As I do some research on how the Early Church really started, I am quick to realize...controversies, personal agenda, and misunderstandings have always been a part of the Christian life...even from the beginning....
Yet, I already find myself wondering... how the message of Christ Jesus has made it here for us today...and what it means to be a Christian today...from the Day of Pentecost as described in Acts 2...to now...almost the year 2014 A.D.
How do I know it's the same original message? How do I know the teachings I have embraced are the same teachings Jesus spoke of when He was here...one of us?
Then..it seems a question has began to arise from within: "When Jesus was here on earth...was He considered a...nice guy?"
I have heard Jesus described in my lifetime with deep emotion...describing His love for me and how much I mean to Him. It almost seems it is necessary to have warm and fuzzy type feelings to grasp an appreciation of His love for us.
Sometimes I have found Him described to me as a type of "loving Grandpa", forgetting what I do wrong, and giving me "pretty things" to focus my attention on.
I read an article recently where Jesus is described as a "cup of coffee or brewed hot tea...it fills me up and keeps me warm all over."
And still others claim He wants us to be "nice to one another...look for the good in others...and be happy!"
My friendship with Him...isn't like that. He just doesn't relate with me...in those manners. The best way I can describe my relationship with Him...is through a quote of a man who also knew Him. He was a professional football (American) coach, and he was speaking about how he develops his players. When I read his statement, I thought..."Yea, that's more of the Jesus I know. He described his responsibility as a coach...to his players in this way: " A coach is someone...who tells you... what you don't want to hear, who has you see...what you don't want to see, so you can be...who you have always known...you could be!" The words of Tom Landry.
I think in today's society, we base our relationship with Christ Jesus...on how well He pleases us...how well He makes us happy...or how well He makes us feel good. And then I think...shouldn't it be the other way around?...and discover the depth of joy itself...in pleasing Him?...regardless of how we feel, or happy we might be, or having that warm and fuzzy feeling?
Ok...well before I give that thought anymore attention, I think once more..."Was Jesus considered a nice guy...when He was here..and became one of us?"
One of my favorite stories of Jesus is when He was 12 years old, and after the Passover...He stayed in Jerusalem instead of accompanying the group of folks that came from Nazareth...including His own mother and father...back to their village.
I have read numerous commentaries...from Jesus being disrespectful to His parents... to putting His religion before the concerns of His parents. Personally, I think the whole scenario is misunderstood.
First, I think Jesus had a great relationship with His parents...in particular His mother...Mary.
In Luke 2:40 it reads: " And the Child grew healthy and strong...and He was filled with wisdom...and the Grace of God was on Him."
I think Jesus grew up in a healthy environment...and His relationship to His parents was a healthy one as well. The close relationship between Jesus and Mary...is evident throughout the Gospels, and the Scriptures give no indications He had any problems with His earthly father, Joseph.
Yet...with that being said...Jesus and His mother Mary...had something special going on. I think they loved each other deeply, and neither one were afraid to express their feelings to one another...whether it seemed right ...or it may appear wrong.
In this case, the Scriptures say..."It was the custom of the family of Jesus to go to the Passover each year. Yet, this year was going to be a little different. Jesus was now 12 years old...the oldest child of their entire family...and the time had come for Him...a sign the time had come...He was beginning to enter...His young adulthood. In the Jewish community, this was also recognized as a time a boy becomes a man with the celebration of the Bar-Mitzvah.
So, the Passover had concluded, and everyone was returning home...well, except Jesus. He decided it was not quite time to go home. After all, the teachers of the Jewish Law had been pretty busy with The Passover celebrations, yet now...Jesus saw an opportunity to to do what He loved to do...discuss the meaning of the Scriptures.
Now, although it was the the family custom to return home...Jesus evaluated the situation and was going to take an opportune time to attend the discussions with the teachers of the Law. He had a passion for this...much like any of us. Any of us...go to great lengths to hear or see people or events that cater to our own passions...whether it be history, sports, or even a hobby we might have.
Now....Mary and Joseph left with their group to return to Nazareth. They did not "cling" to Christ Jesus...they let Him go to and fro as He well please..they just "assumed"...He would follow their custom...and come home along with the rest of the family.
So, it wasn't until approximately 4 to 5 days later...they found Him...doing what He loved to do...discussing the Scriptures with the Rabbis.
Now...here He is...the rest of the family had probably stayed with relatives on the journey returning to Nazareth, while Mary and Joseph had returned to Jerusalem, looking to and fro in Jerusalem...trying to find their eldest boy...for 3 days.
And then...it happened! They found Him!
And this is where it really gets good......
First, I think this was Jesus first time to the Passover. Although the Scriptures write it was the "custom" of Mary and Joseph...that doesn't mean they always brought the kids...including Jesus.
Second, I do not think Jesus went to the Temple at 12 years of age to teach, rather, He went there to learn...and ask questions in regard to His faith. I think He was so engrossed with His time there with the Teachers of the Law...He did not base His time there on time itself...not on the custom of Mary and Joseph staying for 7 days and then returning to Nazareth.
Third, I think when Mary and Joseph did locate Jesus...He was probably thinking the same thing His parents were...in other words: "I didn't leave you...you left Me."
I think Jesus totally loved and respected His earthly parents...and had no intention of causing them stress or anxiety...as He spoke to Mary and said: "I am in My Father's house....". And...He did leave with His parents...and took good care of them when returning to His home in Nazareth.
And the Scriptures say: "Mary treasured these things...in her heart..."
