Photo by Mads Schmidt Rasmussen on Unsplash
Did you know that Jesus – whose Hebrew name was Yeshua – never started Christianity? It developed years after his death, primarily built around the theological concepts and teaching of Paul, whom as far as we know historically, never met Yeshua? And those teachings were often at odds with what Yeshua and his apostles did teach?
Not only did Jesus not start a new religion, he never even started his own synagogue (a local center for worship, study, prayer, and community gatherings in that era). He worked within the religion and culture into which he was born. And in a time before the advent of modern technology, with no internet, no media, no mass marketing, no public transportation, he and his small group of devotees transformed the world.
While he did speak in public arenas from time to time – such as at local synagogues, on the steps of the Temple, and in the marketplace, most of his teaching was done in private. Where? In homes. He and his friends and students would gather in homes to listen to his teachings, to share meals, to learn his “way.” The innermost teachings about the Path were given in these settings. To the public he spoke in parables – meaning he basically told inspirational stories that would transform their way of looking at things. To his disciples, in these private gatherings, he revealed the mysteries of God:
“And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables…” (Luke 8:10)
This is not just a history lesson. I share it to point out that what he accomplished, he accomplished by working on a small local level with the means he had at hand and spread the word through sharing in homes and private venues – not through the means of wealth or mass communications. Today, though we are blessed with the technology to stay in touch over long distances, our opportunity is the same. We can connect with one another in our homes in small gatherings (even virtually) – listen to the teachings, share our experiences, and serve God one soul at a time, one life at a time. No matter how limited your resources may appear to be, you can learn and live and support the work of the Lord right where you are. And while it may not seem like much, neither did a handful of Jewish fisherman and village women two thousand years ago. And look what happened. You are in good company.
12.14.22
Written by Rev Steven McAffee
Contact Rev Steven at onebyonecommuity@gmail.com
Photo by Arturo Rey on Unsplash
