Special Study Outline

FOCUSING ON JESUS
From which perspective should we view the world, as well as the work and ministry of the church? There can be no question that the perspective should be a Christ-centered one. We can go nowhere for God until we begin to see things as He sees them—and His viewpoint is concerned primarily with how they reflect upon His Son. This is the question that we need to ask about every course and activity: What is the relation of that which we are considering to the glory of the Son of God? It is certain, from what we know of the divine mind as revealed in Scripture, that all of God’s workings have been intended to spotlight Christ. The late Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas made a profound statement in his book, *Christianity is Christ* (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955): “Christianity is so inextricably bound up with Christ that our view of the Person of Christ involves and determines our view of Christianity” (p. 7). Paul deals with the supremacy of Jesus in all things in the Colossian letter, wherein He states that “all things were created through Him and for Him” (1:16). Jesus is “before all things, and in Him all things consist” (v. 17). Following this statement is that great text about the relationship of Christ to the church and the church to Christ. His relationship to us is Headship: “And He is the head of the body, the church…” (v. 18). He is the reason that we exist and all of our power, energy and spiritual resources are derived from Him. Our relationship to Him is expressed this way: “that in all things He may have the preeminence” (v. 18). In other words, we are here to glorify Him. Not only do we exist as Christians because of Him, but to glorify Him. His name is behind us and before us. The church is the only group of people upon earth who have been called to glorify the redemptive accomplishments of Christ. We do this by staying focused on Him. One of the greatest challenges to the life of a disciple is keeping our focus on Jesus in a moment-by-moment relationship of absolute trust and total dependence. The thing that separates Christianity from the other religions of the world is that it is a God-dependent religion in every way, for without Him we can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). It is through Jesus and Jesus alone that we receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38). His name is the only name in all the world by which sinners can be saved (Acts 4:12). We must focus on His finished work, because it is through Him that everyone who believes is justified from what we can never be justified by law-keeping (Acts 13:39). Jesus is the “resurrection and the life” and only those who trust in Him will have life (Jn. 11:25). He is “the way, the truth, and the life” and the only way to heaven is through Him (Jn. 14:6). “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:40, NIV). It is clear, therefore, that we can only be saved by focusing on and trusting in Jesus. But what about the importance of focusing on Him in the mundane, day-to-day affairs of life? If we are going to live a victorious life, He must occupy the center of our attention. Jesus is not only the only way to be saved, He is also the only way to be sane. He will not only keep you from losing your soul, but from losing your sanity. There is a longing in every human heart that only Jesus can fulfill through our moment-by-moment consciousness of His intimate presence and of our absolute dependence upon Him. In every moment of our lives, we must strive to focus on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). We must set our minds and thoughts on things above, where Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand (Col. 3:1-2). Peace with God is found when we trust in Jesus, and peace within ourselves is found when we focus on Him every day in every way. For us to enjoy the abundant life that only Christ can give us (Jn. 10:10), He must become, not only our Savior, but our whole life as well. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:3-4, NIV). Jesus is the true and living bread “from heaven” (Jn. 6:32). He came from heaven to give life to the world (Jn. 6:33). If we feed on Him daily, making Him the sustaining power in our lives—just as daily food sustains our bodies—then we will never suffer from spiritual hunger (Jn. 6:35). Our lives will be satisfied and the spiritual longings of our heart will be completely met. Jesus went on to declare, “I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die” (Jn. 6:48-50, NIV). The Israelites were instructed to gather the manna one day at a time (Ex. 16:4-8), and that is just what we have to do with Jesus—focus on Him one day at a time, one moment at a time. “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (Jn. 7:38, NIV). If we feed on Jesus, we will never go hungry, and if we drink daily from the water that only He can give, we will never thirst. “Everyone who drinks” literal water “will be thirsty again,” but “whoever drinks the water” that Jesus gives “will never thirst” but instead, that water “will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:13-14, NIV). Christ’s analogies of the “true bread” and the “living water” speak primarily about His role as Savior, but they also teach us the importance of making Him the power source of our lives—of focusing on Him every day in every way. Some would say, “That’s hard to do!” Actually, however, it is not hard, it is impossible. Impossible