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Hello my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends, I greet you today in Jesus’ name, this special weekend.
All week we’ve been talking about the EMPATHY of Jesus. Our purpose has been to help us understand that when we face discouragement or difficulties or even despair in our lives, Jesus is a safe and welcome place for us to go, because in Jesus’ earthly life HE experienced every emotion, every life challenge we could possibly ever experience, except those things related to sin. Do you believe that?
This weekend is “Father’s Day”. Have you ever thought much about the unique relationship between Jesus and Joseph, and how that affected Jesus’ ability to empathize with us?
I wonder about the conversations Joseph and Jesus had, perhaps in Joseph’s carpenter’s work-shop as Joseph explained to Jesus how he reacted when startled in the middle of the night in Bethlehem by an angel who told him to awaken Mary, pack up their things quickly, take infant Jesus, and leave Bethlehem immediately, for they were in great danger. (Matt. 2:13-18) How did Joseph explain what he felt when he heard the news of Herod’s slaughter of innocent baby boys in Bethlehem? We don’t know how old Jesus was when they lived as refugees in Egypt, nor exactly how long, but can you imagine the stories Joseph told Jesus, about what it was like for him to provide for his little family in a place where he didn’t know the language or customs, nor how long they’d be there? While don’t we pull up a chair and listen in on these imaginary conversations?
How did Joseph explain his amazement when Magi appeared at their door in Bethlehem and after entering, presented their extravagant gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. How could he explain to young Jesus that these men said they and their traveling caravan had come from some distant land following a star? (Matt. 2:1-12)
How did Joseph explain about his first angel visit and the instructions he received to take Mary as his wife even though she was becoming pregnant by a miracle of God? What were some of the very important conversations you and your Dad have had over the years my friends? How have they affected who you are today?
As you think of the Empathy of Jesus, have you ever considered this. . .
If you are adopted, Jesus understands! Joseph was not His biological father, the Holy Spirit was (Luke 1:35).
If you were conceived out of wedlock, or some other unusual circumstances which resulted in there being questions about your true DNA identity, Jesus understands! He was assumed to be Joseph, the carpenter’s son, but He knew He was not. (Matt. 13:55) Since Joseph and Mary raised their family in Nazareth, their hometown, we can assume Jesus grew up knowing many people in that small town assumed He was what is often called an illegitimate child, conceived before Joseph and Mary were married. Can you imagine the scowls, the gossip, the rumors, the finger pointing?
If you grew up in a blended family, with what are usually called 1/2 brothers or sisters, Jesus understands. They are named in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3, and because we have no record of Mary being wife to anyone other than Joseph, we presume they are all children of Joseph and Mary, who grew up in the same home with Jesus, but they did not believe Jesus was who God claimed Him to be, until after His resurrection. (John 7:5) Can you imagine the family tension which must often have been in that home?
If you grew up with an absentee Dad or your father died when you were young, Jesus understands. Joseph is not mentioned again after the story found in Luke 2, when Jesus was 12 years old and His family was returning to Nazareth from the Passover feast in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:41-51)
If you were ever rejected by your family or your home-town, in fact maybe run out of town, Jesus understands. Luke 2:16-30 gives us the sad story of the day Jesus was honored to read the Scripture scroll, in the Nazareth Synagogue, then when finished He proclaimed “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” The people knew Jesus well, He’d grown up in their town, but this was too much, for the Scripture Jesus had read was from Isaiah 61:1,2 and it was this: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news…” They knew this Messianic prophecy well, and longed for it to be fulfilled, but they could not imagine it could be Jesus. So they ran Him out of town to a nearby cliff, ready to throw Him over the cliff to His death.
If you left home, as a young adult, and have remained single. If you’ve roamed, never really having a place to call home or put down roots, Jesus understands. He never owned a home, never married or had children of His own. His ministry kept Him moving from place to place, as brought the hope of God’s truth and the power of His miracles from town to town. While He had disciples and friends, He never again returned to His roots and never enjoyed family reunions.
There is no mention in the Gospel accounts of either Joseph or Mary’s parents or grandparents. While we presume they had them, evidently they had no noteworthy role in Jesus’ life. So if you grew up without the wonderful closeness of grandparents, Jesus understands.
And yet consider my friends that Jesus has made it possible for you and me to call Almighty, Holy, Eternal God our “heavenly Father”! Jesus made it possible for you and me and millions of others from all around the world, in every generation, to be adopted by God into His family! (John 1:12,13; Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 3:26-4:7)
And then there’s the matter of our unimaginably wonderful inheritance, which we will receive from our heavenly Father, when we finally arrive in His presence! We are heirs of His kingdom, our eternal destiny is heaven with Jesus forever! We are princes and princesses, members of God’s “…royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…” (1 Peter 2:9) This, and much more, is available to us because, Jesus paid our full sin debt price, through His atonement death on the cross! (Colossians 1:21,22)
So regardless of the truth about your earthly father and your relationship with him, this Father’s Day weekend, I’m inviting you to consider the perfect, sacred, holy, almighty God, heavenly Father you have, if you have trusted Jesus to be your Savior! How do you thank Jesus for making it possible? And could it be a very special conversation is long overdue between you and Jesus, and you with your Heavenly Father? Why not right now?
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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