Is Jesus at Your Center?
Follows the message Jesus at the Center from the Making Life Count series
Saying Jesus is at the center of your life can sound like He's one important piece among many. It means more than that. "Center" is a way of saying "whole." If Jesus rose from the dead and lives in you, He doesn't change some things about your life. He changes everything, including how you grieve, what you're afraid of, and why you're still here.
Key takeaways
- Having Jesus at the center means He is the whole of your life, not one important piece among many.
- The resurrection proves who Jesus is, so His claims reach into every part of your life.
- Following Jesus doesn't keep you from hard seasons, but Paul's goal in every season was for Christ to be exalted.
- Christians are still here for the sake of people who don't yet know Jesus.
Why does the resurrection change everything?
The resurrection changes everything because it proves who Jesus is. It is the foundation of all Christians believe, and Paul says so plainly:
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:17
If He is raised, He has shown His power over death, hell, and the grave, and He has proved He was God in the flesh. Then His claims reach into every part of your life.
A line from the weekend message makes the point: if you don't think like the kingdom, you won't live like the kingdom. When you center your life on yourself, every decision bends toward what benefits you. When the priority shifts to Christ, it changes how you think, how you move, and how you treat people.
What does it mean for Jesus to be the whole of your life?
It means He permeates everything. On Beyond Sunday, host Pastor Sean Sloan described "Jesus at the center" as a way of saying Jesus is the whole. He isn't one slice of your week. He shapes all of it.
Christ in you changes how you grieve. Pastor Sean had just come from a visitation for the family of a team member who had lived a life of faith. Christians still grieve, but Paul says we grieve differently:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
Christ in you also changes how you give and how you handle setbacks. Paul knew what it was to have plenty and to go without, to be healthy and to be beaten and left for dead.
Will following Jesus keep you from hard seasons?
No. Some people assume that being saved means they won't face hard seasons. Paul carried the marks of persecution on his body, and his goal through all of it was the same:
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 1:20
Notice that Paul says it takes courage. Whatever season you're in, struggle or abundance, the goal is for Christ to be exalted. Another line from the message is worth remembering: fear shrinks when Christ grows.
His guest, Kirk Matthews, pointed out that in the West you are constantly being sold something. Ads tell you to buy this and build yourself up. When Christ becomes the whole of your life, the question changes from "what can I get?" to "how does God get the glory?" Even a healing, Kirk noted, happens so God gets the glory and others come to faith.
It's worth asking yourself an honest question. Would you hold to your faith with the same conviction if it cost you something? For believers in some parts of the world today, it does.
Why are Christians still here?
You're still here for the sake of people who don't yet know Jesus. Paul wrestled with this openly:
I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Philippians 1:23-24
That led the conversation to a striking conclusion. The church isn't here for its own sake. God could take His people home, and it would be better for them. He is extending redemptive time for those who have still to come to faith.
Your very being here is part of God's work for people who don't know Him yet. That changes what it means to live with Jesus at the center. You are a contributor in the kingdom of God. Don't let the gospel only be powerful enough to reach you. Let it go beyond you.
How does a church keep Christ at the center when it gathers?
A church keeps Christ at the center by planning its worship around Him on purpose. Liturgy means a church's order of worship. Every service has one, formal or not: songs, a message, a moment of response.
At Calvary, the aim is to preach from the Word to the cross, then to the culture. From there the message comes back to the cross with a moment of decision. Songs that lift up God's glory, including the hymns, help keep the focus on Him rather than on the individual.
Pastor Sean and Kirk love that Calvary is a multinational church, with young and old, many cultures, and every kind of background. People who might never cross paths otherwise gather because of the gospel. In a house that diverse, Christ really has to be the center, because He is the reason everyone is together. You gather to be refocused and equipped, and then you are sent out on mission.
Put Jesus at the center this week
- Read Philippians 1:20-26 and ask: what would it look like for Christ to be exalted in my body this week?
- Name one area of life you've kept for yourself, and invite Jesus into it.
- Think of one person who doesn't know Christ yet. Pray for them by name every day.
- Notice where you feel afraid, and ask how Christ could grow in that place.
- When you gather on Sunday, come to be equipped and sent, not only to receive.
Pray
Jesus, You are risen, and You are Lord of all of me. Be exalted in my body, whether in an easy season or a hard one. Shrink my fears as You grow in me, and use my life for the people who don't know You yet. Amen.
Common questions
What does it mean to have Jesus at the center of your life?
It means He is the whole, not one part. He shapes how you think, give, grieve, and work, and your goal becomes His glory instead of your own comfort.
Why does the resurrection matter for everyday life?
Paul says that if Christ was not raised, faith is futile. Because He was raised, He has shown His power over death and proved He is God in the flesh, and that changes how you face every season.
Why doesn't God just take Christians to heaven right away?
Paul said it was better to be with Christ but more necessary for others that he remain. The church is here for the sake of people who have yet to believe, and God is extending time for them to come to faith.
What is liturgy?
Liturgy is a church's order of worship. Every service has one, whether it is formal or not, and a good one keeps Christ at the center of the gathering.
Your next step
Want to grow in a faith that goes beyond Sunday? Take your next step at Calvary, or plan a visit and bring someone with you.