The Greatest Show On Earth: Three Rings
(The metaphor of a circus was used in this series to describe three "rings" of Jesus life and how they each impact us)
Ring One: The Incarnation (a.k.a. “What if God was one of us?”)
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
READ THIS NEXT PART WITH ME: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (v.14)
The Message paraphrases it this way:
The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through him; nothing--not one thing!- came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out... The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
There are many things that blow me away when it comes to the Incarnation – God becoming fully human while remaining fully God through the person of Jesus Christ.
And the first is HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?
Madeline L’Engle writes: “Was there a moment, known only to God, when all the stars held their breath, when the galaxies paused in their dance for a fraction of a second, and the Word, who had called it all into being, went with all His love into the womb of a young girl, and the universe started to breathe again and the ancient harmonies resumed their song and the angels clapped their hands for joy?” - Bright Evening Star
Next thought… here are my kids. (pic)
Who do you think Joshua looks like more – Katie or I? What about Daniel - who does he resemble most?
If we are all a genetic mix of our mom and dad... did Jesus have "Mary’s nose" or "God-the-Father’s-nose?"
I ask this not to be clever, but because Jesus was seldom recognized by the very people he came to save.
The brightest theologians of Jesus’ day were debating about when the Messiah would come, not realizing the crying toddler they passed on the street (who may have been crying because He scraped His knee) would one day offer to supernaturally heal them with His blood.
We read in Luke 2: 1-4
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
The trip for Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 80 miles (not a very short distance in those days). If you’re a pregnant woman and making that kind of journey, it’s no wonder why she gave birth.
In fact, we often imagine Mary as being close to delivery when they made this journey, but why would a man take his wife out into the desert for such a long time if she was about to go into labor?
According to Roman law, Mary didn’t have to go with Joseph for the census. Perhaps this is just a glimpse into the kind of man Joseph was… maybe he just didn’t want to leave his wife alone in the emotional stress of a controversial pregnancy among gossipers.
Continuing in Luke 2:5-7
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
A couple of observations…
- Mary wraps Jesus in cloths. The fact that Mary wrapped the child herself points to a lonely birth. This young woman was completely separated from all her family and support. Imagine Joseph’s feelings… knowing this is something great and yet wondering, “I don’t get this.” Perhaps he’d used his carpentry skills to make a great cradle back in Nazareth… now Jesus is stuck into a manger.
- A manger… a place for animals to eat or drink. How low can you go? Later on when the shepherds are told that the Messiah has come they have to be instructed to look for Him in a manger. Ever wonder why?
They would have never believed it – what could be more improbable than to believe that the King of Kings was placed into such a dirty environment?
The nativity was a more humble sight than what our Christmas figurines give us a glimpse of.
In 150 A.D. a man named Justin Martyr cited that Jesus was born in a cave in Bethlehem. In 330, the emporer Constantine built a church over the cave. This cave is still around today, which many believe is still the most probable place where Jesus was born.
In order to enter it, you have to duck your head.
This was added later to serve a two-fold purpose:
- It prevented rich noblemen or royalty from riding in on their horses.
- It made everyone who entered humble if only but for a brief moment.
And so imagine the revolting sight of shepherds entering a cave with the stench of animal feces. Shepherds are used to it and often smell like it, too, which is why they don’t get invited to too many places.
How much more do we get out of the story now that we know they were so overjoyed they went out and told everyone about it?!?!
Which means that Jesus’ first breath was most likely made up of a mixture of animal dung.
Odd… Someone who is so pure choosing to breathe in the "crap" of this earth.
Perhaps that in itself is testimony to the fact that Jesus desires to come along side of us in our “crap” and be as near as we will allow Him to be.
So to recap…
Jesus, who is called the Bread of Life is born in Bethlehem – a town whose name means “house of bread.”
Jesus, who is called the Living Water, is placed into a place where the sheep come to drink from.
Jesus, who is God and made man in His image, becomes flesh and reflects His very image back to Himself.
The Incarnation is proof that God is not virtual reality – He really exists and walked the very earth He created - wholly human and wholly divine.
What does it mean to you that God would choose to be so personal?
And I have to ask… WHY?
And what does this tell us about God?
And what does this tell us about you and I?
And what does this tell us about God’s love for you and I?
Ring Two: The Temple (a.k.a. “Back To School Supplies”)
Repeat this after me: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)
My wife and I went to see a movie this week… we actually had the whole theater to ourselves which was pretty cool. Many theaters these days are trying to make up some money lost due to pirating and illegal downloads, so there are now 7-10 minutes of commericials before the previews. A couple that ran where a bit timely, like the Old Navy promotion called “schooliscoming.com” Using a horror movie theme, one commercial showed a bunch of kids in the woods being chased by a school desk while another featured a teenager in some water who was being stalked by a school locker (ala “JAWS”). Each ad ended with the tag “SCHOOL IS COMING.”
We have a certain perspective about school in our culture that is different from that in Jesus’ day.
Josephus, the great Jewish historian writes, "Above all, we pride ourselves on the education of our children."
One rabbi said, "Under the age of six we do not receive a child. But from six upwards, accept him and stuff him with Torah like an ox."