to do it ourselves, that is, but “with God all things are possible” (Mk. 10:27). The only way for us to stay focused on Jesus moment-by-moment is to allow God to transform our hearts and minds through His powerful work of renewal (Rom. 12:2). We should ask Him to help us give Him the total preeminence in our lives. In all things, Jesus is to have first place (Col. 1:18). If we are having trouble keeping our minds focused on Jesus, we should come boldly before the throne of God in faith, asking for the “mercy” and “grace” which He has promised to help us in our times of need (Heb. 4:16). We must depend upon Him for salvation, and we must depend upon Him to help us stay focused on Christ daily. He can and will strengthen us in our inner being by the power of His Spirit (Eph. 3:16). He can even do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” by His divine “power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20, NIV). So we should “trust in the Lord” with all of our heart, and refuse to depend on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5). There is peace that comes from God, a peace that “passes all understanding” and will “guard” our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). The key to fulfillment, peace, joy and satisfaction within ourselves is found by focusing on Christ. Isaiah said concerning God, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee” (Isa. 26:3). To paraphrase, God grants total peace of mind and serenity of soul to the person who stays focused upon Him. We cannot achieve peace by our own strength and resolve. Satisfaction is something that only God can give us—and He will, when we admit that we cannot do it ourselves. There is great power in recognizing that we are totally dependent upon Him, a dependence we express by giving Him the undivided focus of our lives. Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:1-4, NIV) There is so much that I cannot do—but I can abide. I can stay close to my Lord if I really want to do so. I can build the kind of relationship with Him where He is the most important person in my life—if that is truly my desire. He is my Lord and Savior, and He even wants to be my closest friend. He will be the one I think of when I first get up in the morning. He will be my reason for living. The mention of His name will the sweetest sound in all the world to me. This is the kind of relationship that is possible with Jesus, and it will be yours if it is really what you want. And, on a more practical level, He will be the first consideration in every decision. He will be the one whose approval I am seeking. We will have a stronger desire to obey Him and follow Him than to listen to or seek the counsel of anyone else. Our relationship with Him will be the most significant and the most consistent aspect our lives. When we open our mouths, people will not hear us, they will hear Jesus and His word. When they observe our behavior, they will know that it is being directed by one who is more powerful than we are. And the verdict that will be rendered concerning us, whether people think we are lunatics or saints, is simply “these people have been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). This is the kind of relationship Jesus is describing in these verses we have been considering. This is the kind of life available to you. You will know Him as deeply as you desire. In a manner of speaking, you will get as much of Jesus as you desire. Remember this, because the devil desires to make you believe that you can’t be this spiritual. He wants you to think that, though there may be those who walk this closely with Him, you could never know Him in this way. That is a lie. All it takes is surrender and desire, and you can know Him as intimately as the Apostle Paul. If you are not a Christian, the first step is to believe the gospel and respond to it by repenting of your sins and by being baptized in the name of Christ for their remission (Acts 2:38). Only those who have accepting Christ’s free gift of salvation can move on to ever-deepening intimacy with Him. Jesus, in John 15:4, calls this life one of “remaining” in Him (or as the KJV has it, “abide in Me”). What does it mean to abide in Him? The relationship spoken of in this text goes much deeper than just surface Christianity. It means that we are a people of intimate prayer and diligent Bible study. It means that we walk with Him every day. Remember, the only way we will ever receive all that our hearts need is by asking for God’s help in focusing, and thereby finding, all of the things missing from our lives. “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God...you would have asked him and he would have given you living water’” (Jn. 4:10, NIV, emphasis mine). If you are a baptized believer in Jesus Christ, remember that He stands at the door and knocks, waiting for you to let Him in and commune intimately with you (Rev. 3:20). This is what it means to focus on Jesus. Bryan Dunaway Grace and Peace Ministries www.gandpministries.org

From which perspective should we view the world, as well as the work and ministry of the church? There can be no question that the perspective should be a Christ-centered one. We can go nowhere for God until we begin to see things as He sees them—and His viewpoint is concerned primarily with how they reflect upon His Son. This is the question that we need to ask about every course and activity: What is the relation of that which we are considering to the glory of the Son of God?

