Down and Dirty

“the second living creature was like an ox”
(Revelation 4:7)

As we open the pages to the Gospel of Mark, we notice something immediately. There is no Genealogy. No nativity narrative, no miraculous birth, no reference to Bethlehem, or adoration of the wise men, as in Matthew’s Gospel. There is no childhood appearance at the Temple in Jerusalem, no childhood at Nazareth, no subjection to His parents, no increase in wisdom and stature, as in Luke’s Gospel. In fact, there seems to be absolutely no interest in Jesus’ pedigree or royal lineage. There is no reference to His pre-existence and Divine glory, as in John’s Gospel. No, none of these things are of primal interest to Mark. Mark has no time for lengthy discourse like that of Matthew or Luke, there is too much to be done, or rather too much to be written about what Jesus has done.
The Gospel of Mark is more like “a shooting script, a graphic perspective of eyewitnesses: names, times, numbers, locations.” It is the
Gospel of vividness. “Graphic, striking phrases occur frequently to allow the reader to form a mental picture of the scene described. It is the Gospel of action, moving rapidly from one scene to another. The Gospel of Mark is like a motion picture of the life of Jesus. Mark’s frequent use of the Greek imperfect tense, denoting continuous action, also moves the narrative at a rapid pace.” It is believed that Mark wrote down the contents of this Gospel as it was dictated to him by Peter. Peter was a man of action, and as such, the portrait that we are presented with consistently and thoroughly throughout this Gospel is that of Jesus, a man of action, a man of service, a beast of burden, i.e. the ox.

As Mark puts his brush to the canvas, he begins by painting Jesus and the importunity of service. The scene opens on the riverbank of the Jordan, to capture the motivation of all that is about to be played out before us. As the lights come up on the stage, we hear t

Distinctively Luke

There are a number of things that are distinctively apart of Luke’s Gospel that are worth noting. All of these distinctions are intricately consistent with angle Luke is presenting of Jesus and the audience he is addressing. Though there are many more distinctions that could be noted, we will only focus one aspect of them.

Luke is writing primarily to a Gentile audience, and as such he goes to great lengths to emphasis various features of this task. Here in Luke’s Gospel alone do we have allusion to “the times of the Gentiles;” here alone do we read of “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (21:24). Here alone, in the telling of the parable of the fig tree, is the fig-tree (Israel) seen with “all the trees” (21:29). Here alone is the place of crucifixion called by its Gentile name, “Calvary” (23:33), whereas in the other Gospels, its called Golgotha. Here alone is the dying criminal seen as saved by grace (23:39-43). Here alone, in the Garden, on the Mount of Olives, as He was in agony and prayer do we read of the angel who appeared “to Him from heaven, strengthening Him” (22:43). Luke is a master storyteller. So it is that as His narrative begins to turn the corner, reach the apex of tension, just before the climax and beyond does He reiterate that Jesus is truly Man, thus in need of receiving the angelic ministry. In the same vein, here alone do we read that “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (23:44). Here alone does He say to the betrayer, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (23:48). Here alone does the Centurion (a Gentile military commander) say, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” (23:47). Here alone on the cross does the Lord as a Man “commit His spirit” (23:46). And it was here, after His resurrection that He eats with the disciples, verifying His manhood by partaking of “a piece of broiled fish and some honey-comb” (24:42). All of these are consistent and illustrative of the distinct portrait of the Lord being presented to us by Luke.

Portraits of Jesus




Hope of Freedom
Born in a stable 
His mother a virgin 
He was raised in a carpenter shop
His parents were poor
His people were slaves
His friends were a lowly lot
His chances in life are very slim
He’s expected to be a slave
But people in darkness
Saw light in Him and hope of freedom He gave.
Source Unknown

Just Call Me Jesus

“God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.”
(Philippians 2:9)

“Many of the names in the Bible,” writes Max Lucado “refer to our Lord are nothing less than palatial and august: Son of God, The Lamb of God, The Light of the World, The Resurrection and the Life, The Bright and Morning Star, He that Should Come, Alpha and Omega.” Lucado continues,

They are phrases that stretch the boundaries of human language in an effort to capture the uncapturable, the grandeur of God. And try as they might to draw as near as they may, they always fall short. Hearing them is somewhat like hearing a Salvation Army Christmas band on the street corner play Handel’s Messiah. Good try, but it doesn’t work The message is too majestic for the medium.

And such it is with language. The phrase “There are no words to express. . .“ is really the only one that can honestly be applied to God. No names do him justice.

But there is one name which recalls a quality of the Master that bewildered and compelled those who knew him. It reveals a side of him that, when recognized, is enough to make you fall on your face.

