Jan. 12, 2003 - WHO IS JESUS
WHO IS JESUS?
PART ONE: THE MAN JESUS
Central United Church
Jan. 12/03
Text: “And when He came into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying: ‘Who is this Jesus?’”
Matthew 21:10
For twenty centuries, one figure, more than any other, has influenced the thinking and conscience of our world. Who is this Jesus?
As a college student working for the summer in Banff, I remember visiting a popular tourist site called ‘The Great Divide’, - it marked the point where water melting from the cold glacial streams of the mountains, divides. On one side of the divide, the water flows west toward the Pacific Ocean, - on the other it flows east to the Atlantic.
For a young student, it was awe inspiring to realize that I was standing on the very line where the waters divide.
But it’s not just in nature that there are watersheds. There are watersheds also in the history of humanity. And indisputably the most important of these watersheds – was the incarnation of Jesus Christ. At the point of His entry into life, world history divided. His birth changed the course and direction of our world’s history. Every event from the beginning of recorded time, is now dated with reference to His coming, - either before, or after; A.D. or B.C.
So who is this man – Jesus, who has had such a profound impact upon our world?
The central message of the Christian faith is – that the living God has, at one definitive point in time, broken into our history. In Jesus, God has come to dwell among us.
This is the belief upon which our faith is centered! It’s a startling statement. It’s particularly startling (and almost unbelievable) when you look at some of the facts of Jesus’ life. For who would have expected that a man:
Ø born in a stable, behind a roadside inn, in an obscure provincial village, of an unimportant part of the Roman Empire;
Ø who had neither wealth nor political power;
Ø who wrote no books, fought no battles;
Ø whose friends were mostly as poor and uninfluencial as He was.
Ø A man whom the intellectuals of His day, scoffed and belittled;
Ø who for awhile attracted the common people, - but who then was abandoned by them.
Ø A teacher whose closest followers deserted Him, when He needed them most; and
Ø One who died the death of a common criminal, upon a Cross; and was buried in a borrowed grave.
Who would have expected that a man like this, could have such a profound influence upon the course of history!
There is something startlingly different about this man. Something that the world didn’t appreciate until after He died. After His death, something strange and wonderful happened.
You see, death wasn’t the end of His story, - for the Gospel record states that three days after He was buried, - this man Jesus was seen alive. Not by one or two, - but by many witnesses.
And what was even stranger. That band of defeated, cowardly disciples, - who had initially hidden themselves for fear of being labeled ‘followers of Jesus’; - suddenly emerged from their hideout, and ran out onto the streets of Jerusalem, proclaiming their risen Lord.
And what a message they proclaimed. They declared that their eyes had been opened, - and they now realized that God had been uniquely present in Jesus’ life.
But what really made their message leap into the pages of history, was the fact that now - these disciples and followers of Jesus – were filled with a dynamic power, - the power of His Spirit; - a power so strong, and so contagious, - that it spread from one believer to another - to another.
The world at first scoffed. People accused them of being drunk.
These new Christians (followers of Christ) - were persecuted; - murdered, sometimes in the most horrible way. But nothing could stop them, - not even the mighty power of the Roman Empire. / / /
Who is this Jesus, - who has had such a profound influence upon His followers? - What do we know about Him?
Well, the first thing that leaps out of the Gospel record is – that above all else - Jesus was a human being. A man - just like any other man. Yet having made that statement we must add, - that He was also a man shrouded in mystery.
Let’s look at that mystery.
I THE MYSTERY OF HIS PERSONALITY
There is, for example the mystery of His personality. Jesus’ personality was extremely complex. - He was a man of many contradictions.
Ø On the one hand, - He was the humblest man that ever lived. He never sought the lime-light to glorify Himself. Yet, He boldly dared to say - that a day would come when He - (as the Son of Man) - would “come in the clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26)
Ø Jesus was a person so kind & approachable that little children gathered around Him (Matt. 19:13-15). Yet, in the presence of this man Jesus, - evil spirits cried out in fear. (Mark 1:27)
Ø He would forgive sinners - (such as the woman caught in adultery), (John 8:7) - yet at other times He spoke harsh, condemning words to the hypocritical Pharisees. (Luke 12:1)
Ø He was a servant - willing to wash the feet of His disciples (John 13:5); yet this same man dared to march into the Temple in Jerusalem (the most holy place in the land) and drive out the money changes, - accusing them of turning the House of Prayer into a den of thieves”. (Matt.21:13)
But probably the greatest mystery surrounding the personality of this man, is revealed in the fact that while He could save others in their time of need, when faced with His own crisis, - He refused to save Himself.
