WHO IS JESUS?

WHO IS JESUS?

It all started when they came to their local San Clemente beach to see a longtime friend get baptized by his dad and me. I can see their two beautiful young faces so clearly in my mind . . . one dark, the other light; one had a strong football build, the other a tall, lean volleyball build; one has grown up in a Hindu household, the other a family who didn’t talk too much about God, didn’t believe in church either. Both were curious high school students, coming to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, anxious to fill in the blanks about Christianity.

They had heard several personal God stories, and they wanted answers for themselves: ‘Who is this Jesus Christ people are talking about? Who is Jesus Christ?’ One said, ‘No, who was Jesus Christ?’ See, he wanted to hear about Jesus’ life on earth; he did not grow up hearing the stories of Jesus.

Today I have another young man’s face in my mind. Shiva is wise beyond his 12 years, with sparkling eyes, and interested in learning about Jesus. He recently brought his new Bible to school to read during free reading time. I ran into him at a high school soccer game last night, and we talked about where it might be best for him to start reading. ‘Well your mom will be reading Matthew, but Mark might be a little easier for you. Start there, Shiva, in the gospel of Mark, and you will learn a lot about Jesus.’ He gave me his sideways, shy grin and said okay, he would.

The question itself is a tricky one—‘Who is Jesus?’ Or if you have never looked at it much for yourself, perhaps you need to start with the question, ‘Who was Jesus?’ Why would Jesus come to earth with the express purpose of dying?

The further I go into a position piece about Jesus, maybe it becomes ‘Why Christianity?’ rather than ‘Who is Jesus?’ I guess these questions are two sides of the same coin. To study the life of this sinless human being is to realize there is something far greater at work than just coming up with satisfactory answers; and that something is critically important.

So, who WAS Jesus? He was begotten, not made. He already existed, has always been, along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. At the right time in history, Jesus willingly took on the flesh of a Jewish baby, born to royalty as befitting a King … NO! Jesus was born to a peasant maiden, a virgin, from a back country town, Nazareth.

Jesus was born in satin-y splendor with many attending he and his young mother--with her own mother, mopping her brow and holding her hand … NO! ‘Born far from little Nazareth, away from Mary’s home, without the help of her mother … at a time when the census workers did not go door to door, but when all had to go to the city of their lineage to register. For Mary’s betrothed, Joseph, that meant traveling to Bethlehem, because he was of the line of King David. It was at least a three-day trip from Nazareth, at a time when Mary was close to delivering her holy child.

We do not know much about Jesus’ childhood, though we know that Mary and Joseph knew the Messiah was growing up in their home, eating at their table. They raised Jesus like other Jewish children, steeped in the Scriptures, the religious observances and feasts, and equipped him in Joseph’s carpentry trade.

Jesus began his ministry at the age of 30, recruiting 12 men to work alongside; he would mature and mentor them, and one day, leave his work for them to take to the world. The disciples looked on as Jesus taught of his Father and of the kingdom, which would have no end. They watched as Jesus broke the social mores of his day, extending himself to a Samaritan—reviled and hated by his people—to women, who were viewed as second-class citizens at best—to children, who he loved and embraced, like Shiva. He offended the pious Pharisaical Jews healing on the Sabbath; he broke the laws of nature by working miracles, casting out demons, and restoring sight to the blind. Neither the Jewish teachers nor the Roman leaders could figure him out, and they certainly could not contain him. Jesus was at home with sinners and people of ill repute, dining with crooked tax collectors and loose women. His love drew them to holiness, as he modeled a better way, taught by example in word and in deed.

Jesus knew his strength lie in his connection with his Father, so he met alone to pray, to connect, and to seek direction. He said and did only what his father had him do; he did not execute his own will, but rather his Father’s plan and purposes.

Ultimately, he allowed himself to suffer and die, without defending himself . . . for you, for me, for Shiva. That’s who Jesus was, and is, and wants to be to you.

Christine
PastorWoman.com

P.S. - Take a few minutes and write out WHO JESUS IS to you.