Who Is Jesus? Part 3Sample

Are We Asking the Right Questions?

In the same way that we don’t get to cut and paste to create our own, self-serving version of Jesus, let’s make sure that we never think our faith is all about us. 

It’s common in our culture to make decisions based on what we get out of something or what makes our lives better. Even Peter struggled with a selfish perspective. Check out his question:

Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Matthew 19:27 NIV

Essentially, what’s in it for me? What are the long-term benefits? 

But that’s not the kind of life Jesus calls us to. Christianity isn’t about you. Christianity is about following Jesus. And the Jesus we follow is a person who literally died for the sake of others. The point of our faith is to become the kind of people who can love God with all that we are and love others the same way that Jesus has loved us. If that’s not the goal, we’re missing the point. A relationship with God is about so much more than what He can do for us. 

A relationship with God is about partnering with the Creator of Heaven and Earth in His redemptive plan to rescue humanity and restore creation. And this is a relationship He’s wanted with us since the very beginning. 

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:28 NLT

We are called to reflect the goodness of God to every corner of the earth. But when we only look at ourselves, we will never experience the beauty of being in partnership with Jesus. 

And the crazy thing about all of this is that when we let go of what we want and what’s in it for us and replace that with what God wants, we actually find what we’ve been looking for all along: a full, meaningful life.