It is certain, from what we know of the divine mind as revealed in Scripture, that all of God’s workings have been intended to spotlight Christ. The late Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas made a profound statement in his book, Christianity is Christ (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955): “Christianity is so inextricably bound up with Christ that our view of the Person of Christ involves and determines our view of Christianity” (p. 7).

Paul deals with the supremacy of Jesus in all things in the Colossian letter, wherein He states that “all things were created through Him and for Him” (1:16). Jesus is “before all things, and in Him all things consist” (v. 17). Following this statement is that great text about the relationship of Christ to the church and the church to Christ. His relationship to us is Headship: “And He is the head of the body, the church…” (v. 18). He is the reason that we exist and all of our power, energy and spiritual resources are derived from Him. Our relationship to Him is expressed this way: “that in all things He may have the preeminence” (v. 18). In other words, we are here to glorify Him. Not only do we exist as Christians because of Him, but to glorify Him. His name is behind us and before us. The church is the only group of people upon earth who have been called to glorify the redemptive accomplishments of Christ. We do this by staying focused on Him.

One of the greatest challenges to the life of a disciple is keeping our focus on Jesus in a moment-by-moment relationship of absolute trust and total dependence. The thing that separates Christianity from the other religions of the world is that it is a God-dependent religion in every way, for without Him we can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). It is through Jesus and Jesus alone that we receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38). His name is the only name in all the world by which sinners can be saved (Acts 4:12). We must focus on His finished work, because it is through Him that everyone who believes is justified from what we can never be justified by law-keeping (Acts 13:39). Jesus is the “resurrection and the life” and only those who trust in Him will have life (Jn. 11:25). He is “the way, the truth, and the life” and the only way to heaven is through Him (Jn. 14:6). “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:40, NIV).

It is clear, therefore, that we can only be saved by focusing on and trusting in Jesus. But what about the importance of focusing on Him in the mundane, day-to-day affairs of life? If we are going to live a victorious life, He must occupy the center of our attention. Jesus is not only the only way to be saved, He is also the only way to be sane. He will not only keep you from losing your soul, but from losing your sanity.

There is a longing in every human heart that only Jesus can fulfill through our moment-by-moment consciousness of His intimate presence and of our absolute dependence upon Him. In every moment of our lives, we must strive to focus on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). We must set our minds and thoughts on things above, where Christ is seated at the Father’s right hand (Col. 3:1-2). Peace with God is found when we trust in Jesus, and peace within ourselves is found when we focus on Him every day in every way.

For us to enjoy the abundant life that only Christ can give us (Jn. 10:10), He must become, not only our Savior, but our whole life as well. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:3-4, NIV).

Jesus is the true and living bread “from heaven” (Jn. 6:32). He came from heaven to give life to the world (Jn. 6:33). If we feed on Him daily, making Him the sustaining power in our lives—just as daily food sustains our bodies—then we will never suffer from spiritual hunger (Jn. 6:35). Our lives will be satisfied and the spiritual longings of our heart will be completely met. Jesus went on to declare, “I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die” (Jn. 6:48-50, NIV). The Israelites were instructed to gather the manna one day at a time (Ex. 16:4-8), and that is just what we have to do with Jesus—focus on Him one day at a time, one moment at a time.

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (Jn. 7:38, NIV). If we feed on Jesus, we will never go hungry, and if we drink daily from the water that only He can give, we will never thirst. “Everyone who drinks” literal water “will be thirsty again,” but “whoever drinks the water” that Jesus gives “will never thirst” but instead, that water “will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:13-14, NIV).

