Too Much Jesus

At what point do you become a fanatic?

In the nineties, D.C. Talk sang about Jesus Freaks. In the 2000’s, medical missionary Kent Brantly contracted ebola while sharing the Gospel with patients in Liberia. Just this year, an entire North Korean family, including their two year old, was imprisoned for owning a Bible.

These seem like extreme examples, but how far should we take our Christian faith?

The drug and alcohol recovery programs near where I live encourage leaders not to refer to Jesus too much when they lead the group so that they won’t alienate anyone. They are told to prioritize sobriety and the recovery journey instead.

I have a friend who wears a ball cap that says, “Jesus.” He often offers to rap his original Christian songs for co-workers. They laugh or give the cold shoulder.

Another friend invited her boss to church, where he heard a lot about Jesus. Within two weeks, her pay was cut and her job compromised. 

When we vote based on Jesus, speak based on Jesus, parent based on Jesus, abstain from alcohol based on Jesus, stay married based on Jesus, and sacrifice happiness (in favor of joy) based on Jesus, are we fanatics? 

How much is too much Jesus?

Let’s look at this from another point of view.

How much Jesus would you need when you lose a child? 

How much Jesus would you need when you hit rock bottom and have nowhere to turn?

How much Jesus do you need when your spouse is unfaithful?

How much Jesus do you need when you’re trying to quit meth, pills, or alcohol?

How much Jesus do you need when you’re depressed, anxious, alone, sick, purposeless, tempted, or dying?

From this vantage point, there really is no such thing as too much Jesus. 

When we see Jesus clearly through the lens of need, we readily volunteer for the title of “fanatic.” 

Over coffee this week, a friend shared about how the Lord helped her through some of her darkest moments. She had encouraged her children to hope in the perfect realities of eternal life with Jesus instead of dwelling on the temporary sufferings of earth. Even with tears in her eyes, she could say, “God is great.”

Instead of too much, she had found Jesus to be just enough, and she is living out her faith in the way she parents, the way she cares for her family, and the way she exhorts me and others to trust Him also. He truly is her daily bread.

I needed her exhortation this week as I walked through some difficult days myself. God is great. Jesus is all I need. Jesus loves even me.

And every Christian who has come to know and love Jesus knows that with Him, no price is too high, no cross is too heavy, no risk is too dangerous, no shame is too shameful, and no loss is too great because there is no such thing as too much Jesus.