A few years ago a popular song by Joan Osbourne asked the question, “What if God was one of us?”  The song started out like this:

If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question

When we consider God as “Trinity” – Three in One and One in Three – it’s easy to get confused and feel distant from God.  But when we begin to understand who Jesus is, we realize that here is God with a name and a face. 

Just over two thousand years ago, God became one of us when Jesus was born.  Through his life and teaching, Jesus demonstrated that he was more than just a human being – he was God himself.  If anyone had doubts about who Jesus was, he proved who he was beyond the shadow of a doubt.  Jesus died a terrible death on a Roman cross.  (If you saw Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” you have some idea what Jesus went through.)  Jesus’ death wasn’t the end of the story, though.  He came alive again three days later.  After he won this amazing victory over the powers of sin, death, and hell, Jesus spent 40 days talking with his friends.  He helped them understand that by dying on the cross, he took on himself the sins of all humanity. (Sins are those things we do that create a barrier between us and God.) Through his death and new life, Jesus conquered the powers of sin and death.  And he opened up new access to God, to heaven, and to eternal life for those who put their trust in him. 

So, what if God was one of us?  What now? 

This is the best part of God becoming one of us in Jesus – since the beginning of time, God has been longing for a relationship with us.  We continue to run and hide.  We make excuses.  We are too afraid to believe God actually loves us just as we are. 

Because of Jesus, we can have a new relationship with God.  We don’t have to get our act together and then go looking for God.  We don’t have to find some way to pay for our sins before he will accept us.  Instead, in Jesus God came looking for us when we were still stuck in our sins.  At the cross, Jesus died for us before we could do anything to deserve it.  He did this because he loves us.  That love is so powerful that even death could not keep it down.  Love is what brought Jesus out of death – a love that will not be kept quiet, kept down, kept in the dark.  Like a bright light shining in a dark place, Jesus’ love shines into our hearts and gives us new life.

If you don’t know Jesus personally, just ask him to shine that light of his love into your heart.  He promises in the Bible that if you ask, his Spirit will come into your heart and live inside you.  When he comes to live inside you, some important things happen.

First, he will begin to change you from the inside out.  Lots of books, programs, and people offer to make you change from the outside.  But only God can live within you to make change happen from inside you.  What does this change look like?  God wants to make you begin to look like Jesus in your words, actions, and attitudes.  So as God works in you, you will begin to be more loving, more peaceful, more patient.  Your actions will be more kind.  Your words will begin to be more gentle.  Your heart will begin to feel more joyful.  Just like Jesus.

Here’s a simple prayer that can help you start a relationship with Jesus right now:

            Jesus,

            I’m sorry for the times I hide from you. 
            I’m sorry for the things I do against your wishes.
            I’m sorry for all the times I hurt others and hurt you.
            Thank you for dying on the cross for me.
            Thank you for loving me.
            Thank you that you want a relationship with me.
            Please come live in my heart and my mind right now.
            Please fill me with your Holy Spirit.
            Please give me eternal life with you.
            In this moment, I turn from my old life.
            I want to live under your authority and your leadership forever.

            Amen.

If you have prayed that prayer or something like it, you belong to Jesus.  It doesn’t depend on how you feel or how many good things you do.  It simply depends on Jesus’ promise, and he never breaks a promise.  The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, that is enough.  You belong to him now.  (See Romans chapter 10 to read this in the Bible)

If you would like to talk with someone about your relationship with God, please contact us at Central.  We would be happy to help in any way we can.  It’s important, especially if you are just beginning a relationship with Jesus, to have people to support you and walk with you.  That’s what churches are for!  If you’re near Elk River, feel free to come and talk with us in person.  If you’re farther away, email us, and keep visiting with us through this webpage.

May God bless you!

Pastor Jeff