We cannot keep Jesus at a safe distance. He asks more of us than respect, good words, or outward religion. Like the rich young ruler, we can come near to Jesus and still walk away when His words reach into the part of life we do not want to surrender. Doing nothing with Jesus is still a choice. The question before us is simple and deep: Who is Jesus to us?
As we look across Scripture, we see history narrowing toward Jesus like water moving through a funnel. The Old Testament points ahead to Him, and in Jesus something new has come. He gives Himself once for our sins, opens a new and living way to God, and writes His law on our hearts. Jesus does not merely add something to the old way. He changes everything.
Because of this, we take the words of Jesus seriously, even when they make us uncomfortable. Loving our enemies may be hard. Holding our possessions loosely may be hard. Trusting God instead of worrying about tomorrow may be hard. Yet we should be careful when we start finding reasons why Jesus could not really have meant what He said. His words are not decorations for our faith. They are meant to shape the way we live.
Still, following Jesus is not merely a list of hard commands. He invites us into abundant life. He offers living water, spiritual bread, peace, forgiveness, and a way home to God. So we come again to the question we cannot escape: What are we doing with Jesus? May we not kneel before Him with our bodies while walking away in our hearts. Instead, we choose to trust Him, follow Him, and give Him our whole heart.