Found Jesus

Found Jesus
Found Jesus is a phrase that's used in many cultures today. Yet, it's often used in such a way that its meaning is difficult to discern. In this brief article, we will explore what it means to have found Jesus and what, if any, relevance it has to our lives today.

Found Jesus: Historical Context
Understanding the phrase found Jesus begins with a historical perspective on the person, life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He is reported to have lived some two thousand years ago in the region of Israel. His biographers report that he was conceived through the supernatural efforts of God and that he was born of a virgin. This miraculous birth, his followers and biographers report, was necessary because Jesus was none other them God in human flesh. They suggest that his birth was of supernatural means because God needed to be born of human flesh and at the same time he needed to be born without the contamination that causes people to do wrong things (sin). It is important to understand this background in order to fully appreciate what someone means when they use the term found Jesus.

The first 30 years of Jesus’ life are reported as being fairly normal and common. Then, around the age of 30 Jesus is reported to have chosen a group of 12 men to become his disciples (followers). The writings of these disciples give us considerable insights into the life of Jesus as he took them on a journey. As we shall see shortly, these disciples were among the first to have found Jesus. Indeed, what Jesus did in the lives of this group of men was all part of his plan to establish disciples or followers throughout the earth. To understand what it means to have found Jesus, it’s important to understand what happened in the lives of this group of men.

These disciples and eventual biographers of the life of Jesus indicate that they found Jesus. Part of what that meant is that they followed him everywhere over a three and a half year period. Jesus trained and taught them as they lived together in close personal relationship with him. It was a process of reprogramming the way they thought. When we study the writings of these men, it becomes apparent that Jesus thought very differently than most. They suggest that he was God in human flesh come, in part, for the purpose of teaching us to think the way God thinks.

Jesus taught his disciples to love a different way than most people love. Most people love others who are easy to love. But, this isn’t the way Jesus taught his disciples to love. He taught to love like this, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
     If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:27-36)

These men who found Jesus report of having learned to think the way God thinks. But, they learned much more than this. They learned to live a different way too. They report that Jesus lived beyond the limitations of most people. Instead, these men who found Jesus learned that all things are possible for God. As such, they reported to have watched Jesus do a great many miracles such as walking on water, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, casting out demons from people, multiplying a handful of food to feed thousands, commanding the weather and it obeying, and even raising people from the dead.

Yet, as we study the writings of these men who found Jesus, we discover that Jesus’ purpose wasn’t simply to demonstrate miracles to these men to convince them that he really was God. Their writings indicate that Jesus was training them how to live extraordinary lives too. He eventually shifted the role of doing miracles onto these men who found Jesus. They report that Jesus began to send them out to do the same kinds of miracles that he did and they returned from such journeys having seen the same miraculous results.

His disciples and biographers tell us that Jesus’ goal was to replicate himself. He wanted to raise up a movement of people around the world who love like God and live beyond the possibilities of this life. When you study the writings and reports of his disciples, it seems apparent that Jesus’ plan worked. They report that Jesus gave up his life by willingly being crucified on a Roman cross. Then, they suggest he was raised from the dead and was seem by and interacted with over 500 followers over a 40-day period of time before he ascended into heaven.

Yet, this isn’t the end of the story. These people who found Jesus picked right up where he left off. In the decades following the reported resurrection of Jesus, the historical documents indicate that this group of people went around loving people like Jesus did. They lived the same miraculous lives of watching God do the impossible through them. These disciples began making disciples of others who also found Jesus. In this manner, people are still in the process of finding Jesus today.

This small group of men who found Jesus were trained, taught and mentored in close personal relationship with Jesus. They learned to think like Jesus, to love like Jesus and to live like Jesus. In the end, they also trained and mentored the next generation of disciples. And so the story is reported to have gone for the past two thousand years. This same process of reproducing disciples of Jesus is reported to have continued unabated over the past two millennia.

Found Jesus: Personal Application
So, given this historical context to the phrase found Jesus, what does all of this mean to the average person living today? It means that if you choose to believe the reports of Jesus’ biographers, that the same opportunity is available to you today as it was to them thousands of years ago. Jesus encountered these average men and brought them into a close personal relationship with him where they learned to think just like him. They learned how to love people with a love more powerful than anything they possessed within themselves. They also learned to live beyond what was possible for them.

If we choose to believe the accounts of Jesus’ disciples, we too are presented with this same opportunity to be someone who has found Jesus. We too can develop a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If these things are true, we can follow in the footsteps of millions of others who have also found Jesus and continued the process of training and mentoring future generations of disciples.

We have developed this website because we have each come to the conclusion that the historical accounts and claims of Jesus Christ are true. We have each found Jesus and started the journey of learning to live in close personal relationship with him. We are each in the process of being a disciple who learns to think, love and live like Jesus. So, we invite you to study his teachings for yourself and see if they bring you the same measure in life as they have us.

Found Jesus: Key References to Explore

1. Matthew 8:18-22 – Jesus discusses the cost of choosing to follow him
2. Matthew 9:9-38 – Jesus invites a disciple to follow him and then teaches him
3. Matthew 10 – Jesus trains his disciples on some important principles
4. Matthew 19:16-30 – Jesus discusses how to have eternal life
5. Luke 6:27-36 – Jesus teaches his disciple how to love people like God

Found Jesus: Launching Points

1. Brief Life Summary: Who Was Jesus Christ?
2. Jesus Comforts His Disciples
3. People`s Experience With Jesus - What Makes You Believe in Jesus?
4. Jesus Befriending and Promoting the Lowly
5. Jesus Prays for All Believers