Why choose Jesus? It’s a question I believe every disciple should be able to answer. To follow Jesus means our lives will be radically different from those around us. Living in such contrast to our culture should generate curious stares and abundant questioning. If no one is asking why you live the way you do, you are probably not modeling Christ well.
So when people ask you why you follow Jesus, what do you say to them? Peter said we should always be ready to give reasons for believing as we do (I Peter 3:14-15). I’ll give you a couple of reasons why I choose Jesus, and follow with what that actually means to anyone who decides to follow Him.
The Benefits of Following Jesus
To get the obvious out of the way, no one would follow Jesus if there weren’t something in it for them. The top benefit most quote is eternal life; who wouldn’t want that? I choose Jesus because it means I get to spend all of eternity with Him. Think of the person you love most in life; wouldn’t you give anything to never lose that person? That’s how I feel about Jesus. No one has ever loved me like He does or sacrificed as much on my behalf.
Beyond eternity, I love the benefits of the here and now. I can talk to the One who created me whenever I desire. He is never too busy to converse. He is a great comfort and strength in the storms of life. I have often wondered how anyone without Jesus copes with all of life’s trials.
Jesus gives me hope. Atheism dictates we live meaningless lives, and other religions teach if we engage in the right behaviors then perhaps things might work out well for us in the end. I find those both depressing. Jesus offers the life for which we were designed for free. He promises an end to suffering, heartache and meaninglessness. He gives me hope beyond this life.
What Are The Alternatives?
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is John 6:66-68 where Jesus asked His disciples if they would abandon Him. Peter answered, “Where else would we go?” And that’s just it. If not Jesus, then what? No other religion offers the historical reliability of Jesus. No other belief system is believable! I believe in Jesus because He proved who He said He was, died on my behalf, and then rose from the dead as was witnessed by hundreds of people. I believe He purposefully designed me, and He is the Author and Creator of all life.
Yes, that takes a heavy dose of faith, but far less than to believe random events transpired one day that made a big bang and suddenly the exact combination of particles came together to create a sustainable planet and an amoebic life form that became a human being after billions of years. I’m sorry, that is ludicrous to me and requires far more faith than I possess.
Our Choice Demands Action
That is why I choose Jesus; but that choice requires something of me. If I believe He is who He says He was, then I must submit to His authority. I must do the things He told me to do. I must because I love Him, not because I am seeking His favor or to earn some reward. If He is who He said He was, then His love for me is unfathomable. He gave up everything for me. How could I not fall in love with someone like that?
Why follow Jesus? Because He first loved me. I follow Jesus because His love for me demands it and my love for Him compels me to obey.