My family and I were at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California. No, we weren’t staying there. We were camping in tents down the street with some friends. We were bored one day and thought it would be fun to walk into the Ritz and act like we were guests.
It was pretty cool and way beyond our league. But it was nice to pretend. (And if you ever decide to crash the Ritz-Carlton, the snack shop inside has chocolate chip cookies that are to die for.)
As we toured inside in all our camping glory, I recognized a well-known pastor my mom used to watch on tv in the eighties and nineties. Since I never had the privilege of meeting him, I went up and introduced myself. We chatted for a few minutes, and, of course, we took a selfie.
To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by how kind he was. This guy is known around the world and received no small amount of criticism during his ministry. As I walked away, I thought to myself, I am really glad we met. I found myself wishing I had more time to spend with him and hear his story.
You know Jesus had no small amount of criticism and controversy surrounding his life. Yet, people came in the tens of thousands to meet him. Some even traveled great distances just to get a glimpse. Whether they liked him or not, Jesus was the guy they wanted to meet.
It’s still true today. Deep in everyone’s heart, your heart even, Jesus is the one guy people wish they could meet and get to know better.
Here are four reasons why Jesus is the guy everyone’s dying to meet.
1. Jesus is the only one who gives life.
Suppose you were to choose between two friends, one who gives death and one who gives life. Which one would you choose? Yeah, me too!
Jesus said, “The thief (that’s the devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Life is a quality we want all our friends to have. Jesus has it in abundance.
2. Jesus is the only one to be a truly reliable, loving friend.
The Bible tells us that “one who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)
Jesus is the friend that sticks close. We know this because “greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) When Jesus laid down his life for you, he proved his reliability.
3. Jesus is the only one who truly forgives.
No one wants to build a relationship with an unforgiving person. We’ve all had those friends that say they forgive you, but deep down, they’re holding a grudge.
With Jesus, it’s different, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
And when it says, “purify us,” it means to make us clean permanently. And your sins are remembered no more.
4. Jesus is the only one who frees you from condemnation.
This is a big one!
I find that I don’t need people to condemn me. I do an outstanding job of that all by myself. Can you relate?
When you meet Jesus, he literally removes all condemnation from your life.
Romans 8:1-2 says, “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
These are just four reasons. But if you think about it, aren’t these the qualities you want to see in the people you meet. The truth is Jesus is the only one who can truly be this person. That’s why everyone is dying to meet him. They just might not know it yet.
1 John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”
