With the growing egocentric and entitled mentality that is spreading throughout humanity (and creeping into our families and the Lord’s church), we would do well to go back and meditate on the words of the great John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said, “there has not risen one greater” (Matt. 11:11). This forerunner of Jesus—of whom the Holy Spirit prophesied hundreds of years before his birth that he would prepare the way for the Lord (Matt. 3:3; Isa. 40:3)—proclaimed of Jesus, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose” (Mark 1:7).
How lowly must one be to not even be worthy to “loose” the sandal strap of another or even to “carry” it (Matt. 3:11)? Interestingly, there are not many details found in all four gospel accounts, but this statement from John the Baptist is recorded by each of the gospel penmen (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16; John 1:27). What should that tell us about the significance of this admission?
The words perhaps remind us of the centurion in Capernaum, who said to Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You” (Luke 7:6-7). Here was a Gentile military officer, who was captain over one hundred Roman soldiers, and yet, he did not deem himself worthy to even be in the presence of Jesus.
Sometimes we start to “think more highly” of ourselves than we “ought to think” (Rom. 12:3), and we need to be reminded that in our relationship with Christ, there is only One who is worthy! The entire host of heaven (“many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,” Rev. 5:11) are continually shouting around the heavenly throne (as if with a “megaphone”), “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12). Do we remember that the Lamb “was slain” for us? Do we realize how unworthy we are of His love, His care, His attention, His blood, His promises?
Before we begin to think that we are entitled to the blessings that we have in Christ, let us remember that we were once like that prodigal in Luke 15. When he finally “came to himself” (as you and I once did), he got up, went to his father and humbly said, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (15:18-21). No, we are not worthy either! But, thanks be to God that He does not measure our worthiness in the way that we deserve but through the prism of His love! Truly, He is worthy of all praise, honor and service we can give to Him!
-David Sproule
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