There was a time when bracelets with WWJD on them were popular. The idea was that before anyone did anything, they should ask, What Would Jesus Do? This is still a fine question, long after the trend is gone. Today, we want to pursue that question a bit by asking, “What Did Jesus Preach?” We need to understand His message to understand Him. And we need to understand Him to understand what He would do. When we read the story of Jesus, the first thing he asks people to do is change, or repent. But we need to step back a bit further to see why this would be his first ask.
God is God.
The thing about God that does not sit well with people is that He actually is God. We exist by His grace, and we exist in His grace. He alone defines us. We may be free to do as we please, but doing as we please does not please God. Nor is it in our eternal best interest. Our eternal well-being is being with God.
God does not ask us to change because it is a desirable option or because he is insecure or needy. He is telling us to change because he loves us and does not want to see us suffer. God desires that everyone repent and return to fellowship with Him. Plus, He is God, so He is the boss of everything. So, there’s that.
Let’s start with a passage from 2 Peter.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 Peter 3:9-10 [ESV]
The Message of Jesus
Immediately after Jesus was baptized, he went out preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” If you search the New Testament for the concept of repentance, you will soon see that repentance was the core of Jesus’ teaching. When he sent his disciples out, he gave them the same message to preach: “Repent.” And in Acts, when the church began to preach and grow, the message preached was once again, “Repent.” Whether they were preaching in Jerusalem on Pentecost or in Greece to idolatrous, philosophizing Gentiles, the message was the same: “Repent.”
Much is made of the fact that Jesus accepted everyone, saint and sinner alike. This is true, but, and this is important, no one who came to Jesus left in the same state they arrived. They were all told to repent and were left with two choices. Either they changed (repented) and began to walk the path to life, or they refused and went back home in worse shape than when they came. How were they worse off? Because now they had heard the truth and said, “No,” making their hearts even harder than before. Jesus did not turn away any, but many, maybe even most, turned away from Him.1
Repent was not a word of condemnation; it was an offer of hope. For all those who wanted eternal life and freedom from their slavery to sin, the offer of repentance was a source of joy. For those who were convinced they were fine on their own, His words were little more than a curiosity. But for those who were well-situated in this life, this offer of hope through change often sounded like a threat to their livelihood.
The message of repentance left the choice up to them but made their choices unavoidably clear. It was impossible to walk both ways; you needed to choose. Jesus told the truth in love, but he didn’t back down when the truth was rejected. We must all change to walk the way of Jesus. To err is human, but to err is not ok. Not one of us is ok as is. We must all change. Paul said it this way to a group of Greek intellectuals in Acts.
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 [ESV]
When I was younger and my boys were still boys, they would often say they were sorry just to avoid the consequences of their actions. I would sometimes tell them, “If nothing is different, nothing has changed.” That made me feel smart—until I realized how often I say exactly that to God but take no action at all to significantly change anything.
I see the condition of the world right now as a call to reflection for Christians and non-Christians alike. We can either look with scorn at “those people,” or we can use the grace that God is offering us in Jesus to effect real change in our own attitudes and actions. Remembering we can’t change others, but we can change ourselves.
This Week
This week I want to get practical. The challenge is this: read from the book of Luke through to the end of the book of Romans. Focus only on this and read it in order. It will take a bit more than 3 hours, or if you prefer to listen, it will take 5-6 hours depending on the speed2. Reading this in order will re-anchor your faith in these crazy times and give you a fresh look at who Jesus is. If you have never read it, you will see Jesus as you never have—let it change you. We all waste more than 3-6 hours a week; let’s put those hours to better use this week. Let’s change.
Have a great week!
Matt 19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.
John 8:10 …“Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She replied, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
John 6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
