The Model

A young ambitious sort of boy asked one of his teacher’s if he could borrow their cell to make a quick phone call. The teacher obliged, assuming he was going to call a parent, and stood nearby to safe-guard both the boy and the phone. “Hello, Dr. Anderson. I’m seeking to earn a few dollars for camp and was wondering if you needed a boy to mow grass and maybe run some errands for you? Oh, you already have a boy? Are you completely satisfied with the boy you have? Okay then, good-bye Doctor.” As the boy thanked his teacher while returning the cell phone, the teacher said, “Just a minute son. If you’re looking for work I could use a boy like you.” The boy replied, “Thank-you, but I have a job already.” The teacher queried, “Didn’t I just hear you trying to get a job from Dr. Anderson?” “Oh, that,” said the lad, “no, you see I’m the boy who works for Dr. Anderson. I was just checking up on myself.” Not a bad idea for all of us to perform.

[2 Corinthians 13:1-10] “...Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves...” A young preacher was shaking hands with members as they filed out after worship. One lady told him as she passed by, “Young man, you are a model preacher.” He felt really good about this. But his self-esteem and preacher’s pride took a serious hit when he got home and looked in the dictionary under “model” and read the definition: “a small imitation of the real thing.” Mankind (man and woman alike, hereto referred to in the masculine form) today is a magnificent creature. He possesses faculties and capacities which places him far above all other living creatures. Endowed with free moral choice, man can reason, plan, think and create. He is possessed by a powerful drive to question, learn, explore and discover. He has developed knowledge, skills and technology that have enabled him to accomplish amazing things. He harnesses the power of the sun, wind and water to improve life. He has developed brilliant and astonishing medical knowledge and techniques. Communication technologies not heard of a generation ago now makes possible wireless and instantaneous communication with anyone anywhere on the earth. Man can access an almost unlimited amount of information on practically any question or subject thanks to the internet. He has been to the moon and now has his eyes on Mars and beyond. He builds roads, bridges, buildings and dams that are breathtaking in scope. He builds cars, planes and trains whose beauty, comfort and efficiency are a tribute to his creative genius. On top of all this he paints, sings and produces magnificent works of art, music and drama that touch and stir the heart making us laugh, cry, hate and love. No one can deny man is a magnificent creature. But man is a small imitation of the real thing God originally created him to be; made in the image of God to have dominion over all creation (Genesis 1-2). Sin marred the model man and man is unable to fix himself. In spite of intellectual, academic and technological magnificence - war, hatred and crime dominate the headlines. The gift of human sexuality is expressed in ways that pervert the Creator’s plan. TV and the internet are saturated with vulgarity and pornography. People lust, lie, steal, kill, deceive, divorce, grumble, gamble, grab, hate and hurt others to get what they want or enact revenge. As a result there is death. Sin has indeed marred man’s magnificence. Is there no hope to restore man’s glory? With God’s help there is! Jesus is the answer (Hebrews 2:5-18), “...Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Jesus: n. Savior (to save us from ourselves).