The Person of Jesus

A major trait of almost all human beings is that we love to argue. Some of us argue because we want to be, or “know,” we are always right. Some of us love to argue because it’s fun, or just to stir things up. For the past two thousand plus years we have continually argued about “who is Jesus.”

In 325 CE, the emperor Constantine called the bishops together in Nicea and charged them to figure it out: “is Jesus God, or is he human? Is he fully God or fully human, or something in between. After weeks or months of discussion (arguing?), and as rumor has it, a few fist fights and a night or two in jail for some of the bishops, they found an answer: “yes, Jesus is both fully God and fully human.” As Christians in the twenty-first century, we believe that Jesus will be known “in the sky by and by, but can he be known as and loved as a human being.

The Gospel of Luke (24:13-17) states, “two of Jesus’ followers meet Jesus after the crucifixion and resurrection as they were walking the road home to Emmaus.” Cleopas and, if the Mosaics in the Jerusalem Chapel at the National Cathedral are correct, his wife or sister are heading home discussing the events of the weekend when Jesus appears to them and ask what they are concerned about. Though they failed to recognize Jesus as they focused on their own doubts and fears, he was a real person to them. He listened to their concerns, feeling their pain and showing compassion for them. Jesus, as a real person, felt their frustrations, disappointments, hopes and fears. This is what real people do. As Jesus shared a meal with the couple and broke bread, they recognized him as their Lord and as a fellow traveler.

Do we, the church today, at times walk with Jesus and fail to recognize him? Do we remain absorbed in ourselves as did the disciples on the Emmaus Road? Years ago and in a church far away, I learned a lesson about giving up our wills to Jesus’ will. Construction in the Nave/Sanctuary had destroyed the women’s meeting room downstairs. As the church discussed the repair of the meeting room, a woman in her 80’s spoke up: “we do not need another meeting room for those of us who are older. We need a nursery for the children of young families, or we will die as a church.” She truly was walking with Jesus and recognized him and knew him as a person, and heard his call. And the church built a nursery.

Jesus became a “real” person to the disciples on the road when they poured out their hearts to him and invited him into their lives. If Jesus is to become real to us, and not just a spirit we will meet “in the sky by and by,” we too must be willing to share our lives with him. When we do this, we see Jesus as a real person, who cares about our lives in this world as well as our salvation. As the old song in the Cokesbury Hymnal of my youth proclaims:

We serve a risen savior, his in the world today, I know that he is living, whatever men my say. I see his hand of mercy I hear his voice of cheer and just the time I need him, he’s always near. He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along lives narrow way. He lives, he lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know he lives. He lives within my heart. (Alfred Ackley, 1933)

As Jesus becomes more and more real to us, the barriers that separate us from God are torn down. We can approach him and share our lives with him. Jesus knocks on the door to our hearts and waits for us to invite him into our lives. Today and everyday!

           

Answers are the Easy Things

I love the exciting and challenging story of Jesus’ first post resurrection encounter with the disciples, all but Thomas, and of Thomas’ (legitimate) doubts. (John 20:19-31) I believe “Doubting” Thomas gets a bad rap. I suspect that until Jesus breathed on the other 10 and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” that they were at least a wee bit skeptical. I am pretty sure my reaction would have been similar to Thomas’, proclaiming that “until I put my fingers in the holes in his hand and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” As we know from scripture, when offered the opportunity, Thomas simply proclaimed, “my Lord and my God.” Maybe doubt is as important as belief in our Journey with Jesus.

Another doubter, someone I will call “Doubting Dennis,” holds an important place in my heart. Many years ago, Dennis came to my study almost in tears. I asked him to “tell me what was going on.” He told me that “he was afraid he was going to hell because he could not believe all the Bible Stories some of his friends believe with such certainty.” As we talked we shared some of the stories that made believing difficult for both of us: why would God harden Pharaohs heart? Why does God create man and woman at the same time and then one chapter later create Eve from Adam’s rib? People can walk on water without sinking, really, do dead people really return to life? We could go on, but you get the point. We talked about these things and the possibility that parts of the Bible are efforts of the writers to explain to themselves and others the experiences of God in their lives.

The Bible is the foundational book (Library actually) of our faith, containing many stories, teachings and hymns that strengthen our faith. It also contains stories that can cause doubts in some of us. The Bible answers many questions, and those answers often lead to more questions. As singer, songwriter, Jimmy Buffett once sang, “Answers are the easy part, questions raise the doubts.”

As a Christian who has had both strong faith and strong doubts, I went to seminary to find “the answers” and a simple, understandable faith. What I found were more questions and a life-giving faith

Our faith is challenged not only by some of what we read in the bible, but by events in the world and in our lives: untimely deaths of loved ones, sadness, depression, storms, earthquakes and other natural disasters that shake up or lives and shake the foundations of our faith. In times like these I often find myself praying the prayer of the father who brought his son to Jesus to be healed (recorded in Mark 9:14-25). “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.”

I still have doubts, but my faith is strengthened through regular worship with a Christian Community as we read and study the scriptures together and as we are joined with Christ and one another by receiving Holy Communion. I have learned not to be afraid of my doubts and questions but to see them as opportunities to grow in grace. As we travel this journey with Jesus together, may we with Thomas proclaim, “My Lord and My God.”