II THE MYSTERY OF HIS POWER
And so, there is the mystery of His personality. But there’s also - the mystery of His power. Think about it:-
Ø With a word, - He calmed the waters in a raging storm. (Matt. 8:26)
Ø With the touch of His hand, - He healed a leper. (Matt. 8:3)
Ø And with the turn of a phrase, - He silenced an angry crowd about to stone an adulterous woman. (John 8:7)
Yet by far the most potent example of His power, is seen in His ability to take an ugly symbol of torture – a wooden Cross, - and convert it into a shining symbol of faith, resurrection and hope.
And, what is most amazing, the power contained in this man Jesus – continues to inspire faith, devotion and commitment – in believers down through the ages.
III THE MYSTERY OF HIS RELEVANCE
As important as the mysteries of His personality and power may be, - it’s really the mystery of His relevance, - that stands out the most, - as we look at this Man Jesus from the vantage point of the twenty-first century.
Think about it. Here’s a person, who lived a quiet, peasant life, in rural Palestine; - worlds apart from the hectic, high-tech world we know. Yet His teaching is as relevant for us today, - as it was for the people of His day.
How can this be?
The answer, of course, is that Jesus’ addressed the human heart, - not the external condition of people’s lives. - And people have the same basic hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses; - the same passions and temptations, - in any age. The details may change over time, but the fundamental yearnings of the human soul remain the same. And Jesus spoke to these fundamentals.
Look at the way He responded to questions from His audience. He didn’t gave specific answers. – In stead, He turned questions back to the questioner – by using a story or an illustration - to illuminate the issue. But He always left the questioner with the responsibility for the final answer.
Ø “Who is my neighbour?” asked the lawyer. And Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10: 29-37)
Ø Challenged by the Pharisees for keeping company with tax collectors and sinners, - He told two parables, one about lost sheep, the other about the lost coins. (Luke 15:1-10)
Such was the nature of His teaching - that it’s timeless, - ever relevant.
CONCLUSION
So again, who is this Man - so shrouded in mystery?
The deeper answer to this question, - we’ll leave until next week, when we look at Jesus – as God in human form. But for the moment, let us concentrate upon getting one thing quite clear. Whatever else He may have been, - Jesus was truly and fully human.
That fact is fundamental to our understanding of what Jesus did – in His life, - His death - & His resurrection.
If Jesus were not fully human; if He were merely God in disguise, - then our whole understanding of redemption would crumble.
For Jesus’ death & resurrection to have any real meaning for you and me, - Jesus has to be fully human. - And it is just such a one - we find in the Gospels. For the Gospels reveal to us - a man who experienced the same kind of hardships, -the same temptations, - the same pains and sorrows - we experience. We see in the Gospels, - a man who knew exhaustion at the end of a long day; - who wept real tears at the death of His friend Lazarus; - who suffered real agony – agony beyond belief on the cross.
No, there is no doubt as to what the New Testament reveals. Here is a person whose humanity is unmistakable and real. He is “bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh”.
So let us make sure - that this understanding is clear in our minds. Let us, with Pilot, the Roman Governor who tried His case, - declare - “Behold the Man!” John 19:5.
For think of the consequences if, – in our minds, we think that Jesus is super-human. If such thoughts creep into our subconscious – then look what happens. We easily excuse our weaknesses, - our failures, - our inability to follow in Jesus’ steps, by simply saying, - “I could never do what Jesus did! He was the Son of God, - but I am only human!”
And once we have committed that error, we undermine all that Jesus was, and what He accomplished. We belittle the Good News of the Gospel, and excuse our own sinfulness.
But do you see! The Gospel record won’t let us do that. It repeatedly confronts us with the humanity of this man Jesus. So that when Jesus calls us to follow Him!” We have no excuse, - no reason why we can’t, - even though we may stumble and fall along the way. If Jesus could do it, - there is hope for us!
Of course, Jesus’ humanity is only half of the story. Next week we will explore the deeper issues of Jesus’ divinity, - as the mystery unfolds.