Questions to be answered "on the Way"

Here is our growing list of questions to be answered in the midst of our journey:

Is God "Spirit?"
If Jesus is God's only Son, how are we God's children?
Why is his name "Jesus?"
How was the Bible put together?
Why are there Ten Commandments? Who came up with them, and did they obey them?
Why are Bible stories not recent?
Why is the Bible called "The Bible?"
Why did we start with Mark?
Where is the Ark of the Covenant now?
Why is heaven "up?"
Why are the names of the Bible books so odd?
Do pets go to heaven?
How do we really know about Jesus, and that the writers weren't wrong when they wrote it?

Keep those questions coming! And don't be afraid to relate your questions to your own journey.
The stories we read will be interpreted in your own life, and in through the common life we share.

Baptism

"In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and he got baptized in the Jordan by John. And right away, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the sky split apart and the Holy Spirit was coming down on him. And there was a voice out of the heavens: "You're my son! I love you! I'm pleased with you!" --Mark 1:9-11 (Spoken English New Testament)

Jesus was somewhere around thirty years old when he was baptized. In the years since his birth, he had lived for the most part in the Galilean town of Nazareth (in the north of Israel), raised as the son of Joseph the carpenter and of Mary. As an adult, he apparently also worked as a carpenter in that region, until the day he left and travelled to a place miles away, in the south, on the banks of the Jordan River. There, the prophet John had been baptizing people in the river, a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," telling them to get ready for the coming of God's Promised One.
In the gospel story, Jesus leaves life as he has lived it in Nazareth to join God's people in the water , and at a deeper level, to join them in the midst of their lives. And as he comes up out of the water, he sees "the sky split open" ("the heavens torn apart", NRSV translation) and God's Spirit coming down upon him. And a voice comes from the heavens: "You're my son! I love you! I'm pleased with you!"
The image of the "sky split open" or the "heavens torn apart" is a way of saying that, through the life of Jesus, God's children will never, ever be separated from God's love, no matter what. There will be no division between "heaven" and earth!
And the heavenly voice gives Jesus some new names, descriptions of his identity: "Son;" "Beloved;" "God's pleasure."
When Jesus returns to Galilee, he shouts to everyone who will hear: "The time has come! The Reign of God is nearly here! Change your hearts and believe in the good news!"(Mark 1:15 S.E.N.T.)
Jesus returns to familiar places, but not to life as he has lived it before. He is now ready to begin his ministry. His life has new purpose, and he lives that purpose out on a daily basis.
How do you think that Jesus' baptism might be related to our baptisms?

Different Images of Jesus

Here are some different artistic images of Jesus. One is from Ethiopia, another from China.The third is an icon of Jesus and his transfiguration. Which do you find most interesting?
Most of the artistic renderings of Jesus that we are familiar with are from Europe. Yet the historical Jesus was a Mediterranean Jewish man who lived in Galilee. How do you picture Jesus? What would "Jesus of Perkasie" look like?

What do we know about discipleship?

A disciple is a "learner." In the original New Testament Greek, the word is "mathetes." We also used the terms "student" and "follower" in describing a disciple.
Our class is becoming very good at descriptive lists. We added these qualities to our understanding of discipleship:
--a disciple lives according to what you believe
--learns by being with the teacher, watching their example
--problem-solver
--willing to sacrifice
--ordinary people of all ages
--helpers
--caring
--listeners
--people who love Jesus

When we considered the examples of Jesus' original disciples, we noted:
Jesus called them; they followed.
With him they create peace; they build it.

When we were partnered with other class members, each person shared with the other the qualities of discipleship that they perceived in themselves and in each another.
What is it that makes each of us a disciple of Jesus? In what ways do you think that Jesus has called you?

Who is Jesus?

In response to the question, "Who is Jesus?," we gathered this impressive and ever-expanding list. Notice that some of these are titles; others are qualities or actions. Each is offered as an expression of Jesus' identity.

God
Savior
Christ
Messiah
Lord
Son
Leader
Chosen One
Human One (Son of Man)
Almighty (special kind of "might")
Creative Force
giving
righteous
nice
loving
kind
thankful
sharing
forgiving
caring
awesome
concerned
victorious
sacred
artist
dependable
holy
cares for everyone
powerful
thoughtful
healer
servant
reliable
listener
honest
hope-bringer
rescuer
helpful
offers life for others
treats everyone equal
helps us to be set apart

Which of the titles do you find most meaningful in describing Jesus? Why?
Are there qualities described that reflect important values in your life (for example: honesty; thoughtful; artistic; forgiving; listener; dependable)?

As we have been exploring our ideas of who Jesus is, we have also been sharing with one another who we are.