Even before we were Christians we knew the stories of Jesus and I've been thinking how much we can take these familiar stories for granted but how awesome it must have been for his followers to see the miracles he performed and hear his radical teaching and they were probably quite surprised by his attitude to the traditions and religious leaders of the time.
A group of young men were so drawn to this older man that they left their jobs and their families to follow him - that in itself speaks volumes; and they were there at the beginning of his ministry when this carpenter turned water into wine which must have really made them think out of the box.
They watched as he drove out demons, fed thousands from a few scraps, still the storm and walk on water. They saw him heal the sick and lame, give renewed sight to the blind and speech to the mute and cleanse lepers. They had seen nothing like this before and they must have been awed by Jesus’ power.
This Rabbi's teaching was radical; love your enemies; forgive those who harm you; turn the other cheek; go the extra mile. His attitude to the law was condemned by the religious leaders and his attitude to the religious leaders turned them against him.
Some of his followers were privileged to witness his transfiguration and how mind blowing must that have been? They witnessed the vast crowds of people that were drawn to this rabbi with a difference who taught them the way of righteousness through parables and by his own example. These men were Jews and must have prayed in the traditional way for years but saw Jesus pray and asked him to teach them how to pray his way.
They were with him the night before he died, eating and drinking at the Passover meal after which they walked with him to a quiet place and fell asleep while their friend prayed. They witnessed his betrayal by a member of their own group and saw Jesus arrested and taken away. So dramatic but nothing on what was to come.
They felt bad because they had run away but must have known something of what was going on because Peter had stayed around and because it must have been the talk of the city. Then the sadness, grief and disappointment and the dashing of their hope when their teacher was crucified, they must have been at rock bottom.
But then the elation and the joy which knew no bounds when he appeared to them after he had risen. Mere words can't express how they must have felt then. And then the realisation of the responsibility for the work of spreading the good news and then the wonderment of the power and authority bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
We've read about all these things so many times that they have become part of us, lodged in our everyday minds but it's good to try to imagine it all from the perspective of those first followers, to try to see Jesus's ministry through their eyes in the hope that it may once again inspire fresh awe in us for this extraordinary man. And it all makes me wonder how awed by Jesus the Church is today.
A group of young men were so drawn to this older man that they left their jobs and their families to follow him - that in itself speaks volumes; and they were there at the beginning of his ministry when this carpenter turned water into wine which must have really made them think out of the box.
They watched as he drove out demons, fed thousands from a few scraps, still the storm and walk on water. They saw him heal the sick and lame, give renewed sight to the blind and speech to the mute and cleanse lepers. They had seen nothing like this before and they must have been awed by Jesus’ power.
This Rabbi's teaching was radical; love your enemies; forgive those who harm you; turn the other cheek; go the extra mile. His attitude to the law was condemned by the religious leaders and his attitude to the religious leaders turned them against him.
Some of his followers were privileged to witness his transfiguration and how mind blowing must that have been? They witnessed the vast crowds of people that were drawn to this rabbi with a difference who taught them the way of righteousness through parables and by his own example. These men were Jews and must have prayed in the traditional way for years but saw Jesus pray and asked him to teach them how to pray his way.
They were with him the night before he died, eating and drinking at the Passover meal after which they walked with him to a quiet place and fell asleep while their friend prayed. They witnessed his betrayal by a member of their own group and saw Jesus arrested and taken away. So dramatic but nothing on what was to come.
They felt bad because they had run away but must have known something of what was going on because Peter had stayed around and because it must have been the talk of the city. Then the sadness, grief and disappointment and the dashing of their hope when their teacher was crucified, they must have been at rock bottom.
But then the elation and the joy which knew no bounds when he appeared to them after he had risen. Mere words can't express how they must have felt then. And then the realisation of the responsibility for the work of spreading the good news and then the wonderment of the power and authority bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
We've read about all these things so many times that they have become part of us, lodged in our everyday minds but it's good to try to imagine it all from the perspective of those first followers, to try to see Jesus's ministry through their eyes in the hope that it may once again inspire fresh awe in us for this extraordinary man. And it all makes me wonder how awed by Jesus the Church is today.
