Why are so many Christians confused about following Jesus? (Pt. 3)

This is Part 3 of a series. Read Part 1 and Part 2.

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In this series I’ve been writing about a question at the center of my approach to ministry: “Why do so many Christians walk around confused all the time?”

I’m almost 40. I’ve been walking with Jesus ever since I was a little kid–though often my walking looked more like repeatedly falling down–and I’ve been in church my entire life. All that to say, I’ve got a lot of experience in church world. I understand how Christians think.

One thing my experience has taught me is that SO MANY Christians are deeply confused about what it means to faithfully follow Jesus. They’re not stupid. And they really don’t want to be confused. But when they ponder the mystery and complexity of all the Christian faith has to offer, they feel like they’re trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube while wearing a blindfold.

I get that. Because that was me too.

I’ve always been passionate about Jesus. But I spent most of the first 30 years of my life trying to figure how to channel that passion and zeal. What, in other words, is the Christian faith all about? And more specifically, what exactly is it that Jesus expects us to do?

In the first two parts of this series, I touched on two of the things Jesus gives to his people to help us grow and learn to follow him. In Part 1, I talked about the fact that every believer has been given the gift of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit’s job is to make us more like Jesus. In Part 2, I talked about the gift of Scripture and how amazing it is that Jesus has provided us with access to God’s living, active, perfect, and authoritative Word.

To wrap up this series, I want to talk about a third gift Jesus gives to help us learn to follow him: the local church.

The Local Church

Every true Christian is a part of the “Church.” The Church (note the big “C”) is made up of all believers everywhere throughout all time. Sometimes we call this the “universal church” and if you’re trusting in Jesus for your salvation, you are a part of the (universal) Church simply because you are a member of God’s family.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the word “church” (Ekklesia in Greek) to describe the kind of spiritual family he came to establish. That word means “assembly” or “gathering.” And that’s what the church is: a group of people committed to Jesus and the mission he gave us.

Jesus promised to build his church in Matthew 16:18. Paul tells us Jesus died for the church (Eph. 5:25). The church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). And in Ephesians and Revelation we learn that the church is bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 19:7-9, 21:2, 21:9).

What does that tell us?

The church matters to Jesus, so the church should matter to us. In fact, every Christian is supposed to live out their faith in Jesus in the context of a local church.

Why you need the local church

The book of Acts tells us the story of the birth of the church. Soon after Jesus ascends into heaven 40 days after his resurrection (Acts 1), Luke records the Holy Spirit falling from heaven on the disciples and moving in such a powerful way that thousands of people come to faith in Jesus (Acts 2).

That scene in Acts 2 marks the birth of the church. Just like Jesus said in Acts 1:8, the church begins in Jerusalem and spreads further into Judea, and then to Samaria, and begins to make its way to the ends of the earth. And here’s the critical piece, the church that Jesus loves, the church that Jesus died for, the church that Jesus commissions to take the gospel into the world, is not an abstraction.

The church is made up of real people serving together to grow in their faith, reach the lost, and get the gospel to the nations. It always has been. And ever since the church was born in Acts 2, it has always shown up in new communities in the form of local churches.

I tell the people of Cornerstone all the time: The local church is God’s plan to reach the world and make you the person he wants you to be. In other words, the local church is not just a vehicle for missions; it’s also God’s plan for discipleship.

I have met my share of Christians who think they can follow Jesus apart from the local church. In every case I can think of, the truth is that they don’t care much about the church—because, deep down, they don’t care much about Jesus either.

I don’t mean to ridicule or dismiss believers who (for whatever reason), may not see the value of the local church. I know some people have been badly wounded at the hands of other Christians–sometimes by the pastors or leaders of their local congregation. That grieves me. And it angers Jesus. There is a reason that the biblical qualifications for church leadership set a high bar and are repeated many times in the New Testament.

Local churches are supposed to be biblical, safe, healthy, and life-giving places. I’ve been in so many local churches that are. No church is perfect. That’s why Jesus died for his church. But every healthy local church will be focused on doing what Jesus told us to do (Great Commission), the way that he told us to do it (Great Commandment).

The Great Commission is clearly stated in two different ways in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8. Simply put, the Great Commission calls us to live like disciples and missionaries. We’re supposed to follow Jesus and do everything we can to reach people for Jesus–from our neighbors to the nations–so they can learn to follow him too.

The Great Commandment is Jesus summary of the whole Bible. In Mark 12:28-31, Jesus sums up the Bible in two commands. We are to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, AND we are to love our neighbor as we love ourself. Cutting right to the heart of things, Jesus says the essence of the Christian faith is love. Love God. Love others.

You don’t need to be confused

If you find a local church focused on the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, plug yourself into it! Watch Jesus use his church to transform your heart and life. If you will lean into the work of the Holy Spirit within you (see Gal. 5:16-26), regularly study God’s Word on your own, and engage in the life and ministry of a healthy local church, Jesus will use these things to guide your feet and light your path.

You don’t need to be confused about the things you don’t understand. You just need to do the things you already know Jesus has told you to do. He will take care of the rest.

So lay aside your confusion and follow Jesus today.