03 April, 2015

Is Jesus Enough?

"After they had eaten, Jesus asked Simon Peter, ’Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these other things?’" (John 21:15).


I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the church. Not the building, but the people of God. I’m not referring to one local congregation, but the Body of Christ at large. I’m not really going to go into all that I’ve been thinking, but I do want to pose a question to the reader. “If Jesus was all you had, would Jesus be enough for you?” Before you answer that, I challenge you to think on it first. I’ve come to the conclusion that many believers are in love with the things of the Lord, but they are not in love with the Lord Himself. I will go so far as to say that many Christian workers and ministers are more in love with the Lord’s work than they are the Lord Himself.  Almost without realizing it, the work of the Lord becomes more important than the Lord of the work. There are countless people who seek a Word from the Lord more than they seek the Lord. Others seek specific teachings and they are driven to obtain more of that teaching, rather than seeking more of the Lord. And then there are those who love the blessings of the Lord and they are seeking "things" - words, prophecies, teachings, visions, dreams - but they are not seeking the Lord Himself.


So, I ask, “Is Jesus enough?”


If we would be totally honest, I’m afraid we would be forced to admit that when the saints gather together most of the activity is focused on "one another". Yes, this is important, but it is not the most important thing.
Fellowship is good: but is Jesus enough?
Gatherings are good: but is Jesus enough?
Meetings are good: but is Jesus enough?
Special speakers and special music are good: but is Jesus enough?
Even when it comes to praise and worship it is possible to sing "about" Jesus and not truly worship Jesus. With preaching and teaching it is possible to talk "about" Jesus and not truly meet Jesus in what is shared.
And I’ve come to realize that even in prayer it is possible to talk "about" our needs and never actually commune with Jesus Himself.


The questions I think we need to ask ourselves is how much of our focus is directed to the things of God and about God, and not to God Himself?
How much of your discussion centers on things about Jesus, and not Jesus Himself?


Just look around and observe the landscape. Over here we have someone who is focused on end-time events, and that sister over there has her focus of ministry devoted to inner healing. Then there is this brother who is primarily concerned with prophetic things, while yet another is keenly interested in spiritual warfare. And on it goes. One ministry emphasizes this particular thing, and another group stands for another thing. Yes, we need to acknowledge that there may be diversities of gifts and callings. There may be various and sundry things to be involved with and many topics to study and discuss. There are many things that compete for our time, attention, affection, energy, and money.


But there is only one Lord Jesus.


Just as some people cannot see the forest for the trees, I believe most sinners cannot see Jesus for the Christians. And I believe most Christians cannot see Jesus for the "church".
I ask you again,  “Is Jesus enough?”


Everyone wants to go and do something for God, but few people are willing to stay and do "nothing" for Him… to just sit at his feet and worship him and pour out their love on him. In the scripture above, Jesus asked Peter, "Am I enough for You? Do you love Me more than everything else? Do you love Me more than you love the things about Me?"  Just a short time later, when Peter stood with John before the religious rulers to explain the healing of a man who had never walked, "...they marveled; and they took knowledge of [Peter and John], that THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS" (Acts 4:13b).


If we will be with Jesus, then Jesus will be with us. The reason the New Testament church had power was not because they spoke in tongues, or held meetings in their living rooms, or had a certain system for planting churches.
The secret was they had been with Jesus.


But some Christians are more in love with methods and ministries than they are in love with the person of Jesus Christ.

Is Jesus enough?

If the blessings ceased today… would you still remain with Christ? Would you pour out your love on Him if there were no more blessings coming your way? If Jesus was all you had, would Jesus be enough for you? Or do you have to have all the "trappings" of Christianity, all the bells and whistles, all the toys and trinkets?


For way too many people, somewhere along the line, something else became more important than Jesus.  Maybe you have become focused on the things ABOUT Jesus that are NOT Jesus. There is only one solution. You do not need more of the Lord, because He has already given Himself completely to you already.  You just need less of everything else.


Remember what it was like when you first got saved? Remember when you where content to just be with Jesus. Go back to when Jesus first called you to be with Him. Go back to the time when all you had was Him. Go back to the time when there was no work, no ministry, no vision, no special calling - except Jesus calling you to be with Him. Remember when you said, "He’s all I need!"


So what happened?


I pray the Lord will draw us after Himself and make us thoroughly sick and tired of things  especially the things that are ABOUT Him, but are NOT Him.
God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son, Jesus.

Well... is Jesus enough?

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