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Friday, June 8, 2018

Representing Jesus to Others

Hello everyone,

Eric writing this time - I wanted to take a moment and share with you an amazing lesson I learned from a class I am currently taking.  As some of you know I am currently enrolled in classes at Global University where I am studying Bible and Theology. I started taking these classes because of the work we are going to do in Somerset, England.  However, the lessons and personal growth I am experiencing from the course work has been just amazing for my daily walk with God and has been useful in situations I have encountered here as well.

I am currently studying Jesus' life and how He is represented, or how it was recorded, in the synoptic gospels (which include Matthew, Mark, and Luke). They are called the synoptic gospels because the three of them tell the story of Christ in a similar way but from different view points.

In studying, I found it fascinating that even though the different gospel authors each tell the same story they were impacted differently and highlighted how that transformed their lives. What impacted them the most or what they knew would impact their audience the most comes out in their writing.  While their differences has brought up many discussions between theologians they can be explained by looking at how each author would approach the subject being written about. Matthew and Mark would write differently since their original audiences were Jewish and Gentile, respectively, and would come from different backgrounds with different understanding.  While one author may focus more on setting his reader up to understand Jesus' ministry chronologically another would combine similar teaching so his reader would be able to focus on the bigger lessons that were taught.

Going into this course there were details about the gospels that I was aware of from other sermons, classes, and studies.  While I knew Mathew wrote to the Jews while Mark wrote to more of a Gentile audience; I didn't pay attention to how this affected their representation of the events they recorded.  I didn't realize how their backgrounds and their intention for writing changed what they viewed as important enough to be recorded. I want to be careful to make it clear, they were not sharing different gospels, all three wrote the same message or the same savior, they just emphasized what would be needed for their audience to understand that message.

This has all been a very interesting lesson as I sit in my quiet times and talk with God. I think about our future ministry in England and how we are going to reach this different culture. This means I need to be able to share the fundamental message of the gospel in away that illuminates the aspects their culture will understand and relate too.  Like the gospel writers I need to give an accurate representation of Christ while stressing the different factors, lessons, and prominent facts they would be able to easily grasp.  I think about how to best teach people who Jesus is and what His mission truly was.  When I talk with people do I included what is relevant to their situation or do I simply state the stories and verses I have rehearsed since childhood?

When Jesus taught, he approached people where they were at and used parables and comparisons that included situations and materials they would be familiar with. He used the every day life they knew to help explain the mystery of the kingdom He came to bring.  He taught faithfulness, grace, and the need for forgiveness through stories of farming, working for a boss, and owing a debt to a judge.  When He was teaching Jews he would use the scriptures and proverbs that they would have been familiar with and heard from other rabbis. When the author's of the gospels wrote they followed His example and used a language and methodology that their original readers would understand and connect with.  We should be doing this when we share the gospel, sharing God's love in truth but in  a way that people will understand.

As I stated above, sometimes having different view points recorded of the same event leads to disruptions and conflicts. For me it is interesting that the more I learn from the different views the more I am able to build a fuller picture of who God is.  Each gospel in its own way reflects the love and mercy of God that shines through the faithful and sacrificial ministry of His Son, Jesus. Each author shows the grace and forgiveness we are offered through the sacrifice of Christ's death that was required for our debt that we couldn't pay.  Their main focus, woven through out their story is God's desire to save us and restore the relationship that was lost so long ago.  The same focus that Jesus had when He taught His parables to the listening public.

How do you see Jesus?  Are you trying to share his love with others in your life?  Are you aware of His love but unaware of the passion and heart that He sowed into His time on earth? Or, are you trying to understand that His love and grace are there for you too. That like the original audience of the gospel you are invited to be a part of the family of God that Jesus so often talked about?
Do you see the Jesus that is represent in the the gospels, the view that has been collaborated through other sources, or the version that Hollywood has concocted through poorly done research?

I challenge you, no matter where you are at - to pick up one of the gospels. They all show Jesus and one of them is written in a way the will help you understand His journey on earth and His sacrifice for you.

God Bless,
Eric M.