ways? What daily habits are shaping you most right now – for better or worse?
Suffering was part of Jesus’ path, and He calls His followers to walk the same road.
How does viewing suffering as a tool for growth and refinement change the way you respond to hardship or rejection?
Humility was one of the defining marks of Christ’s life.
What does humility look like in your relationships? Where might pride or self-importance be keeping you from reflecting Jesus’ servant heart?
Mercy is love in action.
Who in your life most needs to experience mercy from you right now . What would it look like to respond as Jesus did?
Forgiveness is one of the hardest ways to imitate Christ.
How can remembering the forgiveness you’ve received from God help you forgive others more freely and completely?
Becoming “fully trained” means a lifetime of transformation.
How can you keep your heart teachable and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work so that others may see more of Jesus in you each day?
My name is Michael Adkins. For several decades I’ve been studying Scripture, developing discipleship resources, and teaching others how to walk more closely with Christ. Currently, I serve as the Discipleship Pathway Leader at Riverside International Church in Cascais, Portugal, where my passion is helping believers grow into mature disciples who live out their faith in everyday life.