Maybe This Year...

 Well, we made it past Christmas and New Year's - so what's next? It seems like the weeks leading up to Christmas, everyone displays their best 'holiday cheer', and everywhere we go there's a magical quality. Then there's the new year and everyone celebrates! But then, it's all over. Now we go back to reality and there's no more holiday cheer - we remember the bleakness of winter; the ice and the snow. It seems the days after the holidays end up being a letdown for many.

Do Mondays feel like that for you in your spiritual walk? Is Sunday the day you put on your best face; you talk your best spiritual talk, you sing the songs and then comes Monday - and you go back to reality? Do you always feel like you're living 'the victorious Christian life' - or are you feeling spiritual on Sunday only to slide back to reality for the rest of the week?

Does it ever feel like maybe there should be something more? For those of us who've ever struggled with similar feelings - I'd like to encourage you - yes, there is more! It can get better!

- I think sometimes we feel the role of a Christian is simply to act like Jesus. "What would Jesus do?" But here's the secret - if you feel you just have to put on that happy face and act like Christ - understand that there's a difference between acting like Christ and...

I. Being 'Christlike'

It may sound like I'm splitting hairs here, but there is a difference. One will leave you feeling drained while the other will leave you feeling satisfied. A key passage for helping us grasp this is found in Jesus' words in John 15:1-11 (NIV)...

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (2) He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. (4) Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

(5) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (6) If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (7) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (8) This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

(9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (10) If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. (11) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Here's a question to ask when you feel discouraged or feel a bit spiritually burnt out. As you follow Jesus, does it feel like a job or…

A. A relationship

Being a Christian isn't as much about following a set of "do's and don'ts" – it's more about how you relate to Jesus. Having a real, actual relationship with the Son of God doesn't always occur to many people. Many would rather try to perform the tasks that a Christian does rather than focus on their relationship with Jesus that would then motivate those actions.

Think about it this way - when I got married 25 years ago, I made a vow to my wife, Erin. I pledged to love, honor and cherish her. What if we boiled the relationship down to just a set of rules we each had to follow? What if I promised to always take out the garbage, pay the bills and mow the lawn? What if she promised to do the shopping and take care of the kids? If it was only about rules - what happens if one of us breaks the rules? Is the marriage over?

Genuine relationships aren't based on rules and obligations but on commitment and love and interaction and growing in appreciation for each other. Focusing solely on rules will end up dividing the relationship.

Even some who have been in the Church for years still focus more on Biblical rules than they do simply on Jesus. And that's actually nothing new to those in the religious community. Let's look at a story about Jesus from Mark 14:3-7 (NIV)...

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. (4) Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? (5) It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.

(6) "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (7) The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me."

Was Jesus saying it's a bad thing to be generous with the poor? -No, of course not. We are told in scriptures to share our blessings with others – that's something a Christian does. What really pleased Jesus, however, was this one woman honoring Him. He is, after all The Son of God, The Savior of all mankind – shouldn't the focus be on Him?

Yes, Christians are to do certain things for Christ – but those things are to come from a relationship with Jesus, not instead of a relationship.

Do we focus more on knowing facts or…

B. Understanding truth

I am not against knowing facts. In fact - as we start the New Year, it's a great time to recommit to a regular Bible reading program. It's not too late to start. If you are going to grow in your relationship with Jesus, reading the Bible and knowing God's Word is absolutely essential. Studying the Bible is necessary, and good and vital - but, how much scriptural knowledge does it take to show love to your neighbor?

My son August is 5 years old. Augie doesn't know about substitutionary atonement. Augie doesn't understand justification or sanctification or any of the finer points of Christian theology. But he knows God made him. He knows God loves him. At our house, we have so many of us we take turns praying before meals. Augie always wants a turn, too - and he almost always prays the same prayer, "Dear God, Thank you for this day, I love you so, so much! Amen." I can't help but think God enjoys Augie's prayers better than mine many times.

You see, when Augie prays, it's not about his immense depth of knowledge about God but his relationship with God. I think that's why Jesus asked us to come to Him like little children.

Those of us who have been in the Church for any length of time probably know that Jesus has called us to 'live in Him'. We know the verses we read from John chapter 15; we know that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches; we know that we are to be connected to Him as our source of strength – but do we really understand the truth of what that means in our daily lives? Do you ever get so busy 'doing church' that you forget the One who established the Church in the first place?

