“John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me” (John 1:15).
TEXT — John 1:15-34
Message
Models are necessary to give guidance and direction to people in life. Therefore, it is common for young people to look up to other people, especially the successful in human endeavours, and pattern their lives after them. Sadly, not every ‘model’ can be followed as they are self-projecting in their approach to life rather than exuding positive influence. Their impact becomes negative with the capacity to mar the destiny of people who emulate their lifestyles.
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, fulfilled the Scriptures concerning him by bearing witness of Christ, the expected Messiah. His testimony was so convincing that the people, including the religious leaders of his day, enquired about him and his personality. In his response, John revealed his true identity, mission and ministry as prophesied by Isaiah.
John the Baptist spoke about the fullness of grace of God in Christ. He showed Him as the Source of truth, the eternal Son of God, and the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost. More interestingly, he revealed Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. With all humility, he submitted to the superiority and lordship of Christ over him. What a model of emulation for contemporary believers and ministers of the gospel!
Men, by nature, will project themselves without putting God first. “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6). Therefore, we must seek to project Christ above ourselves and proclaim Him everywhere we go. Whilst John the Baptist was a man of gracious character, Christ is the most outstanding and faultless Model. We should pattern our lives after Him and keep looking unto Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Thought for the day
Knowing Christ simply means modelling your life after Him.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
