Some people seem to really “love” their smart phones. The way the carry it, have it out all the time, go through withdrawal if they don’t have it in their hands, checking constantly for updates on Twitter or Facebook, reading and responding to emails, sending texts, taking calls. Some people would be at a loss without it. I understand that.
I have a cell phone. It’s useful. I do use it. From time to time. I’m glad to have one. Although I tend to think I could get by without one. For me the cellphone is useful. And that is how some people seem to think of Jesus.
They know that Jesus “came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15; Luke 19:10 ). They have heard that Jesus rescues people from the wrath of God due to sin (John 3:36; Romans 5:9). They understand that “receiving Jesus” means that forgiven sinners can one day go to heaven (John 1:12; 8:24; Acts 16:30-31). So, knowing what they do, these people accept Jesus, the receive him, they appreciate what he can do for them. But that can leave them, functionally, thinking that Jesus is “useful.”
Like some kind of celestial GPS that gets us to heaven. Like a divinely powerful “soul cleanser” that wipes out the stain of sin. Like a travel agent who sets us up for a wonderful trip we hope one day to take. Jesus is useful.
But I think that is not enough. I think that slipping into thinking of Jesus that way will stifle our growth in grace and obscure our understanding of the Gospel.
There is a popular illustration used to picture what it means to “believe in Jesus.” The speaker or teacher shows a chair. Then he or she will ask whether people “believe” that the chair will hold them up. Most will affirm such a belief. And then the teacher will say that “really believing” means that you will sit in the chair. The point is clear. To believe, biblically, is more than acknowledging certain truths about Jesus. It is about trusting him, personally. Like sitting in the chair. But in that picture, the chair is only useful. You might not even like the chair, but still you could sit. The chair is only useful.
Paul writes to the Philippians about his heart for Jesus.
For to me, to live is Christ (Philippians 1:21).
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:7-8).
This is not utilitarian. Jesus is not “useful” to Paul. For Paul, Jesus is life. Jesus is who has captured his soul, his affections. Paul does not pursue Jesus, accept Jesus, receive Jesus, or respond to Jesus because Jesus is useful, because Jesus can get him into heaven. You might appreciate the friend who gets you the pass to that golf tournament or those tickets to the sold out concert. But what you really want is the tournament, the concert; the friend is helpful, but he or she is not the focus. For Paul, Jesus himself is the focus.
For Paul, Jesus is not the means to get something of value. For Paul, Jesus is the treasure!
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44)
3 Comments
Lord empower me to b joyfully used by You, and not look at You as a commodity to be spent by me. Show me the treasure that is You.
Rob, that’s a sweet prayer. I love the thought . . . “show me the treasure that is You.” Wonderful.
I am sure that you have the right dispostion about the rest of the prayer, but I do know that there are times when well-meaning followers of Jesus speak of being “used by Jesus” in a less-than healthy way. The “Jesus has done so much for you, what will you do for him” mentality is, to my way of thinking, profoundly unbiblical. There is a good and right way of thinking about serving Jesus or being used by him; but there is also a less-than-healthy way of thinking about such things.
If I think that I am reciprocating Jesus for all that he has done, this is not good. I am never the benefactor and Jesus the beneficiary of my goodness. I was in a desperate way, in death and sin, and Jesus did all he did for me out of his great love and my massive need. Jesus does not have massive needs that require my help and goodness to address. He was truly the divine and glorious benefactor to me. And will always be.
When we serve the Lord or are used by him, it seems to me that our attitude best magnifies him when our hearts echo the heart of David in his prayer of dedication found in 1 Chronicles 29. A great offering is brought by him and the people to God, and he prays, “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; thine is the dominion, O Lord, and thou dost exalt thyself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from thee . . . Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from thee, and from thy hand we have given to thee.”
Wonderful thought! Whatever we think we are giving to God does, in truth, come from him. We are only giving to him what is already his, what he himself has provided. And in our serving, in our being used, we are enriched . . . and he is thus glorified.
Great post that summarizes some of how I have thought about Jesus in the past without being able to put words to it! Seeing Jesus as the treasure instead of the treasure provider is a big difference.