Jesus, The Model Man by Larry Sparks

Day Two of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional

“As the sample man, He is showing what kind of man He can make. He is the model man after which you and I are patterned.”

A.W. Tozer, Experiencing the Presence of God

I absolutely love Advent season. It reminds me of the two-fold purpose behind the incarnation—Jesus as Messiah, and Jesus as Model Man.

So often, we stop short of life-changing revelation because we are comfortable with tradition and familiar theology. We light our wreaths. We sing the carols. We buy tons of presents. We drink our pumpkin spice lattes. We hustle through all of the holiday traditions, but we miss the supernatural invitation of Advent.

Yes, we can strip the glorious theology of the Christmas season of its power to seriously upgrade our Christian lives because of our assumed familiarity with every ounce of doctrine concerning the first coming of Christ. It’s time to look upon Him again, exclaiming, What Child is this?

I’m quite satisfied in knowing that I am only scratching the surface of the Glorious God-Man called Jesus. That said, I believe there is considerable breakthrough available for you and I in studying the Advent journey, and it begins with recognizing what I just mentioned—that the message of Advent is two-fold. God came to Earth, yes indeed. But also, the Model Man came to Earth.

We are robbed of our purpose, mission and mandate in this world, in this life when we strip Jesus Christ of His humanity. Did you know that? Advent points us to the Messiah, who came, but also, gives us a glimpse of the lifestyle God ordained and willed for every single believer.

This is why I am sharing these twenty-four reflections with you. The subject is that important. I don’t believe this Christmas is going to pass us by without encounter and transformation. Make no mistake, the first Advent was packed with power. Pentecost was part of the first Advent.

Rather than praying for some new blessing from heaven, or crying out for spiritual outpouring, my challenge to you in the next twenty four days is simply this: Ask the Lord to help bring your Christian experience into complete agreement and alignment with every supernatural reality that Jesus made available to you.

Advent Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I invite you to bring me into a fresh encounter with the Person of Jesus this Advent season.

I worship Him as eternal God, but also ask You to open my eyes to the Anointed Man that He also was. I recognize that in Jesus, I have a clear picture of my purpose, my destiny, and my future.

In Jesus is the pattern for my life on Earth. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for making it possible for me to follow His model and re-present Him to the world.