Seeing Jesus


When we look back on the life of Jesus it is difficult to not see Him through modern lenses.  Our perception is shaped by centuries of theology and decades of personal religion.  Yet, if we could imagine it, what would it have been like to experience Jesus during His lifetime?  The New Testament does a good job of painting the “life and times of Jesus” and helps us to understand how Jesus was perceived during His days on earth:
1.  Some people saw Jesus as a curiosity.  Here was a master teacher who had the ability to do miraculous signs (and if you happened to be there on the right day you might get a free meal out of the deal).  That had to have been worth the trip out of town to see Him!  Jesus’ uniqueness may have been viewed by some merely as a sideshow.
2.  Some people saw Jesus as a hero.  One of the basic claims of Jesus was that He was the Messiah – the Deliverer.  Whether the Jewish leadership wanted to admit it or not, they were an occupied people under the rule of the Roman government.  Some probably saw Jesus as a new version of Moses.  (I would imagine that these people probably had a real problem rationalizing His arrest and crucifixion.)
3.  Some people saw Jesus as a thorn (in their side).  The religious establishment had a real problem with Jesus.  He said that He came to fulfill their religion, but in their eyes He came to destroy their laws.  He was teaching something that limited their authority – and the people were listening to Him.  Anyone who has read the “rest of the story” understands that they were not content to just sit by and let things run their course.
4.  Some people saw Jesus as the Savior.  In spite of all the misunderstandings surrounding Jesus, there were some who got it.  John the Baptist would proclaim, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) and Peter would declare Him to be “The Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16).   Those who believed in Jesus (as He described Himself) didn’t get everything right, but they understood that He was the One who could and would change the world.
As we look back at the way the world viewed Jesus it is easy to be critical of some of their perceptions, but when we consider our world, our church and ourselves we might be humbled by what we see.  Do we truly believe that Jesus is the Heart, Soul and Head of His church?  Do our Bibles show more wear in the Epistles than they do in the Gospels?  Are we willing to set aside everything to make Jesus the Lord of our lives? 
Who is Jesus to us?  Maybe a more important question is who are we to Jesus – friend or foe?  His answer will determine our eternal future!

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