The Carpenter Messiah
(1) Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. (2) When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! (3) Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Mark 6:1-3
When Jesus came into this world and lived among us, He became like us, except for sin. Because of that, you and I have a Savior who can feel and touch where we are in our lives. At the same time, there are those who could not see Him because of His common life.
Unless it is just not recorded, Jesus did not do the kind of things in the first years of His life as He did in the last three or so. Those who knew Him knew Him as a carpenter. Or, when someone inquired about Him, they were told that He, like His earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter.
If I need someone to fix my television, I do not call a plumber. If I need someone to fix my car, I do not call a baker. If I need a savior, I would not likely call a carpenter; nor would they.
I can see a plumber doubling as a TV tech or even a baker; but for the life of me, I cannot see a carpenter doubling as a Savior. Actually, I can see it. And, seeing it makes even more sense.
If Jesus had ridden in on a great white horse with feathers sticking out of the top of His hat, people would have taken a different notice of Him.
What they did not see and what we should be reminded of is very important. This carpenter who is our Savior needed wood just like any other carpenter. But, He was the very one who MADE the trees from which He built. The others could never touch that.
It was He who spoke the universe into existence and it is He in whom all things consist. He was very different from the common carpenter. He was and is Messiah God.
When we think of the birth of Jesus we should think of His commonness and how He made Himself like we are that He might step into our world and show us through His experience the way God calls us to live and what God calls us to be. It was He, this lowly carpenter making things out of His trees, who stepped into the flesh and met Satan head on so that He could destroy his power over us.
It was this gentle carpenter who sanded out the rough edges of the lives of the world and allowed all to see the sheen of God’s glory in His work.
It was this skilled carpenter who mortised and fitted things together to make them strong and make them last. And, it was He who did the same thing for the world. He showed us the way.
I like the idea that Jesus was like us, except for the sin. It makes me love Him even more. Not only did He suffer and die on the cross, but He suffered all of His life having to live among the putrid rot of mankind. But, He did it gracefully and without complaint because of His deep abiding love for us.
OH, WHAT A SAVIOR!