We need churches full of people who are excited about having met Jesus to be telling others about who Jesus is and what He has done. We need the stories of people who have met Jesus and we need those stories and that excitement, to find its way to people where they are — the great majority who find church an alien place and concept.

Centuries of religious control and insincerity have buried the simple message of who Jesus is, and how we can know him now. It’s been disguised with a lot of ‘churchy’ protective wrapping.

People have learned — quite wrongly — to associate Jesus with a falsehood.

Instead of Jesus being the Saviour and the friend who loves unconditionally, people associate the name ‘Jesus’ with a catch.

Coming to know Jesus does not come with a catch, but it does change our priorities. As we come to realise how Jesus has given His all for us, we want to give more of ourselves to Him. That’s not the same as an obligation to attend on Suinday morning or put money in the plate, poor ways of expressing commitment, but it is more about making our priorities more like Jesus’ priorities. That will inevitably shape where we put our resources of time, energy, gifts and other resources.

It’s a bit like a pub conversation among mainly single people, one of those amiable but none too profound arguments. One says, “You don’t want to fall in love. You’ll end up getting married, having children, and that will take up all your out-of-work time and all your money, and you’ll lose your independence.”

The married friend, overhearing this, replies: “I found it was the best decision I ever made, and I gladly gave up my old independence for what I have gained now.”

Any change of a lifestyle and change of priorities can be viewed, either positively as an opportunity and an achievement, or negatively as a loss involving a cost.

To echo Jesus’ language, following Him is a commitment and also an investment in the kingdom of God — the better, fairer, less confused and more compassionate world order that He brings.As Jesus said: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and God will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 NLT)