I want to close what is turning out to be a young adult trilogy, with some thoughts on the authentic pursuit of God and what a life committed to following Christ looks like. Why did no one tell me this when I started to follow Christ at 13? I heard the message that Jesus loves me, and I wanted to go to heaven, so I accepted Him as Lord of my life. I decided to believe in God. Somehow, I missed the fact that Christ’s purpose was not to get people to believe in God. In James, it says even the demons believe in God (and shudder). So I defined my Christianity by what I didn’t do. I didn’t drink, smoke, and so on. I missed the point. Being a Christ follower is not a checklist of rules. Actually, Christ came looking for those few followers who would recklessly abandon this life and this world, and risk everything on Him to change the world for Him. That’s what I want to share with you today.

Below are five simple questions to help you know and understand what authentic Christianity requires, and what it looks like.  You ready?

Do you believe what Christ said?
This is the starting point for everyone. Here are a few words of Christ to consider as you decide on your answer.
• I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the father except by Me. John 14:6
• Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
• Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
• I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. John 11:25
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all our soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37-38

In Christ we have forgiveness of sin, eternal life in heaven, and we are heirs to His kingdom. In Him we have everything that matters, everything that lasts. Do you believe that? If you don’t, stop here and go live your life for yourself. Seriously.

If you believe what Christ said, will you obey Him?
Too many people believe His words, and believe in Him, but don’t take this step of obedience. Obedience is on His terms, not ours. It’s all or nothing. You can’t pick and choose what you obey. You can’t pick peace and skip persecution. No grace without giving. No salvation without suffering. All that Christ is, and all that He offers, is not conditional, but comprehensive.
• Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:14
• No man can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24
• Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46
• Sell your possessions and give to the poor. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:33-34
• If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:15
• You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:14

This is where most people stop. Actually, this is where most people stall out. Most of us will say yes, and really want to mean it. The problem is we only really mean as long it costs us nothing.  As long as we don’t have to sacrifice anything.  So, it’s really more like “yes, but…”   I’ll give, but not more than I decide I can afford. I’m committed, but only on Sunday mornings. I’m in, but I decide where I live. You get the idea.
Have you counted the cost of obeying Him?
• In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33
The problem is not that Christ refused to make it clear what is required of His followers. The problem is that we don’t like what He requires. He requires everything. That is a big, all encompassing word- everything. So we have minimized and rationalized away “everything” and replaced it with something much easier. We want to believe that simply going to church on Sunday, being a good person, no cussing, no drinking, lots of reading the bible, and maybe even going on a mission trip will make us a good Christian. At our core, we want the benefits without the commitment. We want to be secure, safe, and comfortable. Have you heard the saying “The safest place to be is in the center of God’s will”? Wrong. Dead wrong. There is nothing safe about following Christ. We are called to leave safety and security for danger and the unknown. Hebrews 11 is the hall of fame for heroes of the faith. Read about Abraham and Moses, but don’t miss what happened to the nameless heroes. They were tortured, flogged, chained, and put in prison. They were stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins, they were destitute, persecuted, and mistreated. They wandered in deserts and mountains and in caves. That’s not safe. That’s not secure. But it may be required when you’re all in.
You still all in?  Because there’s more.
In order to gain everything, we must give up everything. Give up everything we “own”, everything we want, all of our hopes and dreams have to be laid at His feet. Christ may call his followers to abandon their careers, to leave home, to give away worldly possessions, and possibly to even give our lives. We are called to let go of our selfish dreams and goals, and take on our mission with single-minded passion.
What is my mission?
At the risk of oversimplifying this, here is what Christ told us to do.
• Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 12:37-39
• Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Matthew 16:24-27
• Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

We are to love God with everything we have, we are to passionately pursue knowing Him, and we are to go to all nations and make disciples.
Love Him, know Him, and make Him known. That’s the mission.
Are you ready now?
• But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
• But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7

The Holy Spirit is how God enables us to complete our mission. We are not to live, do, and work in our own strength. God is glorified when we trust Him, act on that faith, and go. God is still in the business of doing amazing things in His name for His glory. What’s your God dream? Why aren’t you pursuing it?
Too many of us spend our lives on what’s next. When I learn more about the bible, I’ll be ready. When I have more money, I’ll give. After college, I’ll start. Just stop. The question you should be asking yourself is “what now?” What are you doing right now for the kingdom? How are you impacting your world for Christ and how are you making Him known right now? What dream has God given you that scares you? There is no age limit, no experience limit, no knowledge limit to making Him known in your world. As a matter of fact, I love what it says in Acts 4:13 where Peter and John were preaching and people noticed they were uneducated men, but they had been with Jesus. You see, they knew Him, and they were out there making Him known. No seminary training, no college degrees. Just Jesus. If you know Him, you should be about your mission to make Him known. Right here, right now.
So, my prayer is that I gave you enough of a vision of the relentless, holy, all or nothing, life-changing pursuit of God, that you jump in. There’s much, much more, I am only scratching the surface of the surface to try and keep this short enough for you to read it!

I hope in the end,  you choose to follow Christ, and that you see there’s only one way to follow- with an amazing, passionate, wholehearted pursuit to know Him and make Him known. You can, and should, change the world.

Grace and peace