Jesus as an adult
Jesus was born fully man and fully God. It’s a tough thing to comprehend. He was the son of God but he was born into this world a baby, just like any other human being.
He had a mother and a father. He had brothers and sisters. He lived in a “normal” family environment, as far as we can tell. He had to prepare to earn a living, and learnt the trade of his father, a carpenter. He grew up in a small town, called Nazareth, on the edge of the Sea of Galilee.
As Hugh spoke last week, we know little of his childhood, but what matters is that he came into this world as any other human being and he experienced all that any other human being of his generation and culture and environment would have done.
His parents will have known from the start that he was special but they will, I would imagine, have done as any other parents would, and try and treat each of their children the same. Treat them fairly and equally, intervene when there were fights or arguments, praise when praise was needed, and do all they could to help them find their own way in the world.
In Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3, we hear of Jesus being baptised by John in the river Jordan. It is our first introduction to Jesus as an adult. The last the bible spoke of him was when he was left behind in the temple as a twelve year old by his parents.
We have to assume that this glimpse in the temple of this adolescent boy was something that matured very quickly. During his ministry, Jesus was referred to as Rabbi, which was reserved for someone who really had a very special and deep understanding of the Pentateuch – the Old Testament.
We don’t know if John knew Jesus well or not before his baptism. We do know that their mothers were related and that the children were due at similar times, but how much contact they had is unclear.
What we can clearly see is that when Jesus turned up to be baptised by John, John had a full and total revelation as to who Jesus was. He knew him at that moment to be the Messiah, the one he had been telling people about.
John was a prophet like character, but more than a prophet, he had started a new practise. He was proclaiming and exercising a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
How did John know to speak of these things? In Luke 3, we can read of John hearing from God. John was God’s very special messenger and was indeed sent to prepare the way for the coming of and ministry of Jesus. God put the words in his heart.
John spoke of someone who would come after him who would baptise with not with water but with the Holy Spirit. This again, something totally new: The Holy Spirit is spoken of in the Old Testament but only on occasion and signifying the real presence of God.
When Jesus is baptised, his ministry starts. This man is transformed when the Holy Spirit comes upon him. He is commissioned by John and anointed by God the Father. His calling is realised. He heads to the desert for a period of preparation then gathers a new team and starts his journey
And just a side note, before we move further in our study – if you have not been baptised or confirmed, then please consider it. There is something tremendously powerful and spiritually significant in the event and the process of declaring personally to others that Jesus is Lord, of your life.
In the short time that I have this morning, what I want to do is pull just a few moments from Jesus’s adult life which might help us relate to him as a man, as a person, as someone who was fully human.
(1) Jesus was truly touched by the love of those around him.
(2) Jesus was hugely compassionate.
(3) Jesus found space and took time out when he needed it.
(4) Jesus was let down by his friends, but forgave them and rebuilt the relationships.
(5) Jesus talked with and prayed intimately to his Father.
Jesus was different to us, in that he was fully God as well as fully human. But he was able and did feel every emotion that we do and have done and will do. He is able to relate to us totally.
Understanding his own life on earth should help us connect with him. He is here for relationship with us. He can be as real to you and I as we each are to each other this morning.
But he is more honest, more compassionate, more caring, more loving, and knowing us each more intimately that any other person on earth.
So, my five examples:
(1) Jesus was truly touched by the love of those around him.
There is a touching incident spoken of in John 12. Lazarus has just been raised from the dead. Lazarus is the brother of one of Jesus’s close friends, Martha. Martha with Mary, were two sisters, who were part of Jesus’s ministry and close disciples from the beginning. Jesus was having supper with his close friends in the village of Bethany. He was with Lazarus, Martha, Mary and a number of the disciples. And Martha decides to start to treat Jesus’s feet with pure nard – a valuable and highly perfumed ointment. This was quite an extraordinary thing to do and really very intimate, especially in such a culture. Martha must have been so thankful that her brother was back, and she was moved to show love and care to Jesus.
Judas tried to spoil the moment by saying that the nard should be sold for the benefit of the poor, but Jesus dismissed that.
Isn’t it wonderful when people show us love. We all need that. Jesus truly appreciated the love that he was shown that evening in Bethany.
Perhaps you are thinking of someone just at this moment - someone who has sacrificially cared for you. Thank God for them.
(2) Jesus was hugely compassionate.
