Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus
Religion is concerned with rules and often uses guilt to keep us in line. As such, most religion adds even more weight to our already overburdened lives.
But Jesus said his burden was easy and light (Matthew 11:30). He didn’t come to add a bunch of rules to our lives. He came to simplify what man had overcomplicated. Jesus came to show we don’t need religion; all we need is God.
I’ve got a problem and no idea how to solve it. I’m bored with everything but Jesus. As my relationship with Him has developed, I increasingly find myself growing out of other interests. When I’m spending time talking with Him, studying Him, or simply reflecting on Him, I am content. Nothing else satisfies any more.
Now, a quick disclaimer: I am not in any way saying I spend all my time focused on Jesus or implying I have transcended sin and temptation. I still fall. A lot. It’s a frustrating, but true, dichotomy in my life. Having said that, the fact remains I’ve become bored with everything but Jesus.
So why do we do this Jesus thing? Why would we devote our lives to a man who was last seen alive more than 2,000 years ago, and to a God we cannot see? Everyone is going to live for something or someone. But why Jesus? What compels us to live radical, counter-cultural lives for His sake? These are fair questions, and ones to which every Christ-follower should have an answer.
We’ll dive into this a bit, but my immediate answer would be to respond as Peter did when Jesus asked if he would desert Him. Peter’s response? “Where else would I go (John 6:67-68)?”
Few would admit it, but what most people want is a comfortable relationship with Jesus. We want answered prayers, help through troubled times, and comfort in crisis. Oh, and spending eternity in Heaven while escaping Hell, we want that too. Those are the comfortable benefits making Jesus so desirable to us, after all. Here’s where it gets a little uncomfortable. Jesus didn’t spend a lot of time talking up those benefits. He spent most of His time warning of trials and persecution, and giving stern warnings to those seeking to live a comfortable “religious” life.
His harshest words were reserved for people just like us… those who were trying please God through comfortable and often self-serving platitudes. Comfortable Christianity is synonymous with Pharisaical living.