Submitted by Pastor Kailea Nauman, First Christian Church

Last weekend we all came together to celebrate traditions – the tradition of Old Fashioned Saturday Night, and then our community worship event. Our guest speaker was Dave Montgomery who graciously reminded us that it is “Just Jesus.” That it is Christ who saves us, frees us and makes us new. That it was His work on the Cross and His last breath that said, “It is finished” and His Resurrection that gives us life. We don’t need to add to it or take away from it. There are not enough good works that we could do to save ourselves nor is there anything that makes us good outside of the blood of Jesus. Romans 10:9 reminds us that, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The truth is if we go to church every Sunday but have no personal relationship with Jesus we may not be saved. Church doesn’t save us and neither do our traditions. It is only Jesus that saves. If you have not declared Jesus as Lord of your life and not just Savior of your life then maybe you don’t know who Jesus is.

Jesus wants to be Lord of your life. He wants you to know Him now and seek Him now. Psalm 34:4-7, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

While traditions are good and are nostalgic and bring so many fond memories, catching up with old friends or how we remember and honor Christ, those traditions can not give us life nor can they save us. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus Christ is the gift and blood of Christ is what saves us from our sin. Jesus is Lord whether we declare Him Lord of our lives or not, but with that choice brings life or death. I pray that we will hold onto Christ more than we ever hold onto the traditions we enjoy and that we will seek Him while He may be found.