Jesus the Ordinary Bloke
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 10 Dec 2006 in From Steve's Study ::
When you think of Jesus, many different images might come into your head. Some will think of Jesus hanging on the cross. Others might picture the risen Jesus, with the holes in the hands, sharing a meal with his disciples. Those who have read the Da Vinci Code, might have the mental picture of him at the Last Supper, while those who remember our series on Revelation, might picture him as the mighty king – the Lion of Judah who brings judgment on the world. At this time of year, however, our first thought of Jesus is usually that of a small child lying in an animal food trough.
All of these pictures give a different facet of Jesus’ life and person, but the last is particularly significant. For as we see Jesus lying in a manger, we see the Lord of the Universe stooping down to become one of us. All the glory, power and honour of sitting at God’s right hand in heaven is put to the side to take on the weakness and frailty of the human condition.
In the first chapter of John’s gospel, the Apostle tries to highlight the enormity of this change when he reminds us that “the Word became flesh” (1:14). The eternal one, who was from the very beginning, who spoke and there was light, has taken on the frailty of flesh and blood.
Jesus was an ordinary bloke, because he came for ordinary blokes (and sheilas… if you’ll forgive the ‘Strine). Our children have been learning about the Apostle Peter – a more ordinary and flawed person you could never hope to meet. And yet Jesus chose him to be one of his special friends, despite his weaknesses and failings. Jesus came to save just such ordinary people. And of course that includes you and me.
We may see ourselves as of little worth, yet God put such a high value on us that he was prepared to become one of us, that we might live. When we see the baby in the manger, when we hear the stories of Peter, remember that this was all for you… and rejoice!
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