It is not too small, nor is it too grand. It is a name that fits like the shoe fit Cinderella’s foot.

Jesus.

In the gospels it’s his most common name— used almost six hundred times. And a common name it was. Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, Jeshua, and Jehoshua— all familiar Old Testament names. There were at least five high priests known as Jesus. The writings of the historian Josephus refer to about twenty people called Jesus. The New Testament speaks of Jesus Justus, the friend of Paul, and the sorcerer of Paphos is called Bar-Jesus. Some manuscripts give Jesus as the first name of Barabbas. “Which would you like me to release to you—Jesus Barabbas or Jesus called the Messiah?”

What’s the point? Jesus could have been a “Joe.” If Jesus came today, his name might have been John or Bob or Jim. Were he here today, it is doubtful he would distance himself with a lofty name like Reverend Holiness Angelic Divinity III. No, when God chose the name his son would carry, he chose a human name. He chose a name so typical that it would appear two or three times on any given class roll.

“The Word became flesh,” John said, in other words.

He was touchable, approachable, reachable. And, what’s more, he was ordinary If he were here today you probably wouldn’t notice him as he walked through a shopping mall. He wouldn’t turn heads by the clothes he wore or the jewelry he flashed.

“Just call me Jesus,” you can almost hear him say. He was the kind of fellow you’d invite to watch the Rams-Giants game at your house. He’d wrestle on the floor with your
kids, doze on your couch, and cook steaks on your grill. He’d laugh at your jokes and tell a few of his own. And when you spoke, he’d listen to you as if he had all the time in eternity.

And one thing’s for sure, you’d invite him back.

It is worth noting that those who knew him best remembered him as Jesus. The titles Jesus Christ and Lord Jesus are seen only six times. Those who walked with him remembered him not with a title or designation, but with a name—Jesus.

Think about the implications. When God chose to reveal himself to mankind, what medium did he use? A book? No, that was secondary A church? No. That was consequential. A moral code? No. To limit God’s revelation to a cold list of do’s and don’ts is as tragic as looking at a Colorado road map and saying that you’d seen the Rockies.

When God chose to reveal himself, he did so (surprise of surprises) through a human body. The tongue that called forth the dead was a human one. The hand that touched the leper had dirt under its nails. The feet upon which the woman wept were callused and dusty. And his tears. . . oh, don’t miss the tears. . they came from a heart as broken as yours or mine ever has been.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.”

So, people came to him. My, how they came to him! They came at night; they touched him as he walked down the street; they followed him around the sea; they invited him into their homes and placed their children at his feet. Why? Because he refused to be a statue in a cathedral or a priest in an elevated pulpit. He chose instead to be Jesus.

There is not a hint of one person who was afraid to draw near him. There were those who mocked him. There were those who were envious of him. There were those who misunderstood him. There were those who revered him. But there was not one person who considered him too holy, too divine, or too celestial to touch. There was not one person who was reluctant to approach him for fear of being rejected.
Remember that.

Remember that the next time you find yourself amazed at your own failures. Or the next time acidic accusations bum holes in your soul. Or the next time you see a cold cathedral or hear a lifeless liturgy. Remember. It is man who creates the distance. It is Jesus who builds the bridge.

“Just call me Jesus.”

Portraits of Jesus



“There was not one person _who considered him too holy,_ too divine, or too celestial to touch._ There was not one person who was reluctant to approach him for fear of being rejected.”_Max Lucado, God Came Near




For what reasons did people approach Jesus? What were people’s reactions to him?


How Christ-like and approachable are you? to your children? your mate? your co-workers? strangers that you meet daily? those less fortunate than you? those who are “lower on the social ladder”? What could you do to make yourself more approachable?

Sympathizing Savior

“For we do not have a High Priest 
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, 
but was in all points tempted as we are, 
yet without sin.” 
(Hebrews 4:15)

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign.

"How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked.

The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50."

The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can I please look at them?"

The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?"

The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy."

The store owner said, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for."

The store owner countered, "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies."

To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"

In addition to the examples we’ve seen the last couple of days, Luke is very intentional in his recording of circumstances that are particularly illustrative of the human sympathies of Jesus, not given in the other Gospels. The following are a few instances of such sympathies:

There is the scene with the widow of Nain (7:11-16), which is particular to Luke’s Gospel. In this transaction, Luke “notes some particulars which would naturally affect a tender human heart,” writes Andrew Jukes. “The young man who had died was ‘the only son of his mother,’ and ‘she was a widow;” for human sorrows and affections here are all noted. Then when Jesus saw her, ‘He had compassion on her;’ and when He had raised the youth, ‘He delivered him to his mother,’ as One, who having known a mother’s love, could truly feel with her.”

