Does Jesus Really Get Me?

A long time ago, a group of Christians wrestled with what it means that Jesus was man and God at the same time. They made a statement, saying that it is important to say that Jesus is both man and God, without letting one overshadow the other.

The idea that Jesus was really a person, and didn’t just seem to be, is really important. One of the reasons it is important is that it shows us that even God sympathizes with our weaknesses, as this ancient, Scriptural letter recognizes.

I’m left with a tension, though, because in the ancient statement, Christians said that Jesus had everything that you or I have makes people human, sin only excepted.

Sin only excepted. These three words make it difficult for me to see Jesus as one that sympathizes in my weakness. How can I affirm that I serve a high priest who sympathizes in my weaknesses, while still agreeing with the early church that Jesus was just like me, sin only excepted.

What sin only excepted means is this:

Jesus was just like me, except he didn’t have the intrinsic problem that I have that leads me to rebel against God and his leadership, seeking to implement my own Lordship over myself and the world.

Jesus was just like me, except he didn’t have the intrinsic problem that I have that leads me to seek my own interests over all others, leading me to a state of complete isolation and despair.

Jesus was just like me, except he didn’t have the intrinsic problem that I have that leads me to be hateful to my wife, mock the people I disagree with, serve myself, rebel against God, and continually try to oppress and dominate others.

Jesus was just like me, except he has no idea what it feels like to be lured away and enticed by his own desire. He doesn’t have this rebellious nature within him, continually desiring what is bad for him.

This leads me to struggle with Jesus as my sympathetic high priest. Make no mistake. What Jesus did was an incredible sacrifice. He sympathized with many of my weaknesses. He sympathized with being hungry, tired, grumpy, angry, annoyed, horny, discouraged, and unable to accomplish things he wanted to do. Jesus dealt with genuine temptation from outside influences, and dealt with the absolute worst that life within a fallen world had to offer. What makes this more incredible is that Jesus is God. For God to go through this is an astounding sacrifice. I have no desire to minimize it.

However, I do struggle. Jesus sympathized with many of my weaknesses, even most of my weaknesses, but not my main weakness. This leads me to wonder how we can really affirm that he knows what I am going through by experience.

Sin only excepted: These three words ring in my head and cause me to have a significant struggle with my sympathetic high priest. Jesus may be sympathetic to a pre-fallen humanity, knowing many of the weaknesses that come with being human. But does he really understand me? Does he know my struggle?

Christians: How can we say Christ was without sin and also say Christ was a sympathetic high priest?

James and I have been very busy this Semester! I'm a Nanny and I work for two families. It has kept me really busy but, i love the families. James is going to school Full time and working as a tutor. Were involved with Merge which is a College ministry that has turned into a Sunday night service. We lead a 242 group which is a home group that we live life with.

In October we went to Fall Retreat at Pine Cove. We worshiped together, had some time with God, played ultimate frizbee, and did the zip line. The main thing that we took from that weekend was that usually when you go to retreats it's about being refreshed and it's all about your time with God. This time we were told that it's good to be refreshed but when you go back to your daily schedules pour into the people that you see daily or people that you radomly meet. Build community and live life with them.

This weekend 7 of us went to Houston to watch a movie called "Call and Response"callandresponse.com It's about Human Trafficking and slave Labor. Our 242 group is working towards serving in different ways to stop Human Trafficing. We learned about Fair Trade and that we are benefiting from others by buying products such as coffee, chocolate, cotton, ect.. that is not fair trade products.This will not stop untill consumers like me start buying fair Trade products chainstorereaction.com.

James will be done with Seminary in about 6 months and time is flying by for us. We'll move back to Cali and i'll go back to school for Interior Design. We'll get involved somewhere with an anti trafficking organization. Were not sure where James will work right away but we know that it will all work out. It's weird to know that one chapter of your life is closing and your about to start a new one. I'm so excited and nervous at the same time. Life is Good!

Many Blessings to you all and much love love,

Ileana D. Linton

The First Black President

The first black president got elected last night. This is a special day. Three hundred years ago, we called black people property. We went to Africa, put them in chains, and drug them to America to sell them as property. Two hundred forty years ago, we finally passed an amendment to the constitution that called them people. We set them free, but they were about two hundred years behind in a free market system.

Less than fifty years ago, black people weren’t allowed to sit at the same lunch counter with me. ‘Science’ called them dumber, less evolved, and underdeveloped.

We called them property, we called them second-class citizens, we called them less evolved. Tonight, we call one of them president-elect and, in January, we will call him Mr. President.

There were good reasons to vote either way in this election. I really think both Obama and McCain are Spirit-filled, intelligent men with the best interests of America at heart. No matter how we voted, we must save the rhetoric about how this is a sign of the degeneration of morals in America. Three hundred years ago, black people were property for sale. Today, one will be president. At least in one area, we have made progress.