Just a Regular Guy, and So Much More

John 1:43-45

The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm just an ordinary average guy
My friends are all boring
And so am I
We're just ordinary average guys

"Ordinary Average Guy" by Joe Walsh

One of the questions answered in the great councils of the church during the first 500 years of the faith was "Is Jesus God or is Jesus human?" There were many variations on this theme offered. One was that Jesus was God wearing human flesh like a shell. It's the Halloween costume version of Jesus. Honestly that doesn't cut it.

The final "formula" they could agree to was that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. From a "mathematical formula" point of view, it's not easy to fathom. How could the Lord be 100% God and 100% human? From a math point of view that's impossible. Of course for God, all things are possible.

Fully human doesn't set well with everybody. We want God to be a superman, someone who cannot be harmed the way we can be harmed. That would be way too vulnerable. As far as that goes, I think that's the point.

Being fully human, Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of Joseph. He's just an ordinary average guy. He gets up, goes to work, comes home, picks up the dog poo, cleans out the garage. He's just like all of us, he's normal, he's average, there is nothing special or distinct that makes Jesus any different. If you cut him, he will bleed.

But also, as Philip tells Nathanael Jesus is the one about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote. He is the one who is to come. He's different than we are. He is God.

Ultimately, Jesus as a person was just like we are, but without sin. He was exposed to sin, he was tempted to sin, but unlike us, he was without sin. He is God, this we need to always remember.

On the other hand, we must never forget that he was just an ordinary average guy with ordinary average guy needs and responsibilities. Because of this, Jesus can sympathize with our everyday live.

Jesus is just a regular guy, and he's so much more--he's also the Christ. This is worth remembering.