Resting In Him
August 5th, 2005, 01:57 AM
Just Give Me Jesus
By Troy Koehne
You have heard it said over and over just like I have. Just give me Jesus. Maybe you've said it yourself. You go to church to hear the Word of God but sometimes it gives you a bad taste in your mouth. You throw your hands in the air running to the first person that will listen to you and say, "I wish that, for once, he would just preach about Jesus!"
Do you realize what you are asking for when you say that? Think about it for a second. When we say, "Just give me Jesus," what are we really saying? The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10a, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection." You say, "That's exactly what I want right there. Paul preached Jesus back then, so why is it not being taught like that today?"
The truth is, the message of the Gospel hasn't changed. Our problem is not what Jesus did on the cross but with the sin in our lives. Because sin separates us from God, it's what makes us run from the truth of Jesus. It pricks at our conscious as we hear the Word of God. The flesh will do everything in its power to keep you from hearing the message of redemption. How many of you get bored in service and start fidgeting or doodling on the bulletin?
Another issue we seem to have is not so much with the pastor but with the Word of God. For instance Jesus told us in John 15: 13-14, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." Jesus went on to say in Matthew 22:36-40: "Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second one is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commands."
Remember now, you said, "Just give me Jesus." By saying that, are you willing to live out the love of God so much that our lives reflect Him. Do you ask, "What would Jesus do?" Once you know the answer how many of you go on to say, "I'm not doing that? People will think that I'm a Jesus Freak."
Jesus though calls us to be holy. 1st Peter 1:15-16: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it is written, "Be holy for I am holy." Webster's dictionary defines holy as being spiritually pure, sinless, deserving deep respect, awe. Can you say this about your Christian life? Do you strive to be sinless? Do you want to be spiritually pure?
Look back at the above scriptures from Matthew and ask yourself. Do I love my friends so much that I would lay down my life for them? Okay, let's take the thought of dying out of the equation. How many of you would bend over backwards to help out someone in need?
Jesus told a parable in Luke chapter 10. It begins with an expert in the law asking Jesus who was his neighbor. Jesus replies with the story of the Good Samaritan. In the story, a man gets beaten half to death. A priest and a Levite saw the man lying in the side of the road and did nothing. A Samaritan passed by and had mercy on him, even paying for the room that he stayed in. In closing, Jesus asked, "Which of the three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers." The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
How often do you help that single father or mother down the street just trying to get by? When was the last time you took a co-worker out for a soda or coffee after work because they had a hard day? What about that homeless man on the corner, he's broken down and ragged but he still needs the love of Jesus presented to him. Could you give him a New Testament with a couple of bucks in it? When was the last time you said that you would pray for someone and didn't do it? When you see them a week later do you tell them you have been praying for them? How about that neighbor of yours who's son went to prison or who has a 15 year old daughter that's pregnant. Do you try to comfort them or just gossip behind their backs?
"I don't want to hear about that, just give me Jesus." Look at what he had to say. Matthew 25:42-45: "For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you didn't clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you didn't look after me. They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'"
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you didn't do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"
Let's go back and look at Philippians 3:10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death.
When salvation is offered, people are told that their life will be filled with love, joy and peace. Great things that will make us better people. The one thing that is missing, is the suffering. All throughout the Bible, the people of God were persecuted and more often than not they were killed because they chose to follow God.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 24:9 says, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." Paul tell Timothy in 2nd Timothy 3:12 that everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted.
Being a follower of Jesus could be dangerous. Look at what the Apostles had to endure. Acts 5 tells us that they rejoiced because they had been found worthy suffering for the name of Jesus. Acts chapter 7, we read about the stoning of Stephen. He boldly spoke the Word of God and he was stoned for it. On and on it goes. All throughout history, we read of those who suffered persecution and death because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus says to rejoice and be glad.
"We don't want to hear about suffering, just give us Jesus." To understand the story of Jesus, you have to understand that Jesus was born to die. He chose to take your place on the cross. Want to know what he went through, watch the Passion of the Christ. Look at the pain and agony on his face as he prayed in the garden. Think of what he had to endure just so you wouldn't have to. There was the flogging, the crown of thorns, the pain of having to carry his cross and the nails in his hands and feet.
How many of you, if you were on that cross would have said to the thief, "This day, you will be with me in paradise."
The just give me Jesus crowd just cried foul. "We can't handle that kind of teaching." Is it any wonder that the Apostle Paul said that in the last days they would have a form of godliness but denying its power (2nd Timothy 3:5)?
2nd Timothy 4:3-4: For time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather up around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
In this day and age where the world is trying so hard so silence Christianity, we have to make a choice. Do we take Jesus at face value or do we continue shopping for him till we hear what we want to hear?
Jesus said, "If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."
If you chose to follow Jesus, be prepared. The way of the cross is not an easy path to travel.
Remember the promise of Psalm 23. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I WILL fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
But for you who continue shopping for a Jesus that puts no demands on you, I ask this. What hope do you have? You won't except the truth of God's grace because you don't want to hear the truth about Jesus.
Yes, you will be persecuted. Yes, you have to deny yourself. You have to make Jesus Lord of your life. Stop running from Jesus and run to his outstretched arms.
