Must Have JesusSample

Must Have Jesus?

When you hear the phrase, “must have Jesus,” do you buy it?

If you have been around church for long, you have probably heard people say how much we need Jesus. Why do we need Jesus? We need Jesus because we are all sinners who cannot, no matter how hard we try, save ourselves from the consequences of our sin. We need Jesus because only He can fix our broken relationship with God. We need Jesus because, without Him, we’ll be stuck in cycles of selfishness instead of truly living lives of purpose. Jesus is the only one who can rescue us from sin, fix our relationship with God, and restore our true purpose as the people of God. That’s why we need Jesus.

While all of that sounds nice, if we are being honest, how many of us actually buy it?

Maybe you’re at a place in life where things are going really well. You gave your life to Jesus when you were younger, you’ve got good friends, your family is not currently fighting about anything, and you’re generally positive and happy. Maybe you really needed Jesus at some point, but now, not so much.

Maybe, you’re not really a religious person at all. So the idea of devoting your life to someone you’ve never seen face-to-face just seems strange.

Or maybe, you’re reading this Plan and you find the whole idea of people needing Jesus ridiculous.

No matter which of those situations you may find yourself in, this Bible Plan is for you. Because it is all about helping you discover just how amazing Jesus is, and just how much life with Him changes everything. So, if you’re up for it, let’s start with the basics.

Who is Jesus really? And why is He such a big deal?

Jesus is a big deal because He changed the world. And that’s not an exaggeration. He wasn’t a president, scientist, inventor, or military general, and yet, His influence is still in every area of society on every corner of the globe. He was called heretic by some, and savior by others.

He showed people that there is so much more to life than what’s on the surface. He opened their eyes to the truth of who God is and how we were created to live as His children. He called us to turn away from their self-centered ways of life and return to God. He demonstrated what it looks like to be forgiven, free, and fully alive.

The revolution He launched started with a team of twelve young, unqualified followers who spent three years walking with Him, learning from Him, and being changed by Him.

He performed miracles, healed the sick, cast out demons, announced good news, and taught people how to live in relationship with God and with other people. Everywhere He went, hope and healing came with Him.

Well, at least until the religious establishment and the Roman government had had enough. Jesus was such a threat to the powers that be that they had Him arrested on false charges, put on a sham of a trial, and then executed for crimes He never committed. His followers were shocked. They were scared. With Jesus dead, they figured, it was only a matter of time before they were killed too. So they ran and hid.

Rome was once again victorious. The corrupt religious system was still intact. And Jesus, the wannabe messiah, was laying in a tomb. The story was over.

Except that it wasn’t. Because something unexpected happened. A group of Jesus’ female followers showed up at His tomb on the very first Easter Sunday only to discover that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled away, His body was missing, and a strange man was waiting there. He told them,

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said ...” Matthew 28:6 NIV

Who is Jesus? He is the Son of God who stepped into the mess of the world to do the miraculous: rescue us from sin, fix our relationship with God, and restore us to our original role as partners with God.

And that Jesus wants a relationship with you. Not because of how awesome you are, but because of how good He is. A relationship with Jesus isn’t just a one-time purchase though. Following Jesus is something we do every minute of every day.

Why? Because He loves us, He died for us, and we were created to live for Him.

John, one of Jesus’ original followers, wrote down this quote from Jesus, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT

Jesus came so we could have the life that is truly life. He came to put together the broken parts of our lives and show us how to be a part of His plan to put the world back together. And He came to bring us back to God.

And the movement He started so long ago is still going strong today. It’s a movement you’re invited to be a part of.

Now, maybe you’re still not convinced, that’s totally okay. Keep reading. Keep searching. Keep asking questions. When you do, you may be surprised to find that you really do need Jesus, and that He is so much better than you ever imagined.

Challenge: Don’t do this alone! Learning something new is easier and more fun when we do it together. Invite a friend or two to do this Bible Plan with you. Ready, set, go!