In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of me. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it… He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
[John 1:1-5, 10-14]
He is Life, but we are certain only of dying.
He is Light, but in darkness we do not understand it. How can darkness comprehend that which is opposite, totally different?
He is the creator, but the created do not even recognize him. How can we understand, or even recognize, One with power beyond our comprehension?
He became flesh, and flesh we are. Flesh we understand.
To be understood, God himself came in the flesh of a baby. He ate, he slept, he played, and he obeyed his parents here on earth. He watched and learned what the days of a person were like.
He celebrated wedding joy and wept at the burden of disease, dismay, deceit, and death that humanity carried.
He, the holy God, saw evil and evil persons. He faced temptation and knew triumph over the worst-which was the best that Satan had to offer.
He had friends who loved him yet denied and betrayed him. He felt the sting of injustice, false accusations, and mockery, and he died under the rule of an oppressor.
He was completely involved with humankind. That is how we understand. His life is the Word, a Word spoken in the language of humanity, a Word that we can comprehend.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death…Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
[Hebrews 2:14-15, 18]
Jesus, the Christ, totally involved himself with human beings and thus communicated with humanity. In no other way could we comprehend. And it is because of his total involvement with humankind that he intercedes for us today. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15)
The foundation of our involvement in ministry is the life, death, and continuing life of Jesus Christ.
Paul was sent as an ambassador of this King, Jesus, and so sought clearly and honestly to represent that King in this world. His method was the same as that of the King- involvement so that everyone could understand.
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself and not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law… so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save someone.
[1 Corinthians 9:19-22]
No comments:
Post a Comment