And 32 Years Later, the Fire Still Burns

I wrote this several years ago on the anniversary of my call to ministry. I republish it every January 19, if for no other reason than to refresh my sense of calling and passion. I hope it refreshes yours.

On this date in 1980 I committed my life to working professionally for the church. In my background we called it many things–surrendering to ministry, being called, entering full-time Christian service–and all were true of me. But the decision I made had nothing to do with a career choice. My choice affected my career, but it wasn’t a job that I was pursuing. I had been gripped by a message. That message can be stated in one word: JESUS.

I remember looking, like most adolescents, for a cause. I would stay up late at night and wonder if my life would count for anything, and if so, for what. Then, when I began to really listen to what Christ was saying, I found my issue. Rather, it found me. The issue: JESUS.

Jesus was a man who made the boldest, most audacious claims of any religious leader in history. Furthermore, he is the only religious leader who actually backed up his claims. He said that all life, physical and spiritual, begins with him. He said that he could read the intentions and thoughts of a man’s heart. He said that he was able to foresee the downfall of Satan and that he himself would set Satan’s captives free. He said that he would die for us and then rise from the dead; he did. And, he said that if we wanted to change the world, if we wanted to see the hearts of men and women transformed, if we wanted to have eternal impact, then we should do one thing: tell people about him—JESUS.

Jesus had what John R.W. Stott called a very “self-centered” ministry. By that he meant that Jesus talked most about himself. Rightfully so, since he claimed to be God. His self-focused ministry is seen in his instructions to his followers, “Tell people about me.” That message, that unidirectional Gospel, is what gripped my heart—JESUS.

Jesus did not tell us to attack people’s lack of morality; he never said that we should oppose people because of their political views; he wasn’t concerned that we win them to a certain theological perspective; he never instructed us to isolate ourselves from people who did not know him; and, he never, never said that people held captive by darkness were the enemy. They are, in fact, they reason that he died and the reason that he calls us to do the same. He said that we need only to lead them to one solution—JESUS.

Jesus told us that there was only one message that we could preach that would give hope to a dying world and at the same time have the power to make that hope reality. He said that there was only one person in all of history that would make the difference between people knowing God or being lost eternally without him. He said that there was only person qualified to hang between heaven and earth as the perfect sacrifice for sin. He said that there was only one name that could be proclaimed that would literally have the drawing power to span the ages. He said that the Hope, the Message, the Power, the Sacrifice and the Name were all one and the same. They are his–JESUS.

Christ-followers, we only have one purpose for our lives this side of heaven—JESUS. We have only answer to the questions of a dying society—JESUS. We only have one issue to put between us and a sin-filled world—JESUS.  We have only one Name to lift up before men—JESUS. Finally, I have only one purpose and we have only one ultimate reason to live—JESUS.

But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. John 12:32