Agapepoint exists for the purpose of pointing people towards deeper loving relationships in Jesus Christ. Whether the relationship be that of friends, family members, the community or the church, the word of God and the Spirit of Christ are the ultimate source of hope in developing stronger loving relationships.
If our purpose is pointing people towards deeper loving relationships in Jesus Christ, our means of doing so is primarily through patiently developing genuine relationships with those we would disciple. Such is the case with Jesus and all those with whom he has a saving relationship. Jesus himself, shares with us that knowledge alone is not enough. He said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40, NIV). Knowledge of the Scriptures does not save, but a relationship with Jesus does! Jesus is not diminishing the teaching and studying of the Scriptures, for such is the word of God. It is those same Scriptures that lead us to a relationship, a saving relationship in Jesus. True Christianity is not legalistic, it is relational. And all the saved have one common denominator – Jesus Christ!
For those of us in Christ that desire to see our friends,family members, neighbors and communities put on Christ; we must cease inviting people to church and begin to introduce them to Jesus. Nearly two-thousand years ago men came to Philip and said, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus” (John 12:21, NIV). The same is true today!
I meet people everywhere in the city, in the suburbs and in our rural areas, and the one great common voice I hear is “show me Jesus.” When will the church begin to listen both to the Master’s voice and the call of the lost, “Show Jesus!” We must cease advertising the church and begin to show people Jesus! The church does not save people, Jesus does! The church is not the ultimate source of comfort and encouragement, the Spirit of Christ is. We must cease thinking that our wisdom, power, dollars and vision save. We must cease thinking that we alone have the answers. That honor belongs to Jesus.
The job of the church is not to invite people to church, it is to invite people to see and come to know Jesus. The next time you meet someone new, don’t tell them about church, simply show them Jesus. And we will find the questions on their hearts can only be adequately answered through meeting Jesus.
Walking with Jesus,
Keith