Monday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon

"Jesus' Midlife Crisis"

When I met with the students at the "Relationships" Class at Rocky Mountain High School last week I asked them to draw out a line of highs and lows that represented their lives. On a scale of one to ten how might they rate each age of their young lives. Then I asked them to look at the low points and what did the low points have in common. Generally, what put them down, depressed them, or discouraged them in their lives. Then I asked them to look at the high points in their lives and what would they say was the best day of their life and why was it.

Then I asked them to look at the contrast between the high points and the low points in terms of what they had in common. I suggested their philosophy of life could be mapped by a comparison between the high and low points. I believe that says a great deal about how we put things together.

What was Jesus' low point? What was his high point? Since he was probably 33 when he was crucified we could identify that period of his life as his mid-life crisis. Actually, people in his day didn't live as long as we live today so it may not be mid-life for him when we chronicle the years of his public ministry and teaching -- 30 to 33.

What do you think were the high points of his life? What were the low points?

Was his baptism in the River Jordan a low point; a time of confusion? Baptism indicated a person needed to repent. John the Baptist called people to repent and be baptized. What would Jesus have needed to repent about?

What was Jesus' high point? Was it Palm Sunday? Was it his first sermon in his home town synagogue? It really didn't go too well for him in that they tried to kill him after he finished preaching. Was it when he was able to turn water into wine at the wedding at Cana? He did get into a fight with his mother on that occasion but that was the first step in his ministry according to John.

Sunday I want us to look at high points and low points; preludes and postludes and how we are shaped in our thinking and in the way we live by the things that happen to us.

What was the high point of your life? What was the best day you ever had?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster