Jesus Makes a Difference
As we read the Gospels and the New Testament as a whole, we see a clear theme emerge, “Jesus makes a substantial difference in the lives of those who believe in him.” Everywhere that the gospel is proclaimed (both in word and action), it is believed, and for those who believe, their lives are changed for the better. They experience hope, freedom, joy, a new sense of personhood and identity, and even are brought into reconciled community. No, their first-century world doesn’t magically turn into utopia, but life is far more livable with Jesus at the center. Amazing!
There is a question that comes up for us as modern readers as we see this theme emerge in the NT. It is the question, “Does Jesus still make a difference in our lives and world today, as it seems like he did back then?” And, this is a legitimate question. It can be easy to dismiss the events of the Bible as something that happened in the past. The reality is, if we are willing to look and to let God’s Spirit guide us, we can see the evidence of God’s merciful and gracious intercession in our lives all around us today. In other words, we can see Jesus making a difference.
How? Great question! Let’s look at baptism. Briefly, we believe that baptism is the public confession of a private commitment to follow Jesus in a life-defining way. And one of the important parts of a baptism is the testimony that is shared. In each story, we hear first-hand accounts of how Jesus is making a difference in people’s lives now. Here are the cliff notes of what we heard at baptism in the past:
- How through faith in Christ, priorities have been refocused and recentered on healthy and important things.
- How through the care of God’s people and Jesus’ strength, seasons of anxiety and depression can find healing.
- How personal identities can go from self-centered to others-centered and we grow from selfish to generous.
- How through the peace and security of life in Jesus, we can be set free from fear of the unknown that is ahead.
- How we are brought into significant and healthy community and a sense of family.
No, the lives of everyone who get baptized and share their stories of how Jesus is making a difference aren’t magically living in utopia. Instead, they told stories of how Jesus was the only one capable of making a difference in their lives after trying so many other things that failed. Yes, Jesus does make a difference in our lives today.