One final thought: Jesus referred to God as "My Father"....something no Jewish person would ever call...the God of Israel. This "love affair"...had already began......
Yet, I already find myself wondering... how the message of Christ Jesus has made it here for us today...and what it means to be a Christian today...from the Day of Pentecost as described in Acts 2...to now...almost the year 2014 A.D.
How do I know it's the same original message? How do I know the teachings I have embraced are the same teachings Jesus spoke of when He was here...one of us?
Then..it seems a question has began to arise from within: "When Jesus was here on earth...was He considered a...nice guy?"
I have heard Jesus described in my lifetime with deep emotion...describing His love for me and how much I mean to Him. It almost seems it is necessary to have warm and fuzzy type feelings to grasp an appreciation of His love for us.
Sometimes I have found Him described to me as a type of "loving Grandpa", forgetting what I do wrong, and giving me "pretty things" to focus my attention on.
I read an article recently where Jesus is described as a "cup of coffee or brewed hot tea...it fills me up and keeps me warm all over."
And still others claim He wants us to be "nice to one another...look for the good in others...and be happy!"
My friendship with Him...isn't like that. He just doesn't relate with me...in those manners. The best way I can describe my relationship with Him...is through a quote of a man who also knew Him. He was a professional football (American) coach, and he was speaking about how he develops his players. When I read his statement, I thought..."Yea, that's more of the Jesus I know. He described his responsibility as a coach...to his players in this way: " A coach is someone...who tells you... what you don't want to hear, who has you see...what you don't want to see, so you can be...who you have always known...you could be!" The words of Tom Landry.
I think in today's society, we base our relationship with Christ Jesus...on how well He pleases us...how well He makes us happy...or how well He makes us feel good. And then I think...shouldn't it be the other way around?...and discover the depth of joy itself...in pleasing Him?...regardless of how we feel, or happy we might be, or having that warm and fuzzy feeling?
Ok...well before I give that thought anymore attention, I think once more..."Was Jesus considered a nice guy...when He was here..and became one of us?"
One of my favorite stories of Jesus is when He was 12 years old, and after the Passover...He stayed in Jerusalem instead of accompanying the group of folks that came from Nazareth...including His own mother and father...back to their village.
I have read numerous commentaries...from Jesus being disrespectful to His parents... to putting His religion before the concerns of His parents. Personally, I think the whole scenario is misunderstood.
First, I think Jesus had a great relationship with His parents...in particular His mother...Mary.
In Luke 2:40 it reads: " And the Child grew healthy and strong...and He was filled with wisdom...and the Grace of God was on Him."
I think Jesus grew up in a healthy environment...and His relationship to His parents was a healthy one as well. The close relationship between Jesus and Mary...is evident throughout the Gospels, and the Scriptures give no indications He had any problems with His earthly father, Joseph.
Yet...with that being said...Jesus and His mother Mary...had something special going on. I think they loved each other deeply, and neither one were afraid to express their feelings to one another...whether it seemed right ...or it may appear wrong.
In this case, the Scriptures say..."It was the custom of the family of Jesus to go to the Passover each year. Yet, this year was going to be a little different. Jesus was now 12 years old...the oldest child of their entire family...and the time had come for Him...a sign the time had come...He was beginning to enter...His young adulthood. In the Jewish community, this was also recognized as a time a boy becomes a man with the celebration of the Bar-Mitzvah.
So, the Passover had concluded, and everyone was returning home...well, except Jesus. He decided it was not quite time to go home. After all, the teachers of the Jewish Law had been pretty busy with The Passover celebrations, yet now...Jesus saw an opportunity to to do what He loved to do...discuss the meaning of the Scriptures.
Now, although it was the the family custom to return home...Jesus evaluated the situation and was going to take an opportune time to attend the discussions with the teachers of the Law. He had a passion for this...much like any of us. Any of us...go to great lengths to hear or see people or events that cater to our own passions...whether it be history, sports, or even a hobby we might have.
Now....Mary and Joseph left with their group to return to Nazareth. They did not "cling" to Christ Jesus...they let Him go to and fro as He well please..they just "assumed"...He would follow their custom...and come home along with the rest of the family.
So, it wasn't until approximately 4 to 5 days later...they found Him...doing what He loved to do...discussing the Scriptures with the Rabbis.
Now...here He is...the rest of the family had probably stayed with relatives on the journey returning to Nazareth, while Mary and Joseph had returned to Jerusalem, looking to and fro in Jerusalem...trying to find their eldest boy...for 3 days.
And then...it happened! They found Him!
And this is where it really gets good......
First, I think this was Jesus first time to the Passover. Although the Scriptures write it was the "custom" of Mary and Joseph...that doesn't mean they always brought the kids...including Jesus.
Second, I do not think Jesus went to the Temple at 12 years of age to teach, rather, He went there to learn...and ask questions in regard to His faith. I think He was so engrossed with His time there with the Teachers of the Law...He did not base His time there on time itself...not on the custom of Mary and Joseph staying for 7 days and then returning to Nazareth.
Third, I think when Mary and Joseph did locate Jesus...He was probably thinking the same thing His parents were...in other words: "I didn't leave you...you left Me."
I think Jesus totally loved and respected His earthly parents...and had no intention of causing them stress or anxiety...as He spoke to Mary and said: "I am in My Father's house....". And...He did leave with His parents...and took good care of them when returning to His home in Nazareth.
And the Scriptures say: "Mary treasured these things...in her heart..."
One final thought: Jesus referred to God as "My Father"....something no Jewish person would ever call...the God of Israel. This "love affair"...had already began......
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