The Jesus This Gramma Knows Was A Radical.

After Satan departed, Jesus announced: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Then he did something interesting!  He walked along the Sea of Galilee picking fishermen to be his teaching partners.  Ordinary men, probably with no formal education, rough around the edges. Going about their business of fishing for sea creatures to sell for money.  They must have been very busy.  But it says that when Jesus asked them to follow him they immediately — immediately — left what they were doing and went with Jesus.

It is a bit difficult to imagine that they didn’t ask any questions.  Or tell Jesus that he would have to wait until they were done with what they were doing.  No!  They just dropped their nets and left. 

Interesting!  Don’t you think?

Interesting because hard working people don’t just drop what they are doing to follow some strange guy walking along the beach.  They didn’t know Jesus from Adam (no pun intended).  And yet they immediately left their nets and followed him.

Now, wouldn’t you think that he would go to the local synagogue, or temple, and ask the people more versed in religion? People who knew God and God’s ways?  

That is a key point in Jesus story!

It is important, I think, that he chose people like you and me to follow along on his journey.  And, as we read through the Gospels that reason becomes quite evident.  The Religious leaders were the very ones whom Jesus came to speak to.  Not that he didn’t come to speak to all people.  But it was the “religious” who had, in many ways, misdirected the ordinary folks on the subject of God/Jesus..

This is the pivotal  -- critical -- point on the issue of the Jesus our Gramma were taught — and taught.   Verses the Jesus I have come to know and love.  Number one!  Jesus didn’t walk alone.  He was not a simple a miracle worker!  He was God in human skin!  And, he came to teach, the regular Dick and Jane, about why God created them in the first place.  And, it wasn’t to prance around in Religious garb and pretend to be something they weren’t.  

The Jesus this Gramma knows was a radical.  A system breaker!  A rule changer!  An attitude adjuster!  

We in the sixties would say he was a hippy in a holy robe and sandals.  This Jesus saw beneath the pretense of our ego’s facade — what we want others to see and think we are.  This Jesus cut to the chase!  Aimed directly at the heart of every citizen’s true self.  

To say the very least!   People didn’t like it!   

People never like to be exposed to the truth!

But Jesus came to tell the truth!  And he told it boldly!

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." 16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. 21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Mk.1:14-22)