Jesus Was Homeless

    Rejected by his family, accused of being a drunkard, and thought to be crazy ~~ Jesus walked from town to town, spending most of his time with people out on the streets. He was criticized for associating with poor and dirty people, and often was in trouble with the authorities; He occasionally got run out of town. He knew what it was like to be hungry, thirsty, and tired.
     As Jesus' life got harder, powerful people even implied he was demon-possessed and they plotted to kill him. Finally, he was betrayed by his friend and arrested on a false charge. After being mocked, beaten, and spat upon, he was murdered.
     Jesus lived a hard life. He knew real suffering. Jesus was familiar with hardship and he too had to look for a place to sleep at night.
     As he said: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Luke 9:58
     Because Jesus came and lived with us, he experianced our pain and he knows our problems. Not only does Jesus understand your life, he cares and wants to change your life.
     What difference did Jesus' suffering make?
     Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18
     Does Jesus know about the trouble on the streets? He knows it, and he wants to help you overcome it.
     "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
     Jesus understands you, Jesus cares for you, and Jesus can give you hope.
     Jesus wasn't always homeless. Once he had everything, but he gave it up to help you:
     For you know the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2Corinthians 8:9
     What did this mean for Jesus to become poor?
     The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:14
     [Jesus] being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obediant to death~even death on a cross! Philippians 2:6-8
     Because he loves us, Jesus came to live with us, to be like us. When Jesus began his ministry among us, he announced what he was going to do:
     "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18,19
     And immediately Jesus began to show his care for us:
     A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.              Mark 1:40-42
     When Jesus . . . saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Mark 6:34
     Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance." Jesus provided food so that, The people ate and were satisfied. Mark 8:1-2,8
     The Bible tells us that God has a special interest in helping those in hardship:
     He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. Psalm 113:7