There is a story in Luke 7, where Jesus sees a man who had died being carried out of the town – out of the city gates, for burial most likely.
The mother was there, by the body, likely surrounded by wailing mourners. She was a widow and had now lost her only son. There was “a considerable crowd with her”
Verse 13, “when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her “Do not weep”.
The he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still.
And he said “Young man, I say to you, arise”, and the dead man stood up.
Now Jesus had the power to raise someone from the dead. We are unlikely to see such a healing before us. But as I read this story, I know he felt fully for that mother. And he acted.
Are you a compassionate person, or are you hard hearted? Is there someone on your mind now who you need to show love to. Why do we fail to act as quickly as Jesus does?
Who is it you need to care for? Who is it that you know needs support and help?
Write their name down, send your self an email. Don’t leave love undone. Allow yourself to feel and to act.
(3) Jesus found space and took time out when he needed it.
Jesus was constantly pursued by crowds. Reading through Matthew and Mark, he is overwhelmed time and time again.
Sometimes he heads up a mountain. Sometimes he gets into a boat. Sometimes he just heads into a house (although even then they manage to break through the roof!). But he makes sure to take time out. He steps away.
Maybe you today are feeling totally over-burdened. You are suffocating.
Learn from Jesus. He stepped away. He made time for himself. It wasn’t for long, but he just stopped doing for a while. He didn’t shout at people, he didn’t walk out on them. He just said, I need some time. He found a quiet place.
And he prayed. He listened. He was silent.
Too often, we try to find peace in action. We need to find peace in quiet.
(4) Jesus was let down by his friends, but forgave them and rebuilt the relationships.
In the Gethemane story, Jesus was in one of those quite places and praying before his arrest. He really needed to feel the support of his friends and disciples at that time but rather than pray for him and with him, they fell asleep.
“Could you not watch [tarry] with me one hour”, he asks. Matthew 26:40.
Jesus knew what was coming. He could see it as clear as day. He knew that Judas had gone off to make mischief. He knew trouble was coming. He wanted time to collect his thoughts. He wanted a moment of peace and for the Father to restore him. He wanted to feel the love of his friends, his disciples. He wanted them to pray for him. They fell asleep.
Maybe you feel let down now. Maybe you have felt totally let down in the past. Perhaps you feel you can’t rely on anybody ever again.
Jesus was let down, but he still knew that his friends did love him. And he asked the one closest to him to look after his mother once he had gone. Jesus was able to forgive and overlook the weakness of his friends and trust them again. It’s a lesson that we, with wisdom, need to embrace. Not all can be trusted but we each have our failings just as our best friends do.
(5) Jesus talked with and prayed intimately to his Father.
We are still in the garden and as he has asked his friends to wait and pray for him, Jesus talks to his Father, knowing that he approaches arrest and death. “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.” Matthew 26:39.
To me, this last episode, is one that most helps me connect with Jesus most. I sometimes see the words of hymns or songs that shout out complete surrender. Sometimes I feel that i am able to offer this to Jesus and sometimes, quite frankly, I struggle. I can’t sing the words.
Jesus himself found the way hard but his great comfort was knowing that his God was with him. He knew, at that moment in Gethsemane, that there was no other path than that of suffering but he also knew that there was something on the other side.
It’s not wrong to find the way difficult. Jesus admitted what he faced was difficult, but he walked the road because he knew it was the right path. He also knew his Father was with him (although he did feel totally abandoned at that one final moment on the cross).
What can we learn from Jesus’s life on earth as a human being that should be lessons for our own behaviour?
(1) When others want to show you love, then be gracious to receive it
(2) When you feel compassion for another, don’t ignore it. Respond. Love your neighbour.
(3) If you are finding everything just too much, don’t consider it failure, just seek God’s rest.
(4) if you are being let down by your friends, given them another chance. You are not an island and you are not perfect yourself
(5) In all things, know that you have a Father in heaven who is here now, and who you can talk to, whether in weakness or in strength, bring him into your life.
If nothing else after this talk, read of the time of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Sense the humanity of Jesus the man. But also see through this the total absolute trust that he had in his Father.
Amen.
Going deeper:
Of the different scenes in Jesus’s life, which one struck you/connected with most? Why do you think that was?
Is it good to feel compassion for people, and how is that different to pity?
What act of love do you think you need to take away and do, having listened to this talk?