“Christianity isn’t enough. Religion isn’t enough. Being accepted in a church isn’t enough. Climbing the corporate ladder isn’t enough… Finding the person to love isn’t enough. Sex isn’t enough. Friends aren’t enough. Science isn’t enough. Politics isn’t enough. Money isn’t enough… Nothing’s enough.
The only thing that is enough is Jesus, and the only way to get to Jesus is to follow him, and that means one thing: giving your one life to him and to his dream”.
Scot McKnight, an American pastor, author and theological teacher confesses that over his life his previous answers about being a Christian did not do justice to the Bible’s answers.
As a younger man he would have said that “a Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus, and then practices spiritual activities like prayer, Bible reading, church-going and maybe even ‘witnessing’”. That’s it.
If asked today, his answer is more simple: “A Christian is someone who follows Jesus”. Someone who follows his lead in all aspects of their lives – not just their ‘spirituality’. In their work life, their sex life, their social life…. all of life in fact. A Christian is someone who is being mentored by Jesus into a Jesus-shaped way of life. (see his book One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow).
But what does it mean to ‘follow Jesus’?
In one sense the LifeWORKS vision is an answer to that question.
To follow Jesus I root my life where Jesus rooted his – in his Father’s love and holiness, and in the Holy Spirit’s enabling. Jesus himself is my LIfeSOURCE – his friendship, freedom and forgiveness feed my soul.
To follow Jesus I make time to be with him. To listen to him, to speak with him. Keeping my life in balance to allow room for prayer, Bible and Christian fellowship. These become LifeSTREAMS, allowing his life to flow into and shape mine.
To follow Jesus I choose to shape my life like his: He is my LifeSHAPE. Trusting God for everything and obeying him whatever the cost. Being grateful for, and content with God’s provision. Being lavishly generous to all and courageous in my calling to live for God.
Trust. Obedience. Gratitude, Contentment. Generosity. Courage.
Just like Jesus.
Imagine what your life might look like if Jesus had lived your last 24 hours. He woke in your bed, in your house. He had your boss; your colleagues; your family; your bank account; your schedule; your aches and pains; your Facebook account; your free evening. It’s all your life.
Except Jesus lives it.
Try the thought experiment.
What would be different? What would other people notice? How would YOU feel if Jesus was really living your life?
But of course it isn’t really a thought-experiment at all. It’s real. It’s what it means to be a Christian. It is God’s desire for you: to follow Jesus “growing in every way more and more like Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
To be rooted in Jesus is to live a life of radical new possibilities. Jesus is the pattern for our lives. He provides the power to live that life. He defines the programme for our lives. And through it all his presence accompanies our lives.
It’s challenging, exciting, demanding, rewarding, costly: but it is enough!