What Kind of Seeker Are You?

To resolve the tension between the perceived Jesus and the true Jesus requires objectively seeking an answer to "What kind of man is Jesus?"

Imagine that you met Jesus one day as you were about to clock out at work. There is just something about Him, the way He looks at you, the way He speaks softly yet with authority, the gentleness He exudes. So you attach yourself to Him. You go where He goes hoping to learn the secret to His peace and assurance. Every time He speaks He seems to answer some of your deepest questions - so you keep following. Then remarkable things seem to happen around Him: hypocritical religious leaders are left speechless, sick people get better, and supernatural things occur.

This was the experience of the earliest followers of Jesus, those called His disciples. One by one they began following the one they called "Rabbi" and "Teacher." Then came the point at which their view of Jesus "the good teacher" conflicted with the reality before them.

To set the scene, Jesus, who had been stirring things up with spectacular healings, had also just finished yet another awe-inspiring teaching session on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. While His disciples were still basking in the great wisdom they just heard, Jesus told them to get into a boat so they could all cross to the shore on the other side.

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Matthew 8:23-27Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Consider

• Why do you think they were so stunned by what Jesus did in commanding nature to obey Him?
• How might this new revelation of Jesus clash with the view they already held? How can you tell it was unexpected?
• What does their question reveal about their desire to know the true Jesus?
• Why is it important if they plan to go forward with Him?

Let's look at one more group forced to reconcile their view of Jesus with the reality before them.

In Jesus' day, the religious leaders of the Jewish people were known as Pharisees. By this time, they were a corrupt hypocritical ruling class more interested in their privileged position than in helping the people draw near to God. They, too, heard Jesus' teaching, but they felt threatened by it. They recognized His authority and feared losing their own grip over the people. So they began a smear campaign. At every turn, they tried to discredit Him in debate, by criticizing how and when He taught and nitpicking rules He did not follow. Then, one day, Jesus did something that was an undeniable miracle that demanded they answer the question, "What kind of man is this?"

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Matthew 12:22-24 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul [Satan], the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Consider

• How was the conclusion of the Pharisees inconsistent with the reality before them?
• Do you think it is possible to be a sincere seeker of the truth and also be so blind? Why or why not?
• How were their motives complicit in leading them to such a wild conclusion about what kind of man Jesus was?
• What biases do you need to address in your own heart in order to evaluate Jesus objectively?

Unlike the Pharisees, the crowd was not blinded by their own agenda. They sincerely sought to answer the question about Jesus' identity by speculating that He might be "the Son of David," a title for the long-awaited Messiah promised by God.

CONSIDER the words of God spoken in the days of the Old Testament and the words of Jesus in the New Testament, both spoken to those willing to humbly seek after the truth.

Jeremiah 29:13 [God said] "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Matthew 7:7[ Jesus said] “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Reflect

• What does this tell you about God's desire for you to find the truth?
• What seems to be the requirements for assuring that the truth can be found?
• Between the example of the disciples and that of the Pharisees, which seems to be heartfelt seekers of the true Jesus?