Being About What Jesus Was About

Today some thoughts ran through my head about Jesus, that originally started with some words from Paul that having been rummaging around my heart and brain. Paul wrote these words to the church that resided in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I have been thinking about what this might look like within the context of ministry. Paul made an intentional decision to make the primary focus of his ministry to be about only knowing Jesus Christ. Nothing else mattered. I thought about all the pressures and pulls upon me in ministry and just about everyone of them, want to pull me away from that which is most important - knowing Christ. From cleaning a building, air conditioning issues, trash, buying supplies, getting the mail, email, busyness of life or upset people - all of which vie to distract from having the time to fully live out Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 2.

My contemplation on that verse led to my question today, "What was it that Jesus was about when he was here on earth?" What do the gospels tell us about Jesus? Here is what they say (not necessarily completely exhaustive). Did these things shape everything Paul did?

1. Jesus only did what He saw and heard from His Father

John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father [4] does, that the Son does likewise.

2. He valued those who were lost, hurting, and without a shepherd.

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

3. He taught and proclaimed the truth everywhere He went

Matthew 7:28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

4. He poured His life into His Disciples

John 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

5. He cared about the physical needs of people

Matthew 9:35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

6. He was moved when He saw authentic faith

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

7. He consistently sought His Father in prayer Luke 5: 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

8. He confronted hypocrisy at every turn

Luke 12:1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

9. He modeled and embrace servanthood

John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

Since Paul only sought to know Jesus and this is who Jesus was, this has to be what shaped Paul. It must be why he was so effective everywhere he went. He lived as Jesus lived among people and it influenced everyone around him.

I am going to refocus things in this direction. It is Biblical and what our world needs to taste and see.