By Phillip Johnson
Can you imagine life without a challenge? Life would be boring and dull minus challenges. Without a challenge, life would lose its excitement and passion. I like to be challenged. I enjoy hiking and mountain bike riding and snow skiing. When I’m really up for a physical challenge, I try to make it through a P90X workout. Talk about a physical challenge! I imagine you enjoy physical challenges as well. What about spiritual challenges? How do you view the spiritual challenges that you face? What are your ambitions spiritually? What are your spiritual goals? What are you striving to achieve for God’s kingdom? 2 Corinthians 5:9 describes the goal of Paul. Paul wanted to be pleasing to God. It’s tragically sad when Christians have no goals; no dreams; no ambitions. Laziness prevents many from pursuing goals. A fear of failure stands in the way for others. Life is a challenge. The Christian life in particular is challenging. Christ is the challenge of all challenges. His perfect life is the yardstick by which we measure our lives. Take a look at 1 Peter 2:21-22. We are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. This is our mission. This is our challenge. You may be thinking this is “mission impossible.” How can I be like Christ? After all, He was perfect. Before you give up, remember the power you have been given by God. You have the power to come to Christ (Matthew 11:28-30). You have the power to become disciples of Christ (Luke 9:23). You have the power to overcome through Christ (Romans 8:37). Think about the power you have! God has given us power and He challenges us to use that power for His glory. Are you ready to conquer the challenge of all challenges? Are you ready for the challenge of Christ?
We are challenged to live as Christ lived. If we are going to walk in the footsteps of Jesus we need to know where He walked. We need to know how He walked. We need to examine His life. In my daily Bible reading, I am always reading through one of the gospels. I want to know more about Jesus. I want to know what motivated Him. I want to know how He spent His time. When you examine the life of Jesus, you quickly learn that His life had meaning. He was a minister. This was His chief mission in life. What’s yours? Christ was invested in the lives of other people. What are you investing in? Jesus served others. Jesus prayed for others. Jesus died for others. Jesus lived above the common level. This isn’t always easy, but it is always excellent. This isn’t always popular, but it is certainly proper. We must dare to stand above the mediocre and the average. Jesus lived to do God’s will. To live as Christ lived is not some unattainable dream. Jesus shows us how to live.
We are challenged to grow as Christ grew. We don’t know much about the adolescent years of Jesus’ life. Luke gives us some insight in Luke 2:52. Jesus grew. He grew intellectually. He grew physically. He grew socially. He grew spiritually. In 2 Peter 3:17-18, Peter challenges Christians “to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” How do we grow in knowledge? Get in God’s Word. Spiritual growth doesn’t happen automatically. It doesn’t happen accidentally. If you read God’s Word, you will grow in your knowledge. What about growing in grace? How can I grow in grace? God’s great gift to humanity is His grace. Grace is a rich word which encompasses God’s love, God’s kindness and God’s mercy. We are saved by the grace of God. You can grow in grace by being thankful for this undeserved gift. You can grow in grace by sinning less. Don’t take God for granted. Don’t take your salvation for granted. Don’t take Jesus’ sacrifice for granted.
We are challenged to think as Christ thought. How is this possible? God has given us His Word to guide our thinking. Paul describes the challenge in Philippians 2:5-8. If we develop the mind of Christ, our outlook on life will change. If we develop the mind of Christ, we will be spiritually focused. If we develop the mind of Christ, our eyes will see the needs of others. If we develop the mind of Christ, we will have the right priorities. You will never live as Christ lived until you learn to think as He thought. Jesus lived right because He thought right. You want a challenge? Live out the words of Philippians 4:8 and 2 Corinthians 10:5.
We are challenged to give as Christ gave. Jesus gave His life for God’s plan. He gave His life for the church (Ephesians 5:25). He gave His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). He gave His life for you. Jesus’ attitude toward giving is summed up in Acts 20:35. Jesus gave His life. What are you willing to give? Are you willing to give your time? Are you willing to give your energy? Are you willing to give your life? It truly is “more blessed to give than to receive.”
We are challenged to endure as Christ endured. Hebrews 12:1-3 shows us the endurance of Jesus. We are to be like Christ. To be like Him we must develop endurance. We must endure persecution and affliction. We must endure hardship. We must endure suffering. We must endure trials and temptations. Keep reaching out to your friends. Keep praying. Keep studying. Keep growing. Keep enduring. Jesus shows us how. He overcame Satan. He overcame the temptation to sin. He overcame death. He overcame the world.
Finally, we are challenged to finish our mission. Jesus finished! In John 19:30 Jesus said, “It is finished.” We give up too easily. Don’t give up! Nothing was going to stop Jesus from finishing His mission. He was determined to go to the cross. He was determined to fulfill God’s plan for His life. At some point our life will be finished. What will be written and said about your life? Listen to the words Paul wrote to Timothy as he neared the finishing point of his life. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8). This was Paul’s story. What will your story be? Finish what you’ve started! Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the faith.
Jesus is the challenge of all challenges. He is also the reward of all rewards. You can have all the Nobel prizes and Pulitzer prizes ever awarded. You can have a collection of Oscars and Emmys. You can have the Heisman trophy. I want heaven. I want Jesus. Are you fulfilling the challenges Jesus has left you? Now is the time to start.
