Modeling Christ Week 4
- Aug 5, 2024
- 5 min read
INTRODUCTION :
We are wrapping up our four week series today on Modeling Christ. Last week, we shifted our focus from personal spiritual growth to the reproduction of Christlikeness in others.
This week we are focusing on “The Why of Modeling Christ”. Modeling Christ is certainly not for the benefit of the Father. The focus on modeling has no personal benefit, unless it is for the purpose of accountability. So why then is imitating, reflecting, or modeling Christ an imperative for the believer?
The purpose for any “model” is the benefit of the observer. We are created in His image; and through His regeneration and His power, we have the unique privilege and purpose to be a means of reflecting who Christ is to those who may have very little idea of who God is and the change He can work in one’s life.
To “model Christ” is to reflect the image of the Father so that others can either: 1) come to know Him personally; or 2)see the image of the One whom they are to imitate.
In either instance, the effect is profound upon the observer. The question then is, “How do I as a disciple model Christ in a way that will draw others to Him and to be like Him?” We referred to this concept last week as being a Contagious Christian.
Let’s start today in 2nd Corinthians…
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 says, You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Paul uses a metaphor to describe the believers in Corinth as a “letter” from Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, and not on tablets of stone but on human hearts.
The Believer’s Bible Commentary writes it this way…”The Corinthians themselves were Paul’s epistle, written in his heart but known and read by all men. In his case there was no need for a letter written with pen and ink. They were the fruit of his ministry, and they were enshrined in his affections. Not only that, but they were known and read by all men in the sense that their conversion was a well-known fact in the whole area. People realized that a change had come over these people, that they had turned to God from idols, and that they were now living separated lives. They were the evidence of Paul’s divine ministry.”
Three Big Takeaways in these verses..
Living Letters: Paul emphasizes that the believers themselves are like letters of recommendation, showcasing the impact of his ministry. Their transformed lives are a testament to the work of Christ through Paul.
Our lives are to be a living testament of Christ himself. They are also a recommendation of those we learn from. Just as players on a team wear a uniform and represent that team through their talent and sportsmanship, we too wear a uniform. We are to wear it well.
Written on Hearts: Unlike the Old Testament law, which was written on stone tablets, the new covenant is written on the hearts of believers by the Spirit. This signifies a more intimate and internalized relationship with God.
The stone tablets on which the law of Moses was written were kept in the Ark of the Covenant:
Exodus 31:18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
Now, because of Jesus, we ARE the temple in which the new covenant dwells - Remember this verse from a month or so ago?
1 Corinthians 6:19 says “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own”
Visible to All: The lives of the believers are visible to everyone, serving as a witness to the transformative power of the Gospel. This public testimony is crucial for spreading the message of Christ.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. “
CONCLUSION:
To reference the Believer’s Bible Commentary once more it says…”the Corinthians were Paul’s letter of recommendation because it was clear to all that the Lord had done a work of grace in their lives. They were obviously Christians. Since Paul had been the human instrument in bringing them to the Lord, they were his credentials. This is the thought in the expression ministered by us. The Lord Jesus is the One who had done the work in their lives, but He did it through the ministry of Paul.
As Paul contrasted tablets of stone and tablets that are hearts of flesh, there is little doubt that he also had in mind the difference between the law and the gospel. The law had, of course, been inscribed on tablets of stone on Mount Sinai, but under the gospel, God secures obedience through the message of grace and love that is written in human hearts. Paul will take up this subject in greater detail shortly, so he merely alludes to it here.”
Just as Paul, we can validate Christ to others with our walk. Our lives should be evidence that we are disciples of Christ. We cannot just put on these attributes occasionally, or model them for a day and then return our self-centered ways. The most powerful role models are those that live out what they believe authentically. We too can become these types of role-models, but only through the transforming love and power of the Holy Spirit. If we are struggling with how we are modeling Christ, the first place we look is to our own hearts. We cannot bring others into the family of God through pretending. We are now living an inside-out kind of life- meaning we change on the inside so that the outside reflects the truth of that change.
We then become letters of recommendation and the fruit ministry. Let's read our main verse again…
You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Thoughts/Questions To Consider:
What are the different areas of your life that you can model Christ?
What ways can you model Christ in your home? Community?
What are some things that might hold you back from modeling Christlikeness to others? How could you overcome that?
As we close today, who are the letters of recommendation that Jesus has given to you? Think about that this week.
Today’s Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Exodus 31:18
1 Corinthians 6:19
Matthew 5:14-16