Matthew 5:20 (NIV)

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

What's the difference between someone who only knows the facts of Christianity and a person who understands the truth of Jesus? Before I answer that question, I want to give a disclaimer. My answer is not meant as a condemnation or a judgment of anyone - but to challenge us. A person who only knows the facts points out to others what they should be doing- but a person who understands the truth of Jesus' calling goes out and does them. (And yes, that applies to preachers, too...)

A person who only knows the facts asks why there are areas of ministry being neglected - but a person who understands the truth of Jesus' calling prays about it and then acts. A person who only knows the facts of the Bible criticizes others' ministry efforts - but a person who understands the truth of following Jesus offers to serve alongside that person.

Most Churches aren't in need of ideas of 'what' to do in ministry. Most Churches are in need of people who have developed such a close relationship with Jesus that they can't help but serve; they can't help but use their gifts to serve others. (Notice I didn't say 'fill a slot in a Church program', I said, 'serve others'.)

And here's a tough reality for me - there are a handful of you here who are probably more qualified to throw out that challenge than I am. Thank you for your faithfulness. - For all of us, we need to remember that…

II. Christians bear fruit

I want to jump back to our passage from John, 15, specifically…

John 15:8 (NIV)

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Even as I have said our focus should be more on our relationship with Jesus rather than just performing tasks for Jesus. The fact remains that…

A. Christians 'do'

Christians 'act', they 'do' – Christianity is not passive. Following Jesus is not passive. Jesus wants there to be 'fruit'; He wants evidence of our relationship with Him. He wants that relationship to move us to service. It's not just about activity for activity's sake.

Back to the marriage analogy - if all I ever did for Erin was provide an income, mow the lawn and help out around the house - would just doing that produce a healthy marriage?

Following Jesus is about both the faith relationship and the actions motivated by the faith. Acting like Jesus without the actions is hypocrisy. Doing good things, following a set of rules without faith becomes 'self righteousness'. Both will leave you frustrated and neither will get you to Heaven.

Jesus calls us to obey God's commands not just as a bunch of rules, but as commands given out of love for us! We are then to 'act', to serve, to 'bear fruit', out of love! If we're just following rules without love we become just like those who condemned the woman who poured perfume over Jesus' head. Our relationship with Jesus takes a back seat to our own 'religiosity'. Without love we become more about rules and programs than about people.

Paul explains this idea in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)...

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (2) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

In following Jesus; in living in Him, with bearing fruit out of love…

B. You should feel joy

I'm not saying you can't ever feel tired or frustrated, or a bit worn out while serving Jesus. I don't expect that we'll all have this feeling of spiritual euphoria Sunday after Sunday and every day in between. – Not gonna happen. But I am saying - if you don't ever feel a real sense of joy in serving Jesus - you may have to check your motivations. Are you 'doing' to just check something off of your list - or are you serving out of gratitude for what Jesus has done for you?

We know that Christmas time is supposed to be a time of great joy as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, God in the flesh. Instead, sometimes we let it become a hectic, exhausting time with all of our shopping and 'get togethers' and running around. And because we occasionally focus on all the tasks that come with Christmas instead of the relationship we can now have with Jesus – we can feel more tired than joyful.

When you follow Jesus, you should feel joy. Jesus said…

John 10:8-10 (NIV)

All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. (9) I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. (10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The American Standard Version translates that last line as, "I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly."

I mentioned earlier that 'victorious Christian life' – that is what Jesus wants for you. He doesn't want you constantly just doing things for Him; He wants a vibrant active relationship with you! God didn't just want our sacrifices as in the Old Testament; He wanted a relationship with us! Sure God wants you to follow His commands, but not as some sort of obligation or out of guilt. God wants you to follow His commands and to serve Him because He loves you and you love Him!

So What?

If you find that your service to others or to the Church has become drudgery or an obligation – you need to remember Jesus' words…

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

If all the joy has gone out of your walk with Jesus, maybe you need to put in some 'relationship time' with Him. Spend some time in prayer being honest with God. Stop focusing on what you are doing for Him and focus on Him. Jesus didn't just call you to live for Him but in Him. Maybe this year will be one where you feel the closest you've ever felt to God! Maybe - but it depends on you and your willingness to draw close to Him each and every day!