Jesus Focused

Here, Near, and Far

To impact far-off saints here, near, and far, we need to be Jesus-focused. This means we are committed to letting Christ live in and through us by His Spirit. The more we become like Jesus, the more the world will experience Jesus through us. He is our example, model, and inspiration in all dimensions of life.

I’ve always been personally challenged by the fact that Jesus was a friend of tax gatherers and sinners. So much so, in fact, that this was one of his outstanding characteristics! It’s one of the things he was clearly known for.

• Those who were on the fringes of society were in the friendship circle of Jesus.
• Those who struggled with religious people were drawn to Jesus.
• Those who felt like castaways and nobodies were embraced and valued by Jesus.
• Those who were seen as failures by the religious elites were deeply loved and cared for by Jesus.

How did Jesus do it?

Let me suggest a few thoughts on this Jesus dynamic:

Jesus understood the broken nature of humanity.

We are all broken in varying degrees. We all find ways to survive in the experiences of our brokenness. For each of us, that looks different. For each person around us, there is a journey of brokenness that will endear us to them as we get to know them. Jesus knew this--that every person had a story that pummeled their life, wore them down, and often, left them in tatters. Think of the woman at the well in John 4.

Jesus took no delight in judging others.

‍He was keenly aware that grace was way more powerful than criticism. Love brought transformation way more than punishment. There was no self-righteousness Jesus needed to exercise, but only selfless acceptance, empathy, and understanding for those struggling to the greatest degree with their sin.  Jesus only judged those who loved to be judgmental themselves, like the Pharisees. Think of the woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8.

Jesus deeply valued people.

He especially valued those who were devalued by others. He embraced every person as the image of God in broken form. He saw inherent worth and abounding potential. He applauded any step in the right direction and often shamed the self-righteous by the authenticity of a broken beggar. Think of the sinful woman who washed Jesus’ feet in Luke 7.

We are called to be Jesus-focused, looking to him as our example of how to live our lives in a broken world.

• We are to be that to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
• We are to be that for those who have fallen from Christ.
• We are to be that for those who have no understanding of Christ.

The presence of Christ in the world

We are commissioned to be the presence of Jesus to every person we meet today. There is no greater way to have a transformational influence in the lives of those around us. Every person around us needs to experience Jesus again and again--and we get to be that presence every single day.