Master and Apprentice

What would Jesus Do?  It's a hack phrase, one that we all are bone-tired of hearing.  But I think it's important to consider a related, but different, question.

What DID Jesus Do?

And why would we depart from that?  Think about who this Jesus really was.  He was a carpenter, that much we know.  Not the most white-collar of trades.

But more important to our investigation in this group, what did he do about people?  Once he was starting his real work.

Because if Jesus was God's example to humanity about what God is like- and if you believe in Him, isn't that what He is?  If Jesus is that, then aren't we told about Him in the Bible, so that we can study how He did things?  Isn't that the point?

So, how did Jesus interact with people?  In another post, I want to consider how He talked to and lived with those who weren't part of His group, but for right now, consider the disciples.  He didn't meet once a week with these 12 guys.  He lived with them.  (And it doesn't sound like He preached on a regular schedule either.  But again, that has to wait until a future post.)  He walked around with them, lived life, and didn't tell them what to do, but showed it to them.

Disciples are one way to say this.  Another is apprenticeship.  You can think of that the medieval way, where you shadow a blacksmith for years to become one yourself, or you can think of a college internship kind of apprenticeship.  Either way, we see Jesus taking one or two disciples off and teaching them, just by sitting down and talking.

And then comes a long long bunch of church history.  And all of a sudden, people sit in hard benches in ornate cathedrals and listen to a speaker talking (often in a language they didn't even understand).  Maybe it's inspiring or feels sacred or looks pretty (all that stained glass), but if it's what God ever intended for us, why does Jesus do the opposite?  He didn't even have a home!

So often, we simply either a) shrug this off- it just doesn't make sense, but it is what it is or b) are turned off by it and dismiss Jesus and think of other things. 

Instead, think about this.  Really give it some honest thought, like you would some other day-to-day question.  Why should it be like this?  If the Bible is this great sacred book, why do we ignore what it says?  Of course there will ALWAYS be differences in interpretation- in the meaning of what we read.  But look for any evidence of today's church in there, and good luck- you won't find it.