Why Jesus?
The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.John 10:10
Life as a teenager is hard. We face all sorts of pressures: violence, sex, drugs, school, jobs(some of us), and other stresses and temptations. We even face death. For instance, a 14-year-old boy was shot to death in my community recently. Plus things have really heated up since Sept.11. But I have good news! There's a man named Jesus Christ who has all(not some, but all) power, and He wants to be our friend and help us out. Not only during our teen years, but for the rest of our lives.He wants to come into our hearts and lives and save us from all the junk in the world.
What many professing saints/Christians/children of God tend to do is tell people the "bad news". They tell people what will happen if they don't let Jesus into their lives: which is possibly go to Hell. And that's true. However I for one respond to "good news". I would ask, " If I do accept Jesus, what good would come from that?" That's the question I will try my best to answer. I don't, of course, know everything( I'm only human). But I'll help those that I can. I let Jesus into my life and it's the best thing I've done or ever could do for myself. You can look throughout all the world, and all of history, even the future if you can and you won't find anyone better.
What is the world coming to?-The reason why the world we live in seems so terrible at times is because of:
1. Satan/the Devil-the root of all evil.
2. The whole"Fall of Man" thing- Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit and committing the first sin. If Satan had never come to Eve in the form of a serpent and tricked her, then the world might be a little better now. Nonetheless, Adam and Eve both knew it was wrong to eat the fruit.
However, the first promise God ever made, and probably the greatest and most important, was that one of Eve's seed(children, descendants) would crush the head of the devil. Well that seed was Jesus! He was born of the woman Mary.(Think about the Christmas story.)
Jesus' Part- Sin is knowing right, knowing wrong, and doing wrong. If Adam and Eve hadn't known it was wrong to eat from the forbidden tree, then life might be a lot different now. Don't know. But what I do know is that their spirits died when they did sin. And everyone born after them has been born with a dead spirit:When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone has sinned.Romans 5:12, For the wages of sin is death;Romans 6:23. But this is where Jesus comes in:but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 6:23, Jesus then said, "I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die.John 11:25. Jesus came as the one who could and would destroy death and sin, just like the promise said!
As many know, Jesus died on a cross. Even before that happened, he was whipped, spit on, bruised and beat up, had a crown of thorns pushed down on his head, watched people gamble for his clothes, and then hung on the cross for not minutes, but hours! Many believe that it was for six hours or more. He did all this for one purpose: to save all people. However that's not the end of it. Three days later, he himself rose from the dead! Not as a ghost, but as a living, breathing human! "Why are you frightened?" he asked. "Why do you doubt who I am?Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do!"Luke 24:38-39.
The Enemy- This is who Jesus came to save us from. Straight up: Satan is a LIAR! I cannot get that point across enough. All he wants to do is kill us. That's why he wants and causes us to sin. These are only some of the many things he tricks us into believing:
-No one loves us.-How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.Psalms 36:7, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16
-There are many ways to God./You don't need Jesus.-Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.John 14:6;That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind. 1 Timothy 2:5-6a
-Sex isn't that big a deal, especially if we use protection/birth control.-Run away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18, Why spill the water of your springs in public, having sex with just anyone?Proverbs 5:16
-Violence is the way to go.-Do violence to no man,Luke 3:14
-There is no God.-Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God."Psalms 14:1
-Money and possessions are everything in life.-It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"Mark 10:25, And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:26
-Drugs/drinking are the solution.- But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars – their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."(another word for drugs can be witchcraft) Revelation 21:8, Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. Don't let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper.Proverbs 23:29-32
I'm too young to live for God.- Now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2, Don't let anyone think little of you because you are young. Be their ideal; let them follow the way you teach and live; be a pattern for them in your love, your faith, and your clean thoughts. 1 Timothy 4:12
God would never send anyone to hell.- He who believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned (judged); but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (Jesus). John 3:18
Christians are a bunch of loving, caring, crazy about Jesus wimps.- Nay, in all these things we(Christians) are more than conquerors through him that loved us(Jesus Christ). Romans 8:37
We can just hear or read what God says, but we don't necessarily have to do it.- And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. James 1:22, "If you love me, obey my commandments. Anyone who doesn't love me will not do what I say...John 14:15,24
And many other lies. But there's something else I need to tell you straight up:If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.John 8:36. Jesus can save you and set you free from all the traps and lies of the Devil. All you need to do is have faith in Him.
