What does Jesus mean to you? That’s a good question. As I consider this question, I believe there are three possible answers.
There are those to whom Jesus means nothing. As hard as it is to believe, when Jesus walked this earth there were those who never bothered to go see Him. They never took the time to listen to Him. They went about their lives totally oblivious to the fact that God Incarnate was among them. The same is true today. Many people completely ignore Jesus. They live as if His life, death, and resurrection are inconsequential. To them Jesus means nothing.
And then there are those to whom Jesus means something. The Gospels tell of people who followed Jesus for selfish reasons. Some followed because they wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle (John 6:2). Others followed hoping He would provide another free meal (John 6:26). But when pressed with the requirements of true discipleship, these quickly backed off and “walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). There are still fair-weather followers of Jesus to this day. For them, no true commitment to the person of Christ exists. Jesus just means something.
And then there are those to whom Jesus means everything. After the multitudes abandoned Him, Jesus looked at His remaining disciples and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). That’s when Simon Peter, a man to whom Jesus meant everything, answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68-69). Simon Peter represents believers of all ages who say with the songwriter --
There are those to whom Jesus means nothing. As hard as it is to believe, when Jesus walked this earth there were those who never bothered to go see Him. They never took the time to listen to Him. They went about their lives totally oblivious to the fact that God Incarnate was among them. The same is true today. Many people completely ignore Jesus. They live as if His life, death, and resurrection are inconsequential. To them Jesus means nothing.
And then there are those to whom Jesus means something. The Gospels tell of people who followed Jesus for selfish reasons. Some followed because they wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle (John 6:2). Others followed hoping He would provide another free meal (John 6:26). But when pressed with the requirements of true discipleship, these quickly backed off and “walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). There are still fair-weather followers of Jesus to this day. For them, no true commitment to the person of Christ exists. Jesus just means something.
And then there are those to whom Jesus means everything. After the multitudes abandoned Him, Jesus looked at His remaining disciples and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). That’s when Simon Peter, a man to whom Jesus meant everything, answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68-69). Simon Peter represents believers of all ages who say with the songwriter --
Jesus is all the world to me,
My life, my joy, my all
My life, my joy, my all
To some Jesus means nothing. To some Jesus means something. But to others Jesus means everything. What does Jesus mean to you?
Pastor Todd Weston
Pastor Todd Weston
