Recently I heard about a preacher who received the complaint that he preached about Jesus “too much!” Can you imagine such a statement? Is it truly possible to talk about Jesus too much? Granted, there are a lot of topics, themes, scriptures, etc. that need to be taught and preached with the expectation of proclaiming all the counsel of God (Acts 20:28); however, I could not ever imagine actually leveling the accusation against another that they preached about Jesus “too much.” Friends, if anything we do not talk about Jesus enough. His life was perfect, His words are truth, His ways are right, and His will is pure. Jesus is everything we aspire to be and everything we should be teaching and preaching to others that they need to be. Therefore, instead of complaining about someone talking too much about Jesus, we should be seeking to learn and know more about Jesus: “more of His saving fullness see, more of His love who died for me!”
What could hurt by learning more about Jesus’ life? Contained in the four gospel accounts containing Jesus’ biographical information is merely a small portion of all that Jesus actually did. “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25). There is so much about Jesus life that we cannot know because it is not recorded, why would we not hunger and thirst to learn about and know every detail we can know that is recorded of His life? We can learn how He handled difficult decisions, how He related to individuals, how He confronted Biblical discussions, and how He dealt with sin and temptation. Would this information not help us as we deal with the same? We need to know more about Jesus’ life.
Why would we not seek to learn more about Jesus’ love? How much did He love? He “so loved.” Who did He love? He loved “the world.” Why did He love? He loved so that “all that believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It is that love that constrains us to seek and serve Him every day of our lives (2 Corinthians 5:14). It motivates us to shun the pressures of the world and live in accordance to His ways and will (Romans 12:1-2). Ultimately it is that love that is going to save our eternal souls once this life ends. Knowing how important the presence of God’s love in our lives is, why would we not seek to learn and know more about it? We need to know more about Jesus’ love.
When would it not benefit us to learn more about Jesus’ legacy? Just before His departure back to the Father, Jesus stated that “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus was not giving a commandment that He had been unwilling or refused to perform in His life. He, rather, was delegating this responsibility that He had been performing on to others upon His departure. His legacy to mankind was redemption through obedience to the gospel. However, if we know nothing of it, how can we be responsive to it? We need to know more about Jesus’ legacy.
No, not less about Jesus; we need to learn and know more about Jesus. More about His life, His love, and His legacy. Only by that Scriptural study can we truly obtain the knowledge of all things that pertain unto life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
-Andy Brewer
