"Jesus' Mission Statement"

I was taken aback, when, on picking up one of the tracks a student had crossed out the word "Good" and in its place had written the word "Bad."

At least he or she was being honest.

Jesus comes bringing good news to those in need, but those who don’t see or don't want to see and admit their need don't want anything to do with Him.

And most of us have probably been there.

Did we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior--forsaking all else--as soon as we heard the Good News or did it take a long time...

...a lot of "sowing our wild oats" or checking out other options before making our ultimate commitment to Christ?

Think about the rich young man who is described later on in the Gospel of Luke as well as the Gospel of Mark and Matthew.

He races up to Jesus all excited and asks: "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus tells him that he lacks one thing: "Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me."

Did the "Good News" of Jesus sound like Good News to this guy?

We are told that "he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth."

Of course, living with great wealth while so many others starve, sit out in the cold, don't have clothing, clean drinking water--the basic necessities of life is, from a Kingdom of God perspective, incredibly selfish, hard-hearted and foolish.

But isn't living "high on the hog" what our culture, our world promotes as the ultimate mission of every man, woman and child?

Isn't it the lie that most of us buy into?

"If I only had more money...

...If I only had a nicer house...

...If I could only afford another one of these..."

We can all relate, right?

Just look at how many folks bought "Powerball" tickets when the jackpot went up over a billion dollars.

In Matthew Chapter 25 Jesus says to those who followed Him: "Inherit the kingdom...I was hungry and you gave me food to eat.

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear.

I was sick and you took care of me.

I was in prison and you visited me...

....when you have done it for the least of these...you have done it for me."

Of course the opposite is true as well.

"Go away from me...I was hungry and you didn't give me food to eat.

I was thirsty and you didn't give me anything to drink.

I was a stranger and you didn't welcome me.

I was naked and you didn't give me clothes to wear.

I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me."

What does that say to me about how well I am following the Gospel?

What does that say for you?

It's very easy to get sidetracked from the central message of Christ.

The prophets had to remind the people about God's main purposes all the time.

And Jesus, like the prophets before Him is not impressed with ceremonial shows of self-righteousness.

What did Isaiah say?

"Trample my courts no more...learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow."

Jesus came to fulfill what Isaiah pleaded for.

By the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus lived His mission statement; He was crucified because of it.