God is good. Along with saving you from the snares of Satan, there's so much more God wants to do for us. Just to name a few:
Give us strength.- For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. Philippians 4:13, God arms me with strength; he has made my way safe.Psalms18:32
Give us peace.- You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!Isaiah 26:3, "I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.John 14:27
Give us power.- And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.Ephesians 3:18 - 20, Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.Psalms 44:5
Give us victory over our enemies.- Victory comes from you, O LORD. May your blessings rest on your people.Psalms 3:8, It is you who gives us victory over our enemies; it is you who humbles those who hate us.Psalms 44:7, How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!1 Corinthians 15:57, For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory.1 John 5:4
Others include blessings(things that make us happy), comfort, protection, joy that no one can understand, wisdom, and many others. Most of all: LOVE! We all want to be loved. God does not make life perfect, but He does make it a whole lot more bearable. Jesus would often indicate getting right on the inside, and then the outside would follow.
Faith- Some may wonder, "Okay, well if God is so great then why doesn't he just come in my room and present himself to me so that I'll believe?" And that's a reasonable and understandable question. But let me point this out: For most people, if God were to come into their room and present himself, they would have a heart attack(lol). I mean, He doesn't want to kill us before we even really get a chance to know Him(lol). For we walk by faith, not by sight:2 Corinthians 5:7. God wants us to believe in him by faith, or trust and belief, and not with what we see. Or he wants us to see Him with our spiritual eyes and not with our natural eyes. The bible calls faith: It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.Hebrews 11:1.
After Jesus rose from the dead, one of his diciples(close friends and followers) named Thomas doubted that he was alive. Thomas said, "I won't believe that he's alive until I touch the wounds on his hands and feet and the wound in his side." A week after he said that, Jesus appeared and said, "Here, Thomas. Touch my hands and feet. Touch the wound in my side. Stop doubting and believe!" Then Thomas brokedown and said, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus replied, "Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen me? People who believe in me but have not seen me are blessed!" God wants us to be blessed. He's not asking us to jump off a cliff or anything. So stop doubting and believe! It's that simple.
Our Part- In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!Luke 15:7
God is waiting for you with open arms. He wants to get the party started! There's only one requirement:you have to be a human. Makes sense, doesn't it? You don't need to be a certain age, gender, race, place in society, you don't even need to be a member of a church(talk about that later). Even if you have another belief or religion. Christianity isn't a religion. It's a lifestyle. Just have him come to you as you are. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past. Even if you've killed someone, God still loves you and will forgive you. I've been raised in church since I was born, and there was a time when I didn't care about God! If he can still accept me, He'll do it for anyone. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:38-39
I have to warn you however. The Devil will try to cause all hell to break lose in your life. He'll try to discourage you and make you want to go back to him. "When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? 'A servant is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don't know God who sent me.John 15:18-2. In other words, because you love Jesus, Satan hates you. So what do you do? Be happy! "God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them. God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. "God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.Matthew 5:3-12
Prayer- For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.Romans 10:9-10. All you need to do is pray this prayer, or one with the same message but in your own words, and have faith that God will save you and forgive you:
Lord, thank you for dying on the cross for everyone. Forgive me of all my sins. Help me not to do them again because I realize that they're wrong and not pleasing to you. I believe you rose from the dead. Cover my spirit with the blood that you shed so that I'll be acceptable to the Father and so my sins will be washed away. Come into my life and help me for the rest of it. You are my Lord and my Savior.In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Guess what? You're now a child of the most high God! Satan doesn't have anymore power in your life. As you grow in Christ you'll need some tools to help you along:
Reading the Bible.- Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.Psalms 119:105 Jesus' knowledge of the Scriptures helped him defend himself against the Devil. It'll work for us too. It's recommended that we read a chapter a day. There's 3 steps in reading the Bible:1. Read it. 2. Get understanding. 3.Keep what you read. Many people do the first step but forget the other two. The second step involves understanding what you've read, because the meaning of a verse or story may not jump right out at you. Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead you. Or you can ask someone to help(parents, pastor, etc.). That brings me to the third step. Once you understand what you've read, keep it safe in your heart and spirit.
Attending church.- Going to church will help you get even further knowledge. If you can't go for reasons beyond your control, see if your school or community has a Christian organization you can be involved in. Christian fellowship is very important.
Pray.- You can talk to God about anything. He always hears and listens. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. James 5:16
I hope and pray that your walk with Jesus goes well. Being a Christian doesn't automatically make us perfect. It means that God is working on us on the inside to help us become sinless. Tell others about His goodness. God Bless!
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psalms 107:1-9
