Who is Jesus to You?
“Jesus always goes to the heart of the matter because the matter is the heart.” Pastor Tim
Our beautiful Jesus cares more about your heart than your eternity. That’s a big statement because we’ve been taught for so long, He died on the Cross so we could have our sins forgiven in order to enter Heaven when we die. He came to restore everything including our intimate relationship with Him right now. Let’s look at Mark 10 to see what happens after Jesus rebuked His disciples over hindering the children. Let me set this up. A man, who is known in Bible stories as the rich young ruler is watching this exchange with Jesus and the children. He sees how the children are running to Jesus and how happy it makes Him.
“As Jesus started on his way, a man came running up to him. Kneeling down in front of him, he cried out, “Good Teacher, what one thing am I required to do to gain eternal life?”
Pastor Tim reminded us on Sunday you would have never seen a rich man running and definitely not one who was a ruler. He would have been carried everywhere he went. So why is he running to Jesus? He watched the children as they ran to Jesus and how He laid hands on them to bless them. He did what the children did so he could hopefully get what he wanted. As he kneels before Jesus he cries out: Good Teacher, what is ONE thing I must do to have eternal life. In other words, what do I need to do to be saved when I die.
In every situation Jesus goes to the heart of the matter. Jesus responds with a question.
“Why do you call me good? Only God is truly good. You already know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give a false testimony, do not cheat, and honor your father and mother.”
This is the teacher answer. The one you have been told your whole life growing up in church. Do this and not this in order to be saved. Our hearts are made for love not for laws, forms, routines or systems. “The man said to Jesus, “Teacher, I have carefully obeyed these laws since my youth.” Here he is with a lifelong history of going to church and doing everything they told him to do and not do, yet he feels lost and empty.
We’re made for intimacy with Jesus. We’re made for love- radical love.
Ask yourself today: Where am I in this part of the story? Are there parts of my life I feel lost and empty? Am I only allowing Jesus to be a teacher and not Lord of my life? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you today in the discovery of your heart and thoughts. Remember, His mercy and grace are sufficient when dealing with our hearts. He is tender and gentle with us.
