Highways And Byways Abridged Version

Highways and Byways (abridged) When Jesus was 12 He confounded the religious elite of His day by answering questions about the Torah, and from the Prophets, with depth and scope and undeniable mastery. Jesus even answered questions with wisdom superlatively beyond His years that religious leaders were unsure about. For years he walked the dusty streets, as a dual son, Son of God and Son of Man, meeting the best and the worst of society. Jesus visited the temple and rubbed shoulders with those who acknowledged or worshiped His Father – some with their lips only and others with their hearts as well.

for the chosen few, to memorize The Torah, The Prophets and The Talmud. Jesus did not have the best of the best, following long years of intensive study, follow Him around for yet longer years, and then pick one to mentor at His side for a still longer time. Jesus did not say, as the religious teachers of His time, “Now you have achieved your goal: Go be a Jewish Guru! Enjoy your own following and one protégé.” What did Jesus do instead? He went to the highways and byways! He found those who were deemed misfits. Unworthy of going on to higher religious learning. And He asked them! Right away!

Jesus reached the age of 30 and began His ministry. Once again He confused and confounded the religious elite of His time with His enigmatic words and actions. During His ministry Jesus showed great compassion, to the poor, lame, hungry, unclean and demonized – Israeli and foreign.

Jesus chose ignorant fisherman who had been sent home to work for their relatives, rather than go onto higher learning.

And yet Jesus was very harsh with most religious leaders, calling them white washed sepulchers, sons of the Devil, viperous, and blind guides. Whenever possible He actively sought to break the traditions of the elders.

When He had chosen the twelve Apostles of the Jewish Nation, none of them would have been considered “worthy material.” After that, Jesus went once again, to the highways and byways, and said, “Come follow me.”

Yet Jesus lived, breathed, and exemplified, with great precision, the scriptures and very nature of God. When it came time to choose His disciples, Jesus did not use the tried and true techniques of the elite religious leaders. Jesus did not choose the brightest students and place them on an advanced education track

He chose a tax collector who was socially anathema – considered contagiously unclean, to all but prostitutes and other tax collectors.

To the poor. To the social outcasts, both ignorant and well-tutored. To foreigners and prostitutes. To the unloved and the unlovely. When the religious elite and those who had the first right of redemption

ignored or scorned Him, what did His Father say? God said, “Go to the highways and byways and compel them to come in, that My House may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”

can be seen in two lights: as ones misunderstood, outcasts to many, and not what most Christians – traditional or untraditional would consider to be “good Christian material”

or as ones who have a right heart despite a variety of issues or odd ways, chosen by God to be ambassadors of Christ, who step to the rhythm of a different tune, who confound the wise of this world: Once more Jesus went to the highways and byways Christian, religious or pagan. Jesus warned the Chosen that their vineyard would be taken away and given to another nation who would harvest its fruits.

seeking half gentiles and gentiles. Later he sent his disciples, not only to the Jews, but to all nations. Two thousand years later and in a foreign land I call home, My Lord took me out of the places considered to be modern temples of Jehovah places where saints and religious pretenders blended like water and oil. I became as one born in the wrong time, never truly fitting in, until He took me along the path less trod. He led me along the highways and the byways. I became a stranger in a strange land, but I also found others who loved Jesus. Others unique and out of sync with contemporary religious tradition. He said, like His father about Abraham of old, “I will be your great treasure and I will be your friend.” Was I worthy of such an honor: No, yet he chose me, before I was in my mother's womb. I became another peculiar person who lived on earth, but whose true place of citizenship was in the heavenly realms. . .

Like a coin has two sides, Highways and byways Christians,

wto – 7.15.09