The 19th-century British evangelist Rodney (Gypsy) Smith once said, “There are five Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian—but most people never read the first four.” The reason so many people doubt Christianity today is because many have not seen the authentic life change in those who claim to be believers. It’s easy to go to church, hear three points and a poem, shake everyone’s hand and bid everyone a good week, but it is difficult to actually surrender the details of our lives to Christ so that He can be revealed in our day to day living. As the quote above relates, why should people bother with the four Gospels if they can’t get around the life of the Christian believer.
So the question to pose is to the Christian: What kind of Jesus are you revealing to the world this week? Is it your ‘personal pet Jesus’ that overlooks the things you do, ‘denominational Jesus’ that fits nicely within your traditions, or the actual, authentic, historical Jesus of the Bible? I’m reminded of a story where a young boy named Joe brought his friend for the first time to church. The teacher ask the class, “Who would you like to be like?” The young friend, not knowing who Jesus is, said Joe. The teacher, trying to set the boy up for the Sunday School answer, stated, “Wouldn’t you like to be like Jesus?” The young friend said, “Yes! If he is anything like Joe.” Would someone say that about you this week?
1 John 2:6 NLT – Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
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