John 14:6, Luke 15:10

Tim Cooke

I've recently been reflecting on the name of our new schools band 'one:central' here at The Message in Manchester, and I've begun to realise that it's more than just a funky name!!!

Firstly let's look at the one! So often in society (and sometimes by Christians) we are told that what we believe may be true for ourselves but we can't claim to others that we have the ultimate truth. Obviously we need to be sensitive in our witness, but too often that sensitivity becomes "I'll water the message of the Bible down so as not to offend you, and in reality I won't say anything of any meaning"!!

Ever been in that position where you're talking to someone about your faith and they make some statement you don't agree with? Rather than say what you believe, you gently nod your head in a 'I don't agree with you but I'm not going to say it' kind of way! Afterwards you end up kicking yourself because that person goes away thinking we have the same beliefs as them, something like "all religions lead to God anyway", or "I believe in Jesus, just in my own way". Actually you don't think that at all! But rather than offend them we end up being paralysed and say nothing.

Is that the way it should be? I don't think so. Jesus was obviously sensitive to where people were at, but that didn't stop him from saying some pretty outrageous things!! He said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (see John 14:6). In today's society people might have preferred him to say 'I am one of the ways to any God, you can believe I am the truth if you like but it doesn't really matter, you live your own life and I live mine, and we'll all see God because he exists within us all anyhow'! But the fact is Jesus said he is the way, the truth and the life.

We need to make sure we stand up for the fact that Jesus is the one way to know God even when that's unpopular. You don't need to go standing on a street corner with a loud-haler and wearing a fluorescent jacket shouting out "Jesus is the way" but in your chats with friends and family, make sure you get your beliefs across. Don't be scared to say what you believe. Your friends will be pretty strong on what they believe (and their beliefs won't give them true life!), so make sure you stand up for Jesus and be strong in your belief, even when it's unpopular. Jesus wasn't always popular for what he said (it led the religious leaders to kill him!), but he stuck by the truth. You and me need to make sure we stick by the truth of the bible no matter what others around us might say.

Secondly, central. You might believe all this stuff that you read about on life files but are you living like it? It's not enough to just believe in Jesus. Even the devil does that! We need to not only believe in Jesus but to accept him into our lives as the most central person. Jesus deserves full control of our lives or he's not in control at all! You don't need to be scared of giving control to Jesus like giving away your life to some evil dictator. Because Jesus is God he knows what is best for your life. Ask any Christian you know and they will tell you that life with Jesus as the boss is miles better than life with yourself in charge. With God as no.1 in your heart your life will start to make sense. No-one else can make that decision for you, and God won't force you into it. If you haven't made that decision yet then why not accept Jesus into your heart right now? You can do it right this second by praying this simple prayer, it will be the best decision you've ever made:

Dear Lord Jesus, I'm sorry for the way I've lived my life,
I've tried to live with myself in charge and things have become a mess,
Thank you for dying on the cross for me,
Please come into my heart and forgive me of all the wrong I've ever done,
From today I want you to be the boss of my life,
Thank you that one day I'm gonna see you face to face in heaven,
I love you Jesus.

If you prayed that prayer that is fantastic!! Jesus says that there is a party in heaven right now because you have just joined God's family (check out Luke 15:10). Please make sure you tell someone that you have just become a Christian and they can help you follow Jesus!