The Life of Jesus: The Call of Jesus

People often wonder whether Jesus was born with the full capabilities of God or grew and learned as we humans do. The Scripture makes it clear that although Jesus was fully God—a member of the Trinity along with the Father and the Holy Spirit—He was also fully human. As such, He faced the same kinds of temptations that still tempt us today (Hebrews 4:15). By living a sinless life, Jesus showed us that sin can be overcome.

Hebrews 2:10 (LSB) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.

Because Jesus was human, He had to mature and grow in wisdom and knowledge until He was prepared to enact the Father’s will. Between Jesus’ conversation with the temple teachers at age twelve and the beginning of His public ministry at age thirty, the Father was forming His Son into the person we see in the Gospels.

To best understand how Jesus developed into the Savior we know from Scripture, we should take a look at His transition from the quiet, humble life of an unknown carpenter in Nazareth to the radical Teacher primarily in Capernium] whose words would turn the world upside down. By obeying the Father one step at a time, Jesus would accomplish what no one else could. He would bear the sin of all humanity, making a way for our communion with God to be restored.

January 24, 2024 The Life of Jesus (5) - The Call of Jesus

Wednesday

Watch Video

1. Rev. Jeremy Stein,MA talks about what the people of Jesus’ day were looking for in a Messiah. They had misconceptions. What about us? Who (what) are we looking for in the second return of Messiah? Are there any differences in the way Christians look at Jesus’ second coming today?

That there even will be a second coming seems in doubt amongst many Christians. They don’t see Him pouring out judgment during a Tribulation.

I guess they think He will arrive and throw a party and everyone saint and sinner alike, torturer, jailer, butcher and martyr all at one party.

It is NOT what I see in scriptures, but somehow they explain them all away:

Luke 19:26–27 (LSB) [at end of parable able “minas” or talents] ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 27 ‘But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.’”

Luke 20:15–18 (LSB) “So they threw him [the owner’s son] out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 “He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “May it never be!” 17 But when Jesus looked at them, He said, “What then is this that is written: ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone’? 18 “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

Revelation 5-18

Hebrews 9:27–28 (LSB) And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

2 Peter 3:10–13 (LSB) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, in which righteousness dwells.

2. Your thoughts about Rev. Stein’s remark: “People who knew Him best understood exactly what was happening…” and “The people who knew Jesus best struggled to understand the true call of Jesus.”

I see very little evidence that anyone — maybe least of all those closest to Him understood much of anything.

Read: Luke 4:16-30

Luke 4:16–30 (LSB) And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” 20 And He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all were speaking well of Him and marveling at the gracious words which were coming forth from His lips, and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” 23 And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard took place at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. 25 “But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land, 26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 “And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things, 29 and they stood up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the edge of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, He went on His way.

3. How does the message of forgiveness and the mercy God for our enemies play out in Christianity today?

Still doesn’t go over well.

4. Thoughts of Jesus as a “tekton” rather than a carpenter and that a “tekton’s” role would be to step in to interpret the Law if a rabbi was unavailable.

A weird thought.

Rev. Stein refers to Jeremiah 1:4-10.

Jeremiah 1:4–10 (LSB) Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the innermost parts I knew you, And before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I have given you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I do not know how to speak Because I am a youth.” 7 But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. 8 “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh. 9 Then Yahweh sent forth His hand and touched my mouth, and Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To uproot and to tear down, To cause to perish and to pull down, To build and to plant.”

In His omniscience, God knew the Israelites would divide into two kingdoms, their sin would drive them from the Promised Land, and they would once again need to hear a message of repentance. Therefore, He intentionally created Jeremiah and called him to fulfill a purpose far greater than he could imagine. Just as God’s plan was conceived before Jeremiah was, so God has long-standing plans for each of us. Your existence is not a mistake or a coincidence.

• What unique gifts or passions has God created you to carry?

Pray for God to reveal

• How might He be calling you to use those gifts to fulfill His will?

Pray for Holy Spirit to open eyes

Jesus’ call was unique. As the only human who never sinned, He was the only One who could redeem us. But like Jesus, His followers also are called to reconcile people to God.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:11–21.

2 Corinthians 5:11–21 (LSB) So then, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we have been made manifest to God; and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an opportunity to boast of us, so that you will have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind, it is for God, or if we are of right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died. 15 And He died for all, so that they who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their transgressions against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 So then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as God is pleading through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

• In what ways is God calling you to be His ambassador in your circles of influence?

Give examples

Politician

Blue-collar worker

Neighborhood

Clerical worker

Doctors’ offices

Walmart