Series: Jesus, You Make Me Nervous
When I listen closely to Jesus I get very uncomfortable. He says, “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also.” Last week I suggested to my teenage son to take a “big stick” to a few boys who were making fun of him. That advice wasn’t exactl
y turning the other cheek? Consider these principles he gives in Matthew 5 and 6. If someone sues you and takes your shirt, give him your coat, love your enemies, pray for those who hurt you, don’t store treasures on earth, and by the way, don’t worry. We hire attorneys to sue for our rights, we plot and rant against those we don’t like, we acquire more and more or try to figure out how to, and we fret. Jesus doesn’t stop there. In Luke 12:33 he tells his followers, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.” He didn’t qualify this command. I just can’t do that, it isn’t practical, and life is different now compared to then. I can’t sell my stuff and give it all away. That isn’t responsible, right? Jesus answers in Matthew 10:39 saying, “Those who try to hold on to their lives will give up true life.” In one of the saddest stories in the Bible (Mark 10), Jesus tells a rich young man to sell everything he has and give the money to the poor. Despite Jesus’ personal invitation to come follow him and the promise of treasure in heaven, the young man goes away sad. Is that me?
This isn’t about a guilt-trip for a works-based religion. Jesus condemns that as he deals with the scribes and Pharisees. Yet, how do I face the reality of what Jesus teaches? Everything he says runs against my norm, and as I measure my life I am confronted on front after front after front. My Christian life has been built around doing, around showing others what I can do, being good, responsible, practical, and doing all the right things. That all sounds too familiar, like one rich young man I’ve read about. Jesus offers no exceptions. He says, “Those who believe in me will have life even if they die” (John 11:25). “Those who do not believe have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). Jesus says “believe” or “believed” over 50 times as recorded by John. In the gospels He says I will heal you, I will give you back what was lost, I will make you well, I will take care of you, and I will save you when you believe. Over and over he repeats this message of believing with the result of eternal life.
Do you find yourself wanting to qualify the statement to just believe? I do. I want to add “and do what I am supposed to do, pray, go to church, study my bible, take care of widows and orphans, feed the hungry, etc, etc, etc.” Jesus answers, “The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent” (John 6:29). He is very clear.
I have come to the conclusion that complete, unqualified belief in Jesus Christ is the greatest act of faith. Embedded there is the realization that when I truly believe in Jesus Christ and the One who sent him my life will change. My perspective on what is important, what matters, what is relevant, and what makes a difference is turned upside down. I will enter the narrow door, the kingdom will come to me, and the beginning of eternal life will rest in my soul. In Matthew 14 the disciples have just seen Jesus walking on the water. They are terrified, thinking it was a ghost. Peter calls out and says, “Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” “And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.” It is an incredible step and a vivid story to show us what will happen when we truly believe. Not too long ago with an event in my life I gave full control to Jesus. I cried out to him in fear, much like the disciples in the boat and just said, “I believe--please help me.” In an amazing, kind, and merciful way he reached out his hand and said, “Come”.
Sootty Elston
Shallowater, Texas
When I listen closely to Jesus I get very uncomfortable. He says, “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also.” Last week I suggested to my teenage son to take a “big stick” to a few boys who were making fun of him. That advice wasn’t exactl
y turning the other cheek? Consider these principles he gives in Matthew 5 and 6. If someone sues you and takes your shirt, give him your coat, love your enemies, pray for those who hurt you, don’t store treasures on earth, and by the way, don’t worry. We hire attorneys to sue for our rights, we plot and rant against those we don’t like, we acquire more and more or try to figure out how to, and we fret. Jesus doesn’t stop there. In Luke 12:33 he tells his followers, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.” He didn’t qualify this command. I just can’t do that, it isn’t practical, and life is different now compared to then. I can’t sell my stuff and give it all away. That isn’t responsible, right? Jesus answers in Matthew 10:39 saying, “Those who try to hold on to their lives will give up true life.” In one of the saddest stories in the Bible (Mark 10), Jesus tells a rich young man to sell everything he has and give the money to the poor. Despite Jesus’ personal invitation to come follow him and the promise of treasure in heaven, the young man goes away sad. Is that me?This isn’t about a guilt-trip for a works-based religion. Jesus condemns that as he deals with the scribes and Pharisees. Yet, how do I face the reality of what Jesus teaches? Everything he says runs against my norm, and as I measure my life I am confronted on front after front after front. My Christian life has been built around doing, around showing others what I can do, being good, responsible, practical, and doing all the right things. That all sounds too familiar, like one rich young man I’ve read about. Jesus offers no exceptions. He says, “Those who believe in me will have life even if they die” (John 11:25). “Those who do not believe have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). Jesus says “believe” or “believed” over 50 times as recorded by John. In the gospels He says I will heal you, I will give you back what was lost, I will make you well, I will take care of you, and I will save you when you believe. Over and over he repeats this message of believing with the result of eternal life.
Do you find yourself wanting to qualify the statement to just believe? I do. I want to add “and do what I am supposed to do, pray, go to church, study my bible, take care of widows and orphans, feed the hungry, etc, etc, etc.” Jesus answers, “The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent” (John 6:29). He is very clear.
I have come to the conclusion that complete, unqualified belief in Jesus Christ is the greatest act of faith. Embedded there is the realization that when I truly believe in Jesus Christ and the One who sent him my life will change. My perspective on what is important, what matters, what is relevant, and what makes a difference is turned upside down. I will enter the narrow door, the kingdom will come to me, and the beginning of eternal life will rest in my soul. In Matthew 14 the disciples have just seen Jesus walking on the water. They are terrified, thinking it was a ghost. Peter calls out and says, “Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” “And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.” It is an incredible step and a vivid story to show us what will happen when we truly believe. Not too long ago with an event in my life I gave full control to Jesus. I cried out to him in fear, much like the disciples in the boat and just said, “I believe--please help me.” In an amazing, kind, and merciful way he reached out his hand and said, “Come”.
Sootty Elston
Shallowater, Texas
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