Someday soon, we will be standing before Jesus. Will he be your judge or your Savior? Will you hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you." Or, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
The choice is entirely up to you.
http://www.prophezine.com/Default.aspx?tabid=115
By Troy Koehne
You have heard it said over and over just like I have. Just give me Jesus. Maybe you've said it yourself. You go to church to hear the Word of God but sometimes it gives you a bad taste in your mouth. You throw your hands in the air running to the first person that will listen to you and say, "I wish that, for once, he would just preach about Jesus!"
Do you realize what you are asking for when you say that? Think about it for a second. When we say, "Just give me Jesus," what are we really saying? The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:10a, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection." You say, "That's exactly what I want right there. Paul preached Jesus back then, so why is it not being taught like that today?"
The truth is, the message of the Gospel hasn't changed. Our problem is not what Jesus did on the cross but with the sin in our lives. Because sin separates us from God, it's what makes us run from the truth of Jesus. It pricks at our conscious as we hear the Word of God. The flesh will do everything in its power to keep you from hearing the message of redemption. How many of you get bored in service and start fidgeting or doodling on the bulletin?
Another issue we seem to have is not so much with the pastor but with the Word of God. For instance Jesus told us in John 15: 13-14, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." Jesus went on to say in Matthew 22:36-40: "Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second one is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All of the law and the prophets hang on these two commands."
Remember now, you said, "Just give me Jesus." By saying that, are you willing to live out the love of God so much that our lives reflect Him. Do you ask, "What would Jesus do?" Once you know the answer how many of you go on to say, "I'm not doing that? People will think that I'm a Jesus Freak."
Jesus though calls us to be holy. 1st Peter 1:15-16: But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. For it is written, "Be holy for I am holy." Webster's dictionary defines holy as being spiritually pure, sinless, deserving deep respect, awe. Can you say this about your Christian life? Do you strive to be sinless? Do you want to be spiritually pure?
Look back at the above scriptures from Matthew and ask yourself. Do I love my friends so much that I would lay down my life for them? Okay, let's take the thought of dying out of the equation. How many of you would bend over backwards to help out someone in need?
Jesus told a parable in Luke chapter 10. It begins with an expert in the law asking Jesus who was his neighbor. Jesus replies with the story of the Good Samaritan. In the story, a man gets beaten half to death. A priest and a Levite saw the man lying in the side of the road and did nothing. A Samaritan passed by and had mercy on him, even paying for the room that he stayed in. In closing, Jesus asked, "Which of the three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers." The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
How often do you help that single father or mother down the street just trying to get by? When was the last time you took a co-worker out for a soda or coffee after work because they had a hard day? What about that homeless man on the corner, he's broken down and ragged but he still needs the love of Jesus presented to him. Could you give him a New Testament with a couple of bucks in it? When was the last time you said that you would pray for someone and didn't do it? When you see them a week later do you tell them you have been praying for them? How about that neighbor of yours who's son went to prison or who has a 15 year old daughter that's pregnant. Do you try to comfort them or just gossip behind their backs?
"I don't want to hear about that, just give me Jesus." Look at what he had to say. Matthew 25:42-45: "For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you didn't clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you didn't look after me. They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'"
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you didn't do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"
Let's go back and look at Philippians 3:10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death.
When salvation is offered, people are told that their life will be filled with love, joy and peace. Great things that will make us better people. The one thing that is missing, is the suffering. All throughout the Bible, the people of God were persecuted and more often than not they were killed because they chose to follow God.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 24:9 says, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." Paul tell Timothy in 2nd Timothy 3:12 that everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted.
Being a follower of Jesus could be dangerous. Look at what the Apostles had to endure. Acts 5 tells us that they rejoiced because they had been found worthy suffering for the name of Jesus. Acts chapter 7, we read about the stoning of Stephen. He boldly spoke the Word of God and he was stoned for it. On and on it goes. All throughout history, we read of those who suffered persecution and death because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus says to rejoice and be glad.
"We don't want to hear about suffering, just give us Jesus." To understand the story of Jesus, you have to understand that Jesus was born to die. He chose to take your place on the cross. Want to know what he went through, watch the Passion of the Christ. Look at the pain and agony on his face as he prayed in the garden. Think of what he had to endure just so you wouldn't have to. There was the flogging, the crown of thorns, the pain of having to carry his cross and the nails in his hands and feet.
How many of you, if you were on that cross would have said to the thief, "This day, you will be with me in paradise."
The just give me Jesus crowd just cried foul. "We can't handle that kind of teaching." Is it any wonder that the Apostle Paul said that in the last days they would have a form of godliness but denying its power (2nd Timothy 3:5)?
2nd Timothy 4:3-4: For time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather up around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
In this day and age where the world is trying so hard so silence Christianity, we have to make a choice. Do we take Jesus at face value or do we continue shopping for him till we hear what we want to hear?
Jesus said, "If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."
If you chose to follow Jesus, be prepared. The way of the cross is not an easy path to travel.
Remember the promise of Psalm 23. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I WILL fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
But for you who continue shopping for a Jesus that puts no demands on you, I ask this. What hope do you have? You won't except the truth of God's grace because you don't want to hear the truth about Jesus.
Yes, you will be persecuted. Yes, you have to deny yourself. You have to make Jesus Lord of your life. Stop running from Jesus and run to his outstretched arms.
Someday soon, we will be standing before Jesus. Will he be your judge or your Savior? Will you hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you." Or, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
The choice is entirely up to you.
http://www.prophezine.com/Default.aspx?tabid=115