What to do about Jesus?

This week, I watched Dr. Billy Graham’s funeral. Several things touched me. One was the reading of a poem wife wrote at age 14. It was her prayer to God for the kind of man she wanted to marry. She wasn’t interested in appearance or money or much else except that she wanted him to be a godly man. Years later, she met Graham, the exact answer to her prayers.

His family and many others paid tribute to this evangelist’s life and message. His son Franklin spoke the main message. He sounded much like his father as he preached the plain gospel to thousands in attendance. Many were Christian leaders. Others were friends, family and government officials, including the president and vice president of the United States and their wives.

As I listened, I wondered how those hearing this strong and clear message about Jesus would respond. Would they say YES to faith in Jesus Christ, or would they have the same attitude of the crowd more than 2000 years ago when challenged by the same question:

Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:22)

Tozer says, “The gospel is the official proclamation that Christ died for us and is risen again, with the added announcement that everyone who will believe . . . will cast in his lot with Christ in full and final committal, shall be saved eternally.”

Those who do so might gain favor for a time, but like Jesus, will not be popular. The pattern will follow what happened to our Savior. We will be “admired by many, loved by a few and rejected at last by the majority of men.” As Franklin said, if anyone is not willing to pay this price, Christ has nothing more to say to that person now, but He will speak again in judgment.

The question for every person is the same: what will you do with Jesus? Some do not know His name. Some know it only as a curse word. Some were raised with it but turned away. Some, like me, knew about Him but sat on the fence for a long time, not fully aware of who He really is or what He had done for me.

Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

A few will hear and respond with YES and become new creations by grace through faith. This is as Tozer called it; the Christ question. Our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ is the turning point of every life.

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Lord Jesus, I am 100% for You, and deeply joyful that when You called, You did it in such a way that there was no other answer in my mind but YES. Thank You. It is the desire of my heart, and in the hearts of every one of Your people that the world will hear the Gospel and that all who hear will respond and receive forgiveness and eternal life — available to all because of You.