I think that one of the greatest decisions you and I could ever make is to follow Jesus, however it isn't the easiest, the funniest, the cheapest.
It is however the most rewarding, most adventurous, most addicting, most exciting.
There is no hype involved in following Jesus for the long run.
“HYPE-
verb (used with object), hyped, hyping:
1. to stimulate, excite, or agitate
2. to create interest in by flamboyant or dramatic methods; promote or publicize showily:
3. to intensify (advertising, promotion, or publicity) by ingenious or questionable claims, methods, etc. (usually followed by up).
4. to trick; gull.
As a noun:
5. exaggerated publicity; hoopla.
6. an ingenious or questionable claim, method, etc., used in advertising, promotion, or publicity to intensify the effect.
7. a swindle, deception, or trick.”
Following Jesus is not a product to be advertised. It is a relationship to be cultivated and continued.
As a leader of young people in a local church my heart breaks when I see young people walk away from the local church. My heart really breaks when I find out that it is because following Jesus was only presented with hype and not honesty.
Think of the hundreds of thousands of amazing things that a relationship with Jesus brings into you and I's life...
Freedom.
Salvation.
Grace.
Love.
Mercy.
Hope.
Vision.
Trust.
Healing.
A Friend.
An Advocate.
A Teacher.
A Lover.
A Family.
These things are not made up about what a relationship with Jesus brings into someone's life. These are Kingdom realities that fill hearts and lives at the moment one accepts Jesus and chooses to follow him.
The journey with Jesus is an adventure and like any adventure or journey, there are long days and hard nights. There are questions. There are rainy days. There are hot days. There are mountains to be climbed and conquered, views to take your breath away. There are valleys to be endured and persisted through, tears to wash your cheeks.
In those moments when following Jesus encounters a rough day or a hard moment or a question that seems to have no answer, hype will not sustain your weary heart.
Relationship will.
Relationship is fueled by long hours of conversation and interaction. It is forged in the fire of early mornings, late nights, crying out to God and listening in the secret place of prayer. It is tested and tried in the circumstances of life that seem to run diametrically opposed to what we read about the Kingdom of Heaven. Relationship is a choice everyday.
As leaders of others on a journey to Know Jesus and live their lives everyday in love with him we must focus on teaching them about relationship and not hype.
Let us be leaders who create disciples that Follow Jesus and live in relationship with Him long after the hype of an event is gone and our words have faded from their memory. Let us be people who forge men and women who will persevere in their journey by modeling what it means to love Jesus for relationship and not for the hype.
“2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”