Day 18 - The Model Christian
- Pastor b.Side
- May 17
- 3 min read
“It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” - John 1:27
Christian living is a confusing concept these days. There is much debate about what should be acceptable for Christians. As the world adopts a more liberal attitude in every regard, this way of thinking has also influenced the church, making Biblical faith very confusing for many people. What does a true Christian look like? We don’t need to create our own definition or speculate. We can simply turn to the scriptures to see how God addresses this issue Himself.
When John the Baptist was confronted by the Jewish religious leaders, they questioned him about his ministry and authority. As the son of a Levitical priest, the religious leaders knew who John was, yet they essentially asked, “Who do you think you are?” Why? He was telling the people to repent in preparation for the arrival of the Jewish Messiah, the Savior of the world, and they were offended by that. They inquired whether John was the reincarnation of Elijah or the Messiah. John plainly stated that he was not. However, he justified his conduct and ministry by referencing the scriptures, ultimately pointing to the One who WAS the Messiah.
“It is He who, coming after me…”
John identified himself as the forerunner to the Messiah prophesied in Isaiah 40:3. John was not the savior of the world; the One coming after him – Jesus of Nazareth - was the Messiah. John made sure to temper the authority of his ministry by explaining the eternal nature of Jesus. The text states that Jesus was “preferred” before John. This suggests that Jesus’ ministry was favored over John’s, which is true, but that’s not the full point John was making. The original text uses the Greek word “ginomai,” which means “to become” or “come into existence.” It’s not that Jesus was simply favored more than John, but that Jesus “came into existence” before John. This is a powerful statement since John was born six months before Jesus’ incarnation. John was describing Jesus’ eternal nature as God in the flesh!
“Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose…”
What does real Christianity look like? It resembles John the Baptist. John recognized the truth of who Jesus was and understood his place as His servant according to the Word of God. He didn’t flaunt that calling to elevate himself above others. Instead, he humbled himself to uplift the name and testimony of Jesus. Although John was highly privileged to fulfill God’s purposes through his ministry and witnessed incredible fruit from it, he thought very little of himself. John understood that he was beneath the position of a slave, not even worthy to remove the shoes of his Master. Jesus would later declare that John was the greatest prophet ever born. When the people of God comprehend who Jesus is- His transcendence and supreme authority as our Savior from sin, death, and hell- this is the attitude we should all adopt, especially when we remember that He exercises that authority to raise us up from the shame of our natural condition and connect us to the Father for His glory. That’s what makes Him so good!
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege You’ve granted us to serve Your purposes. None of us is worthy to do so, yet You deemed it good to equip us in this manner. Help us to serve You with the humility of John the Baptist, remembering the supreme power and goodness of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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