As Christians we talk a lot about having a "personal relationship with Christ". What this means is that our relationship with Jesus does have to be personal. It's not enough for our mom, spouse, BFF or sibling to believe and have an active faith. Each individual must believe and have an active faith, an ongoing relationship with our Saviour.
What "personal relationship" does NOT mean is private. It's not like when you have a diary and you say, "Don't read this, it's personal."
Jesus speaks to this in Matthew 25.
What "personal relationship" does NOT mean is private. It's not like when you have a diary and you say, "Don't read this, it's personal."
Jesus speaks to this in Matthew 25.
The passage begins by letting us know that Jesus IS coming back. (Yay!)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
We then learn that not everyone will be welcome to inherit the kingdom.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
So why do they get to inherit the kingdom? What have they done that is so special?
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Jesus makes it very clear that He notices how we treat others and it matters to Him. It matters because how we love others is a reflection of how we love Him.
The more we love Jesus the more we will love others...and the more we love others the more we show our love to/for Jesus. :)
But in truth we don't start by loving Jesus OR others. We start by letting Jesus love us! The more we experience Christ and let Him love us the more we can love others...the more we can live out of the "overflow" spoken of in Romans 15:13.
So if you're asking the questions, "How do I let Jesus love me? What does that even mean?" I'll share what some of my answers have been.
Study the Bible and get to know God/Jesus.
Trust in His promises.
Let go of control.
Sing!
Rest in Him. (We always want to be doing something. Sometimes we need to be doing nothing.)
So the cycle goes like this...
- Let Jesus love you.
- Live in the overflow of that love and love others.
Our relationship with Christ must be personal but it must not be private. We must show our love for Christ by loving others.
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