There are a number of instances that appear in Luke’s Gospel as well as in the other Gospels. However, Luke often inserts just a word or two of difference, and by doing so touches a human cord. All of which, is consistent to Luke’s overall motivation of presenting to us Jesus as a man. For example, the incident with Jarius’ daughter. Luke alone pulls the reader deep into the emotion of the father by letting us know that she was his “only” child (8:42). In another place, a father comes to Jesus and only Luke records the following words spoken by the father, “he is my only child” (9:38).

Jesus isn’t some spiritual guru, who feel out of the sky in a space capsule. He’s a man, born of a woman, in an obscure village, during underprivileged times, among a discriminated group of people. He was a baby, who became a boy, who increased in wisdom, strength and stature, not to mention favor with God and men. He became a man, fully acquainted with human tendency’s and temptations, yet without sin. He isn’t a High Priest hiding away somewhere until the next religious ritual needs to be fulfilled, rather He is a walking, talking, interacting with feelings kind of human, who can “sympathize with our weakness.”

Become a Dog?
Lying at your feet is your dog. Imagine, for the moment, that your dog and every dog is in deep distress. Some of us love dogs very much. If it would help all the dogs in the world to become like men, would you be willing to become a dog? Would you put down your human nature, leave your loved ones, your job, hobbies, your art and literature and music, and choose instead of the intimate communion with your beloved, the poor substitute of looking into the beloved’s face and wagging your tail, unable to smile or speak? Christ by becoming man limited the thing which to Him was the most precious thing in the world; his unhampered, unhindered communion with the Father.              --C. S. Lewis

Portraits of Jesus    

Can you think of some other ways in which Jesus sympathized with humanity?

Reflect on where Jesus was born, how he was born, the incidents that surrounded His birth, the city He grew up in, His physical appearance, and so forth.

Reflectively read and pray through the following passage. As you do, ask God to make you aware of how He knows exactly who you are, where you’re at, and what you need.

“For we do not have a High Priest 
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, 
but was in all points tempted as we are, 
yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly 
to the throne of grace, 
that we may obtain mercy and find grace 
to help in time of need.” 
(Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJ)

“Now that we know what we have – Jesus, 
the great High Priest with ready access to God – 
let’s not let it slip through our fingers. 
We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, 
experienced it all – all but the sin.
So let’s walk right up to him and 
get what he is so ready to give. 
Take the mercy, accept the help.”
(Hebrews 4:15-16 Message)

The Son of God,
became the Son of Man;

So the Sons of Men,
could become Sons of God.

A Man of Interactive Dependence

A Man of Interactive Dependence

“Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

Again and again there is a phrase that shows up in Luke’s Gospel that doesn’t appear in Matthew, Mark or John to the degree that they do in Luke’s. In scenes common to the other Gospels, and where they say nothing of prayer, Luke repeatedly inserts that “He was praying.” One of the reasons is because, prayer adds to the comprehensiveness of the picture of Jesus as a Man. Thus the Evangelist would show how “the Man Christ Jesus” continually exercised this grace of true dependence. It is here in Luke’s Gospel that only do we read, that at His baptism He “was praying,” (3:21). Here only do we read that when he had cleansed the leper, “He withdrew Himself, and prayed” (5:16). So again, here only are we told that His choice of the twelve followed a night of ceaseless prayer, “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (6:12).

Moreover, here in Luke’s Gospel alone are we told that the Transfiguration happed as He prayed, “Now it came to pass…He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening” (9:28-29). It was it is in Luke’s Gospel the Lord’s prayer was given, in response to a request from His disciples, who, “as He was praying, when He ceased said, Lord, teach us to pray” (11:1). Peter’s famous confession happened as the disciples approached Jesus, “as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him” (9:18). Lastly, it is only in this Gospel that we have Jesus’ words to Peter, “I have prayed for you” (22:32).

All of the above accounts are exclusive to Luke. There are characteristic of Jesus as fully Man and they are extremely instructive examples of what is available to us as sons of men, as we approach every aspect of our lives with interactive dependence and communion with God in prayer.



Portraits of Jesus        

Think through some of the passages noted. How does the example of Jesus taking making the most of every occasion and opportunity to interacted with the Father in prayer challenge you in your daily interactions?

What are some elements of your work, relationships, family and life that you need to exhibit more interactive dependence on the Father in communion and prayer?