Hebrew education was divided into stages (and I’m indebted to scholar Ray Vanderlaan for this info).
The first stage is called Beth-Sefer. This was for kids aged 5 or 6 to age 10, during which time they would memorize the Torah (the first five books of the Scriptures; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.
The next stage of Jewish education is called Beth-Talmud. This is for those aged 10-14, and they would memorize all the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures, so the by the end of age fourteen they had the whole Old Testament memorized.
Can you imagine knowing the Scriptures that well?
During this time, they would also learn the art of questions and answers. Western education, what we’re used to, concentrates on the exchange of information. We’re in the information age.
"What is 2+2?" It is not a trick question. The answer is 4. But in Hebrew education, if a rabbi said to his student, "What is 2+2?" The student would think for a second and he’d answer back with a question. "What is 25% of 16?" Which is still 4.
Then the teacher would know that the student had processed the information. Not only was memorizing an answer, but knew what the answer meant, and how to ask a question back.
Beth-Midrash was for those aged 14+, the next stage of Hebrew education, and reserved only for the best of the best. This is where you would discuss what different rabbis said about the law and how they interpreted it. In fact, that is how their worship services went. They didn’t just come and listen to a preacher get up here and spout off, they listened to him read the scripture and then they would passionately ask questions back and forth, and get heated about it, because these were the things they loved to talk about.
They believed the highest form of worship was study.
To study “Torah for the sake of Torah.”
Now, if the rabbi, of whom you wanted to be the disciple of, believed that you had what it takes, he would say, "Come, take my yoke upon you."
This was the highest honor in the days of Jesus. So, somewhere around the age of 14, you would leave everything; Parents, Synagogue, Community, the family business, and devote your life to following this rabbi everywhere.
Jesus was at the stage of Beth-Talmud as we pick up the following story in Luke 2:42-52…
When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Back in those days, families traveled in a large group in a rather interesting way. The women go first, followed closely by the kids, and the men protect the rear. Mary would most likely have left a bit before the men, and Joseph may have even been a full hour behind her.
Since Jesus was 12 years old and on his way to becoming a man, Mary must have thought that Jesus was with the guys.
Joseph may have figured that since he didn’t see Jesus that He must be with Mary, since He was still young enough to be considered a kid.
And so imagine their surprise when after a few days of traveling they put two and two together to discover that Jesus was back in Jerusalem somewhere.
I’d like to submit to you that Jesus was a sharp student of Scripture. Not only did He become one of us, but He chose to be so diligent in His studies that at the age of 12 He was astounding the sharpest minds around.
And we argue, “Yes, but that’s because He was God. There’s no way I could do that!”
Again, repeat this after me: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)
Check this out… Jesus chose to learn.
The one who taught the earth to spin had to learn how to walk…
The one in union with the Father had to learn his first prayers…
The one who knew all things decided to not be born with great knowledge but to learn about the very Scripture He created…
And I have to ask… WHY?
And what does this tell us about God?
And what does this tell us about you and I?
And what does this tell us about God’s love for you and I?
Ring Three: The Temptation (a.k.a. “Even more”)
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’" 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " ’He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’" 7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: ’Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’" 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
How does satan refer to Jesus? (“Son of God”)
Ironically, Jesus never articulated this phrase to describe Himself. He inferred it throughout His ministry, but only when He was pressed by the High Priests and Pilate during His trial did He affirm it.
Satan tries to appeal to Jesus’ sense of entitlement to get Him to sin.
Seems like that’s how he attacks us, too, isn’t it?
We refer to Jesus as the Son of God, but Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.”
This didn’t deny His godhood, for there is no separating His two natures that He simultaneously lived in. In choosing to unwaveringly refer to Himself as the Son of Man, He was simultaneously referring to His promise to be human for us, human all the way. He inferred to His divinity all throughout His ministry, but only when He was pressed under trial did He articulate it.
I think we need to pay attention to what Jesus called Himself.
And so in all of satan’s temptations Jesus was tempted to reject His humanness and do something magical and flashy. And we know that He refused every temptation put in His path.
And I have to ask… WHY?
And what does this tell us about God?
And what does this tell us about you and I?
And what does this tell us about God’s love for you and I?
So let’s not go to the victory yet… let’s admit the temptation for a moment. If Satan were to appeal to a sense of entitlement in your life, where would that show up? In a relationship with someone? In the time you spend at work doing other things? In the downloads on your computer? In the speed you drive down backroads? In the things muttered under your breath? In the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in your freezer?
And the devil whispers the same lie he approached Adam & Eve with, “Did God really say that was all that bad? Is it a big deal if you do this? Come on… you deserve it. Everyone else is always cheating you, so why not relax and take advantage of the position you’re in right now?”
Feel that temptation… because this is the same temptation Jesus felt and chose to overcome with Truth and humility.
Final thought: Picture of a piece of artwork called “DESTINY”
What does this image mean to you? Why did Jesus choose to become like us? Like me? Like you?
And what does this tell us about God?
And what does this tell us about you and I?
And what does this tell us about God’s love for you and I?
