Is Jesus Enough?

I don't read many blogs due to time and responsibilities, but one that I do try to read is by a pastor friend. Recently he wrote a post that asked the question "Is Jesus enough?" He was quoting a speaker he had heard, and here is what it said:

Is Jesus enough?
If you never build a large church, is Jesus enough?
If your church fails, is Jesus enough?
If you never get to speak at a conference like this, is Jesus enough?
If no one reads your blog or retweets your tweets, is Jesus enough?

If Jesus isn’t enough, you will always feel unsettled in your soul.
When Jesus isn’t enough, it’s not that you try to replace Jesus. You just try to add on to Jesus.
And then you become performance-driven.
Martin Luther said, “Whatever your heart clings to is your idol.”

Jesus plus anything or anyone leads to emptiness.
We all have to settle this in our hearts, not just once, but over and over again.

I am grateful for this simple question: Is Jesus enough?

I have that copied and on my desk top. It's a question that I've been wrestling with recently. Is Jesus enough? I want the answer to be yes. Some days I can honestly give that yes. But then there are days when I'd sadly have to say "Probably not."

I get frustrated with my current church situation at times. But in those time I need to ask the question, "Is Jesus enough?" And with that comes the reminder that Jesus has called me here, He has placed me here. And honestly it's pretty miraculous to have become a senior pastor at 24. I'm here because God wanted me to be here. Maybe I'm here to get to the point where Jesus is enough. To get to the point where Paul's words in Philippians 4 about contentment in Christ no matter what is the statement I make. Or as Paul said in Philippians 1, rejoicing simply because Christ is proclaimed regardless of motivation.

There is a hymn in the Nazarene hymnal that has the correct answer to this question as it's central theme.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead

I want to constantly be able to say that I'd rather have Jesus than anything. I want to be able to always be content because I have Christ. I want Jesus to always be enough. I want to be whole an complete in Christ, desireing nothing but more of Him. I want to be fully satisfied with Jesus, and the ability and opportunity to proclaim Him. I want Jesus to be enough, because no matter what happens, I will always have Christ.

Is Jesus enough for you? What in your life do you add to Jesus? The focus of my friend's blog is directed primarily at pastors, but the main question applies to all Christ followers. Is Jesus enough?

To God alone be the glory!

Peace be with you