Meditate on the following passage:

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 
with the Holy Spirit and with power, 
who went about doing good 
and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, 
for God was with Him.”
(Acts 10:38)

Luke attributes the miracle working power of Jesus to release healing power and freeing the oppressed by the devil to the anointing that came from God, not Jesus’ divinity. Furthermore, he sets the stage for this verse by stating, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. The emphasis is on God doing the anointing of the Man, Jesus the human from the small city of Nazareth.

Son of Adam - Son of Man

Son of Adam – Son of Man

“The third living creature had a face like a Man.” 
( Revelation 4:7)

Luke, as a master storyteller, is always looking for ways to pull his readers into the narrative of the life of the man Jesus. His gospel is the most complete narrative. It records over twenty miracles, seven of which are unique to Luke. Twenty-three parables are recorded and eighteen of them are also unique to Luke.

Luke was a Gentile and a physician, and he wrote more about Jesus’ healing ministry than Matthew and Mark put together. “He used more medical terms than Hippocrates, ‘the Father of Medicine,’ and included the obstetrical details of the nativity.”

Luke throughout his Gospel, writes broadly and plainly the memoir of the Son of Man. He goes to great length to show forth the Lord as very Man, One who is not so much supporting and propagating a particular kingdom, but rather as one linked to all the Sons of Adam. Luke presents Jesus to us as fully human, the Second Adam, the One who sympathizes as a Man intimately linked to the children of Adam.

Luke’s very Preface is distinctive and characteristic of his account, as he begins with an address to his friend Theophilus (See Luke 1:1-4). The narrative begins by addressing a friend with human affection, and then pulling that friend, along with all the other readers into a greater narrative regarding another human whom Luke had been an eyewitness, human companion. Luke begins by referring to his own personal knowledge of his subject, “having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first.” By stating such, Luke brings something human into his written account, this humanness is the very emphasis this Gospel presents to us.

Once Luke has made an intimate and human connection, the narrative begins, like a simple tale touching the hearts of the sons of men. “There was in the days of Herod the king a certain priest…” (Luke 1:5). “As it proceeds,” writes Andrew Jukes, “we are introduced to human sympathies and relationships, in a way perfectly unlike anything we get in the other Gospels; with all the circumstances of the birth and infancy of the Holy child, and of him who was sent as His forerunner. Here too, and here only, do we find the three inspired Songs, which, as speaking of mercy to Gentile as well as Jew, have for ages been the chosen utterance of the Church taken from among all nations.”

Time and time again throughout this narrative, Jesus is portrayed not so much as the One who has claims to rule, rather He is portrayed as One who is coming down perfectly on that ground which man as man then occupied. A slow and acute reading through this Gospel cannot help but to notice how continuously and meticulously Luke weaves this reality through and through his account. Luke doesn’t present to us the baby Jesus as the One “who is born King,” as Matthew does, rather He is shown to be the “Savior…the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (a smelly feeding trough for the animals).” The detail of the baby Jesus being wrapped in cloths and in a barn is a one that Luke repeats three times in a few short sentences (See Luke 2:7-16). Do you think he’s trying to get our attention to something? Jesus is real! He’s human! Moreover, His human experience is more-human than most of ours – he’s a baby, wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger. Luke desperately wants his readers to see everything that’s about to unfold in his chronicles of the Savior through the lens of the real, the living, the breathing, the crying, the dependent baby lying in a manger. Luke wants us to see, hear, touch and feel the humanness of the One who can come – the Person and Man Jesus.

After we get the story of the infancy of “the Child,” we see how “the Child grew;” how “the grace of God was on Him;” how “when He was twelve years old, He went up with His parents to Jerusalem to the feast;” how “the child lingered behind, and His mother did not know it;” how “she said, Son, why have you done this to us?;” how “He went down and was subject to them;” how “He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man;” – “these and points like these, as they are peculiar to this Gospel, distinctly mark our Lord as Man, personally entering man’s lot, and Himself fully tasting it; joining Himself to us, in birth, in childhood, and in youth, that, being very Man, He might in His own blessed Person bring humanity near to God.”

“The mystery of the humanity of Christ, 
that He sunk Himself into our flesh, 
is beyond all human understanding.” 
Martin Luther

Portraits of Jesus


As you read through Luke’s Gospel pay careful attention to:

The subtle descriptions used to describe Jesus that serve to emphasis His humanity.

The frequent use of the phrases there was “a certain man,” “what man…,” “what woman…,” “all flesh…,” “all people” and phrases like these are distinctive to Luke’s narrative and are frequently and consistently employed to emphasize the kingdom of Heaven being expressed here on earth through flesh and blood.

Current Series...Portraits of Jesus