Christ’s analogies of the “true bread” and the “living water” speak primarily about His role as Savior, but they also teach us the importance of making Him the power source of our lives—of focusing on Him every day in every way. Some would say, “That’s hard to do!” Actually, however, it is not hard, it is impossible. Impossible to do it ourselves, that is, but “with God all things are possible” (Mk. 10:27).

The only way for us to stay focused on Jesus moment-by-moment is to allow God to transform our hearts and minds through His powerful work of renewal (Rom. 12:2). We should ask Him to help us give Him the total preeminence in our lives. In all things, Jesus is to have first place (Col. 1:18). If we are having trouble keeping our minds focused on Jesus, we should come boldly before the throne of God in faith, asking for the “mercy” and “grace” which He has promised to help us in our times of need (Heb. 4:16). We must depend upon Him for salvation, and we must depend upon Him to help us stay focused on Christ daily. He can and will strengthen us in our inner being by the power of His Spirit (Eph. 3:16). He can even do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” by His divine “power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20, NIV).

So we should “trust in the Lord” with all of our heart, and refuse to depend on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5). There is peace that comes from God, a peace that “passes all understanding” and will “guard” our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). The key to fulfillment, peace, joy and satisfaction within ourselves is found by focusing on Christ. Isaiah said concerning God, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee” (Isa. 26:3). To paraphrase, God grants total peace of mind and serenity of soul to the person who stays focused upon Him. We cannot achieve peace by our own strength and resolve. Satisfaction is something that only God can give us—and He will, when we admit that we cannot do it ourselves. There is great power in recognizing that we are totally dependent upon Him, a dependence we express by giving Him the undivided focus of our lives.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:1-4, NIV)

There is so much that I cannot do—but I can abide. I can stay close to my Lord if I really want to do so. I can build the kind of relationship with Him where He is the most important person in my life—if that is truly my desire. He is my Lord and Savior, and He even wants to be my closest friend. He will be the one I think of when I first get up in the morning. He will be my reason for living. The mention of His name will the sweetest sound in all the world to me. This is the kind of relationship that is possible with Jesus, and it will be yours if it is really what you want.

And, on a more practical level, He will be the first consideration in every decision. He will be the one whose approval I am seeking. We will have a stronger desire to obey Him and follow Him than to listen to or seek the counsel of anyone else. Our relationship with Him will be the most significant and the most consistent aspect our lives. When we open our mouths, people will not hear us, they will hear Jesus and His word. When they observe our behavior, they will know that it is being directed by one who is more powerful than we are. And the verdict that will be rendered concerning us, whether people think we are lunatics or saints, is simply “these people have been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

This is the kind of relationship Jesus is describing in these verses we have been considering. This is the kind of life available to you. You will know Him as deeply as you desire. In a manner of speaking, you will get as much of Jesus as you desire. Remember this, because the devil desires to make you believe that you can’t be this spiritual. He wants you to think that, though there may be those who walk this closely with Him, you could never know Him in this way. That is a lie. All it takes is surrender and desire, and you can know Him as intimately as the Apostle Paul.

If you are not a Christian, the first step is to believe the gospel and respond to it by repenting of your sins and by being baptized in the name of Christ for their remission (Acts 2:38). Only those who have accepting Christ’s free gift of salvation can move on to ever-deepening intimacy with Him. Jesus, in John 15:4, calls this life one of “remaining” in Him (or as the KJV has it, “abide in Me”). What does it mean to abide in Him? The relationship spoken of in this text goes much deeper than just surface Christianity. It means that we are a people of intimate prayer and diligent Bible study. It means that we walk with Him every day. Remember, the only way we will ever receive all that our hearts need is by asking for God’s help in focusing, and thereby finding, all of the things missing from our lives. “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God...you would have asked him and he would have given you living water’” (Jn. 4:10, NIV, emphasis mine).

If you are a baptized believer in Jesus Christ, remember that He stands at the door and knocks, waiting for you to let Him in and commune intimately with you (Rev. 3:20). This is what it means to focus on Jesus.

Bryan Dunaway

Grace and Peace Ministries