Today, July 8th, is my birthday. According to my eldest son, I am just getting old. To others I’m still “just so young”. Whatever your opinion may be, this is the 43rd time I have observed the date of my birth. It’s also only the 15th time I will have done so without my grandpa Sidders.
My grandfather’s birthday was July 9th. As a result, all throughout my childhood I was made to share my birthday with my grandpa. Now there were ages of course in which this was fantastic! It was as though we were part of some secret club. Everyone got cake, but we were the ones who got the first pieces.
As I neared my teenage years, sharing my birthday wasn’t the great thrill it used to be. It wasn’t as though I loved my grandfather less or anything, its just that, when it came right down to it, of those first two pieces of cake, only one was cut and delivered first, and I was wise enough to start noticing which one it was.
My grandfather year after year started taking more of a backseat as a result of my selfishness. On his own birthday no less, my grandfather was made to act as though only one of us got to celebrate.
Now if you are a grandparent or even a parent reading this you are likely ready to comment back that it is a great honor and joy to share something like this with your son or grandson. I’ll go ahead and add that comment button below for you, go on…I deserve it…
Sharing is not only a good thing to do but it might be one of the healthiest. It’s actually how we relate and open up to others. The Lord Jesus Christ was tremendous at sharing life experiences with the disciples during His earthly ministry. Just take note of how our gospel account writers describe Jesus calling His disciples. Across the four accounts we are given specific moments where Jesus calls them from their fishing boats and tax collecting booths. We even see relationships between those disciples as a result of shared experiences.
Matthew says of his own experience in Matthew 9:9 “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”
Mark 2:13-17 “And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi [Matthew] the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
This moment meant something to Matthew. This was the day that Jesus saw him. Dr Luke said in Luke 5:28 that Matthew “…left all, rose up, and followed him.” The impact that this shared experience had on Matthew resulted in him hosting a meal in his house for Jesus and His disciples.
Matthew 4:17-22 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”
Here now we find Jesus calling Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, more on him in a moment, as well and James and John the sons of Zebedee. Again we read that they left everything and followed. Now we could say this was the most reasonable response. Was it? This was for them, and Matthew as well, their livelihood. This is how they made the money to pay their taxes and feed their families. If we really put ourselves in their position we can be further astounded at their response. Note, however, that Jesus was preaching repentance and when he got to the five disciples I have mentioned so far, He had a personalized message to share with them. A calling like no other!
Now admittedly the text I’ve quoted above was a little later in the events of the Bible, this wasn’t the firs they had heard of or even met Jesus. Consider John 1:35-41 “Again the next day after John [the Baptist] stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? -- They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”
Here we see that Simon Peter’s brother had indeed heard of Jesus. His brother Andrew had already had an experience with Jesus when he was a disciple or follower of John the Baptist. The impact it had on him led for him to tell Peter about it. Not only that but the very next verse starts as follows: John 1:42 “And he brought him to Jesus.”
The impact of Andrew’s shared experience with Jesus also led to some pretty major miracles in the Bible that you may have heard of: John 6:5-9 “When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?” Andrew was used to bring elements forth that would feed over 5000 that day!
John 12:20-22 “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.” Once again we find Andrew in the mix when it came to bringing others to Jesus, all because Jesus was made to mean so much to him.
Sharing is how we connect to one another. Probably one of the most recognized events across all Christendom was the last supper in which Jesus shared an intimate and final meal with His disciples, before He went to the cross on my behalf. Those men were quite important to the Lord’s church and they did all to stand for this Man, our Lord and Savior, Who shared so much with them.
Sharing is how we connect others to Jesus. What in fact is the great commission that we read of in the Bible (Matt 28:18-20) if it isn’t for us to go and share with all nations what Jesus shared with us?
oday I get to share my birthday, nay I insist on sharing my birthday, with both of my daughters who were born on the 21st and 23rd. I get to, I don’t have to. My grandpa didn’t have to either.
If you have wished me a “happy birthday” on Facebook then you have no doubt noticed that I labor to respond to every single birthday greeting. Now I’m well aware that social media tells my entire friend’s list when its my birthday, but folks don’t have to respond or post. They could have ignored it altogether. Thanking them for taking time out of their day to acknowledge that the first piece of cake is mine is my way of personally giving them a slice of that delicious virtual cake.