A recent advertising campaign asked this question about Jesus. They caused some controversy by running their ads during the last Super Bowl. He Gets Us | Does Jesus Get Us? And this is an interesting question.
Does Jesus Get Us?
Let’s discuss it. The Bible talks about how Jesus can sympathize with our human weaknesses.
We have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…. (He can) sympathize with our weaknesses (because He) was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us then come (to His) throne (to) obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Jesus Became Human so He Could Get Us
Before Jesus was born, He was God from eternity past. Yet the Son of God humbled Himself and became a man while remaining fully God. Jesus became man to reveal the unseen God, but also so Jesus could get us.
To become fully human, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Then He experienced life as a child and grew to adulthood. His childhood was so typical, so like ours, that the people in his hometown of Nazareth couldn’t believe it when Jesus started performing miracles:
“And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get this? What is this wisdom that is given Him, that even miracles are done by His hands? Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him (Mark 6:2-3).”
Job Longed for Someone Who Could Understand Us
The Bible character Job lived over four thousand years ago. He famously suffered for the loss of his children, livelihood, and health. During his troubles, He suffered righteously, but he longed for someone to represent him to God. Because he was human, he complained that he couldn’t properly present his case to someone “so high and lifted up.” Someone who is so other. Job longed for someone who could get us:
“For He is not a man as I am, that … we should come together in judgment. Nor is there a mediator between us, who may lay his hand upon us both. Let … not dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak…. (Job 9:32-35).”
God provided Jesus as a mediator. He could put a hand on both God and us.
He didn’t sin, but He fellowshipped with sinners so He could get us:
(Jesus) saw a tax collector, named Levi …. He said to him, “Follow Me.” … Then Levi made Him a great feast ….But their scribes and Pharisees murmured … saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”Jesus answered them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. (Luke 5:27-31).”
Note: The Jews considered tax collectors evil because they cheated people and they thought they were righteous so they didn’t need a Savior.
Even in our modern cultures, we don’t choose to eat with our enemies or with evil people. We eat with our friends. Eating a meal in Jesus’ culture was a pledge of friendship. Because Jesus gets us, He is the ultimate friend to sinners: We are never alone.
Jesus Died for Our Sins
Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends…. I no longer call you servants…. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have heard from My Father have I made known to you (John 15:13-15).
He laid down His life for us, and God raised Him from the dead, so when we believe in Him, we can be with Him in heaven when we die.
Jesus was friends with Mary and Martha, so He came to comfort them when their brother Lazarus died:
“When Mary came to where Jesus was … she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping … He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. (John 11:32-35).”
Jesus Gets Our Sorrows
Jesus felt Mary’s sorrow because He gets us. And He raised Lazarus back to life, just as He will resurrect all believers when He returns.
Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they fainted and were scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36-37
Yes, the people who conduct the “He gets Us” campaign are right. Jesus gets us!
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