A closer look at Jesus I ...

Tuesday, August 30, 2011. Let's have a closer look at Jesus. Many people like Jesus - even those who do not like the church at all. He seems to be different. Even 2000 years after his life on earth the fascination of his words and his behavior is unbroken.

Jesus in Action …

We can read about Jesus in the gospels. There are four gospels, one by Matthew, another one by Mark, one by Luke and then the gospel of John. All the gospels basically tell similar stories, though those of Matthew, Mark and Luke are very similar in the raw material they have used. They are called the synoptic (“syn = together, optic = view”) gospels. John tells the events from a slightly different perspective, with more focus on the speeches and talking which Jesus did.

In the gospels we see Jesus in action. He calls disciples into service. He is exposed to temptations. He gives speeches. He takes part in arguments with the religious leaders of his time. He heals the sick. He teaches his disciples. He is captured and executed.

Of course, the gospels talk about the actions of Jesus. But he is much less and much more than a hero. He is human. Forgiveness is his key topic. Peace with God is his key theme. He is searching for truth. He is searching for sincerity. He is longing for truthfulness, joy, humility in combination with courage.

God wants to be with us …

God wants to be with us. We find this theme again and again in the Old and New Testament. God is searching for a way to relate to humans. He is the creator, the father, the lover, the intimate spirit.

This all is strongly linked to Jesus. With and in Jesus God is carrying out his great plan, the plan of reconciliation. It is not a plan without conflicts. It is a plan with many conflicts, since truth and reconciliation is not a key goal of everyone. But Jesus is a key messenger of God's plan, and a key tool as well. He is the one who is chosen to be in the center of peace.

To learn more about Jesus, we need to read the New Testament. We need to read the gospels. We need to learn what he said and what he did. Then, we can learn to understand ourselves. We can relate to him ourselves. We can make up our own mind, learn to draw our own conclusions and start to believe in him! ... more texts