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The Example of Jesus, Part Two  

In much of the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus in Spirit-Led Ministry (S Stage). He teaches people from God’s Word with the confident authority in having lived it out. He listens for and follows his Father’s directions for ministry. He heals the sick and feeds the hungry. Out of the overflow of His prayer life He teaches others to pray.

In the second half of his Gospel, Luke shows our Lord in Transforming Union (T Stage). Jesus is revealed as the Messiah of God. He shows Oneness with God on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28–36). In Luke, chapter 10 and chapters 17-19, Jesus embodies God’s love for the disadvantaged: ethnic minorities, women, lepers, widows, little children, beggars, and tax collectors. 

For all people He unveils the beauty of His Father’s world. Then on the journey of the cross He re-encounters The Wall and moves into the Transforming Union by forgiving those who abused Him and blessing everyone in His reach. With His last breath, Jesus relinquishes Himself into the Father’s hands to reconcile us to God. Then, by the power of the Spirit, Jesus rises from the dead and ascends into the heavens.

That’s a human being fully alive! Jesus is full of God’s fatherly love and exuberant joy. He is so radiantly winsome with divine life that thirty-two times Luke says crowds of people gathered to be close to Him. Four men cut a hole in a roof to drop their sick friend at Jesus’ feet (5:17–20). A rejected woman forced into sex slavery breaks into a house full of religious men, falls at Jesus’ feet weeping, and pours out her alabaster jar of expensive ointment on His feet (7:36–50). Zacchaeus climbs a tree to get above the parade of people so he can see Jesus, and then he jumps down to have dinner with Him (19:1–10).

Yesterday and today we are looking to Jesus of Nazareth as the first disciple of Yahweh who models the stages of faith the CHRIST model maps out for us. Paul refers to this as developing the faith “of Christ.” Notice how we’re keeping the humanity of Jesus connected to His divinity. Jesus is captivating! To follow Him on a journey of increasing grace is the best life we could hope for.

Looking at the second half of Luke’s gospel, in what ways have you gained a deeper appreciation for Jesus’ humanity? What is something from Jesus’ story of grace that is helpful for you today?