classroom time part I

Our class was out all day Sunday walking through much of Jerusalem visiting sites such as: the Pools of Bethesda, the steps where Jesus taught, ruins of the temple, Hezekiah's tunnel and the City of David. It was in the City of David (I'll explain why here in the next post) where God really stirred my heart again and showed me that He works in ways we do not understand. In fact, He tends to create magnificent results through not so magnificent things. So today I want to post something that didn't have a lot to do with the walk on Sunday, but it was the walk itself that brought me back to these thoughts that I've had for a long time.


Through the last few years, especially the last year, the Lord has been showing me more and more that it is not the strong, mighty things that He works through, but yet, He makes mighty out of the lowly and the weak (1Cor.1:27-28). Such accounts are visible through out the entire Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament. Here are a few examples: God looks to and cares for the lowly (Isaiah 57:15), God chose Israel not because they were great, they were in fact the "fewest of all peoples" (Deut. 7:6-7), those who serve others are the greatest (Matt.20:6-7), the power of the Lord is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).
In fact, Jesus himself was brought into the world in such a "lowly" way, at least by our human standards. He was born of a virgin (Luke 1:34) and accounts have shown that Mary was very young, perhaps only 13 or 14 years of age. WHAT?! If a not married, 13 year-old girl were to get pregnant in todays society (a very liberal society where standards and morals have been erased), it would be shunned upon. How much more true was this in Jesus' time when modesty was of VERY high importance and immorality could get you killed? In fact, Jesus was accused by the Jews of "being born of fornication" (John 8:41). Would you stay away from Jesus because it was said that His parents "sinned" before marriage? Do you stay away from that girl who has a bad reputation because you want to save yours? Or how about that boy whose parents are divorced, is he good for nothing now? Don't judge too severely because you just might be judging the ways of the Lord. Does He not say, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" Isaiah 55:8-9.
 Jesus also did not hold a high ranking job or economical status,  He was a carpenter (Mark 6:3). This was a hard working trade then as much as it is now. He was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, making chairs and tables. In addition, He was from Nazareth a town in the Galilee. Judeans despised the Galileans, in addition, the Galileans despised anyone from Nazareth. So in other words, anyone from Nazareth was considered as the lowest of the low and despised by many. That is why Nathanael in John 1:46 says, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Jesus could have been born into a mighty military family with great reputation, wealth, and prosperity. He could have come from Rome or another city of might, and He also could have been attractive, with majestic clothing. Yet we read in Isaiah 53:2 that He was unremarkable He did not have "stately form or majesty... Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him." Would you have chosen to be friends with Jesus or would you be 'too good' for Him? Jesus lived as a servant for He said that He came to serve and not to be served (Matt 20:28), He died like a servant (Roman crucifixion was reserved for slaves, criminals and was considered as a shameful death), but rose as Savior.
Being a not-so-handsome carpenter from Nazareth who was allegedly conceived out of wedlock was the King of all Kings, The Lord of glory (1Cor2:8), Wonderful (Is.9:6), Creator of all things (Col 1:16), The Life (1John1:2), The Bridegroom (Matt 9:15), The Bread of Life (John 6:35) and much much more.


So my dear friends, remember that the Lord chooses the weak and poor in order to make them rich in faith, they then are the ones who will inherit everything (James 2:5).


-Natalya


Next post: Classroom Time Part II: Pictures, scripture and some words from yours truly:)