Imagine the confusion the Jews must have felt when they met Jesus.
For centuries, they had been waiting for the Messiah. Then along came Jesus, who time and again did or said things that were remarkably Messiah-like. Yet this was Jesus, a commoner from Nazareth, the son of a carpenter. In and of himself, he was nothing remarkable.
On the one hand was John the Baptist’s confession that Jesus was the Lamb of God. Equally convincing were the miracles he performed. But then there were the Pharisees, the accepted religious leaders of the day, who would throw them out of the synagogue for choosing to follow Jesus.
As a result, many rejected Jesus. Still others followed him secretly. Only the Twelve were overt Jesus followers.
Is it any different today? When touched by Jesus, we still must decide what to do with him.
Jesus calls to each one of us. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Will we answer his call to follow him? Even more to the point, what does it mean to follow him?
His promises to us
When we accept Jesus as Savior, on a spiritual level, we begin a new life. We also become beneficiaries of the promises of God. The wonderful thing is, what the Lord promises, we can count on. As the Bible says, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).
What are we promised? Here’s the short list:
1. Forgiveness of sins. “… to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:77).
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2. Eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
3. Security. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hands” (John 10:28).
4. Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17).
5. Blessing. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).
Our responsibility as Christians
We tend to get so caught up in the freedom of God’s grace through salvation, we forget the relationship requires something from us. Relationship with Jesus isn’t a badge we pin on the lapel of our secular suit or a set of Sunday clothes we put on once a week. It’s a life commitment. We must be transformed by “God with Us.”
Here’s what that looks like:
1. Intimate relationship with the Lord. In this week’s lesson, Jesus says his sheep know his voice and follow only him. To do that, we must learn Jesus’ voice. How? We must read the Bible and spend time in prayer.
2. Dedication to continued growth. Paul tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Only when we’re fully submitted to God can we desire God’s purpose. That requires us to make relationship with God our highest priority.
3. Obedience. Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Our greatest testimony as Christians is a changed life, and obedience is the simplest way to demonstrate change. If you think about it, obedience is a small thing to ask after granting total forgiveness of sins.
4. Commitment to represent Christ well. The Great Commission calls us to share our faith and teach others to obey Jesus as we do. We forget our actions speak louder than our words. Are we obeying Jesus ourselves? Can people know we’re Christians simply by watching our actions? Do our lives serve as a billboard for the abundant life available through Jesus? Here’s what Paul says:
• “You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’” (Romans 2:23-24).
• “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
The invitation has been extended. Jesus wants us to follow him and experience abundant life through him. Let’s accept his invitation and commit to let it show in our everyday lives.
Food for thought
Is it possible to be holy as God is holy? How?
Jesus says his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Is it hard to live as a Christian in a secular world? What are your challenges? What’s one change you could make to bring your faith a little more into the forefront of your life?
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