Pursuing What Jesus Was Passionate About
Had my wife not been so passionate in pursuing me, I honestly do not know if we would have ever dated, much less married one another.
Jade was very passionate about seeing me in college. During her sophomore year (my senior year) Jade knew my schedule better than a librarian knows the Dewey Decimal System. She would purposely wait outside my classroom in the middle of the hallway, clutching books in both hands, ready to engage me in conversation as she walked to her “next class.” Sometimes, these conversations would last upwards of an hour and a half. How convenient for her to “miss class.” Jade would show up at my baseball practices, huddled up with a blanket in the scorekeepers booth, to keep out of the cold, and to wish me luck as I fielded ground balls and hit monstrous home runs (slight sarcasm)! I remember that at my college graduation party we were playing a huge game of capture the flag across my parents property. Jade was on one team and I was on the opposite. At one point, Jade broke the rules and purposely went into foul territory to try to evade being caught, so she could sneak around the defense and capture the flag. But according to Jade, she went into foul territory just so I would be the one to run over and catch her.
Jade was passionate about pursuing me. She was willing to do whatever it took to make sure she talked to me, waved at me, smiled at me, sent a text message or note to me. She was passionate about seeking me out!
We need people in the Church who are passionate about seeking out others.
In the Book of Luke, chapter 19, verse 10, Jesus states, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (NIV) Jesus was passionate about reaching the lost, and we ought to be passionate about what he is passionate about.
Many of the people I know, work with, serve with, and go to church with have a shortage of passion. It’s like they are living with some sort of deficiency. I don’t get it. It is as if they show up, live life, serve, volunteer, or go to work out of obligation, and with very little gusto or passion. Like their just going through the motions. Like they’re coasting on fumes.
No one should have to make you be passionate about reaching out to the lost. If you have been saved by God’s magnificent and extraordinary grace you should be beaming at the brim to go out and make disciples, because of the mercy you freely received.
I believe Perry Noble said it best when he said, “Found people find people.” Jesus has never asked His followers to play it safe, but instead to follow wherever He leads. And many times that means traveling far outside of our boundaries of comfort to reach the lost. Sometimes that may mean tracking through Hell itself to bring people furthest from Jesus Christ, back to the heart of Jesus Christ, so they can know, and experience, and live out life change. Jesus never said following Him would be easy or safe.
Church should not be a boring religious obligation.
Reading your Bible should not be a trite requirement.
Praying to the Creator of the Universe should not be a mundane and lifeless task.
What we need in the Church of Jesus Christ are people loaded with passion. We need people who are willing to break the “rules” of tradition, and circumstance, and comfort. The Church needs people who are willing to go into “foul” territory to help the hopeless, to bring life to the lifeless, and to serve the forgotten. But most importantly, we need evangelists. People who have been saved by God’s everlasting grace and mercy, sharing the Good News to their lost friends, neighbors, coworkers, family. Everyone.
Jesus came to reveal His Father’s love.
Jesus came to take away sin.
Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost.
Jesus came to redeem us from this broken world.
When Jesus came He provided the Ultimate Victory!
The enemy has been defeated. Death couldn’t hold Him down! So we should lift our voice in victory and make our praises loud!
So how’s your passion level? Is your tank full, or are you coasting on fumes? If you’re honest with yourself, and you find that your passion level is not what it could be, ask Jesus to renew your heart.
