Let's Talk About: Jesus!

  There is much to talk about in life with people. The common discussion usually starts with something neutral like the weather, family, or your job. Almost anyone can discuss these things with one another. But one of the things that matters most to me seems so hard to bring up with people, and it shouldn't be.
That something is Jesus Christ! Why would it be so hard to talk to people about the most important thing that we should be talking about?
   The craziest thing, is that the people you should be able to talk to about Jesus (church goers), you cannot without an uncomfortable look or moment of awkwardness. I've wondered why that may be the case with so many people, including professed Christians and church members. I have a few thoughts on that, that I want to share.
  First, why is it so important to have a conversation about Jesus Christ? Well, he is God and God created us to fellowship with him. Jesus is God's Son who came to this earth to become man, to represent man on the cross. He is the most important person in the history of the world!! Without Christ, we are absolutely stuck in our sins and remain hopeless.  Our penalty that we deserve for violating God's law would hang over our heads, and there would be no chance of spending eternity with a holy God! But Christ has come that we may have life!! "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)
  Jesus Christ gives us a way to be restored back to fellowship with God by having our sins forgiven and having the Spirit of God indwell us forever! " In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
 So why is it so hard to strike up a conversation with others about Jesus our Savior and hope? I have a few ideas:

1.  Fear: We fear what people will think. We are natural people pleasers and we do not want to feel uncomfortable about a topic that makes so many uneasy. We would rather talk about things that we know will make for an easier discussion - the weather, job or family.
2. Rejection:  In today's world, there are so many "ideas" out there about who Jesus is. We live in a relative, "all is true" society. We may feel rejection if we start to talk about Christ for who He really is and why people really need him in their lives!
3. Church Goers may be unconverted: It is easy to talk about church activities, people within the church, the priest, or how wonderful the service happened to be. But a true test if someone truly 'knows' Jesus (has a daily relationship with Him) is whether they have something to say about Jesus. If there is a lack of any evidence of personal encounters, thoughts, inspirations, or things Jesus has been doing in them, it may be a sign they are not Christ-followers at all. They may just be Church members who have never trusted in Christ alone for salvation.

That brings me to my conclusion: Why is it so hard to talk about Jesus with others? Fear and Rejection may have something to do with it. But I think the main reason is that many profess to know Jesus but in their hearts have never been changed by him. I like the analogy Paul Washer uses - A man comes to a meeting extremely late, and his clothes are nicely ironed and his hair is well combed.  They ask him, "Why are you so late for the meeting?' He replies. "You wouldn't believe it, but on the way here my car was hit by a train!" There is no way you would believe this man with his clothes nicely pressed and his composure intact! The same is true for those who claim to have had an encounter with the Living God and have no evidence of having been changed by him in their lives!! If you truly KNOW Jesus, your life will be changed in some way or another. For me it was my desires, thoughts, purposes, and outlook on life!!
   It's hard to talk about Jesus with others, because they have nothing to say about him! The looks of uneasiness and moments of awkwardness are due to the separation they are still experiencing by being out of fellowship with God due to their sin. "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Romans 8:7)  They have never experienced what it says in Ephesians 2:16-17- " and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near."
 My fear is that many who think they are okay with Jesus today, will be present in this scene in the future: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’(Gone to church, worked at Church functions, gave money, etc) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’That word knew in Greek is ginosko, and it means to "know" in the sense of intimacy with. For example, many people know about movie stars, but they don't know them in the sense of knowing their own mother or husband or wife. So the question arises: Do you know Jesus Christ?
  If you don't, you need to be made right with Him. If that is your desire, read here: http://rippster4christ.blogspot.com/2011/06/gospel-good-news-and-how-to-be-saved.html

Sincerely,
     -Dustin