Finding Jesus in the City
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But I digress from today's point, which is that the kinds of life experiences that Jesus had and could directly empathize with are the ones that we modern-day believers can more easily access in urban settings than elsewhere. It is in our cities that culture is formed, criminal justice is conducted, and the best and worst of humanity are more concentrated. Jesus, recall, though he abided by contemporary mores concerning how religion was conducted (attending synagogue, for example), more often than not rubbed shoulders with society's outcasts than with the day's respected religious leaders. He was falsely accused, unjustly condemned, and ostracized from his friends - where do you think you will be more likely to find people who have had similar experiences? And his followers, after first being downcast that his ministry had come to a screeching halt at the hands of Roman executors and then rejoicing that he was indeed risen again, took their message to cities and to city folk.
Where he lived and ministered, who he sought out, what life experiences he would find his deepest connections to - all of these things point to an urban Jesus. For those of us who live in cities and as a result more readily intersect and empathize with all that is found in our cities, what a wonderful way to connect with our savior.
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