Walk With Jesus
Exploring the Gospels
The disciples got to know Jesus as they spent time with him.
Just as we don’t usually share everything about ourselves as we begin to know someone, Jesus did not reveal everything about himself right away to his close followers. They could not have grasped the truth of his identity all at once. As they walk with Jesus and share in his daily ministry, they slowly begin to see that there is more to their teacher and friend than meets the eye.
Jesus was unlike anyone they had ever met.
In his friendship and his interactions with others, they glimpsed a soul unbroken by sin or selfishness. As he taught and worked miracles, they witnessed much about Jesus that could not be explained on a merely human level. Little by little, the disciples began to believe that Jesus is somehow God himself, present in their midst as a human being.
We can walk along with Jesus and encounter him, too.
We can learn a lot of facts about a person, but the only way to actually get to know someone on a personal level is to spend time with him or her. If we want to know Jesus as a person, the best way is to walk with him like the disciples, experiencing Jesus through their eyes.
Reading the Gospels, we experience Jesus firsthand.
The Gospels are the four biographies of Jesus, told through the eyes of those who walked with him. As we read the Gospels, we begin to discover Jesus in all of his beauty and mystery. We can see for ourselves how Jesus was like us in every way except sin. At every turn, he surprises us and acts in unexpected ways.
Why not discover Jesus in one of the Gospels?
Whether one is a lifelong Christian or new to Christianity, reading the Gospels helps us to encounter Jesus in a new way. A good starting place is the Gospel of Mark, the shortest of the four Gospels. It is action-packed and jumps right into the ministry of Jesus. One can read the entire Gospel in an afternoon, or a little bit each day.
Who is this mysterious man, Jesus of Nazareth?
As you walk along with the disciples, try to see Jesus from their eyes, uncovering the mystery of his identity. If you are already familiar with a particular story, imagine that you are reading it for the first time. Picture yourself in the scene. What would it be like to be in the crowd, hearing his words and witnessing his miracles? What moves your heart and your imagination as you walk with Jesus?
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