Knowing Jesus IS "the good life."

You've thought about Jesus primarily as You've thought about Jesus primarily as somebody useful in your life. somebody useful in your life. somebody useful in your life. I mean, you can't get into heaven I mean, you can't get into heaven I mean, you can't get into heaven without him. without him. without him. Right? You Right? You Right? You You don't want to go through life You don't want to go through life You don't want to go through life without him. You know you need him. He's without him. You know you need him. He's without him. You know you need him. He's somebody you want on your team helping somebody you want on your team helping somebody you want on your team helping you with your family and your career. you with your family and your career. you with your family and your career. But listen to me, there is a difference But listen to me, there is a difference But listen to me, there is a difference between something being useful to you between something being useful to you between something being useful to you and something being beautiful to you. and something being beautiful to you. and something being beautiful to you. Something that is useful is helpful in Something that is useful is helpful in Something that is useful is helpful in obtaining something else you really obtaining something else you really obtaining something else you really want. For example, I have a tire iron in want. For example, I have a tire iron in want. For example, I have a tire iron in my car. It's helped me out in some my car. It's helped me out in some my car. It's helped me out in some really bad situations. But that tire really bad situations. But that tire really bad situations. But that tire iron, while very useful, is not iron, while very useful, is not iron, while very useful, is not beautiful to me. I don't take it out and beautiful to me. I don't take it out and beautiful to me. I don't take it out and look at it. I don't carry around a look at it. I don't carry around a look at it. I don't carry around a picture of it. I don't show it off to my picture of it. I don't show it off to my picture of it. I don't show it off to my friends. If that tire iron breaks, I friends. If that tire iron breaks, I friends. If that tire iron breaks, I without any thought throw it away and without any thought throw it away and without any thought throw it away and buy a new one. That is different from buy a new one. That is different from buy a new one. That is different from how I feel about, say, my wife and my how I feel about, say, my wife and my how I feel about, say, my wife and my kids. They're not so much useful to me kids. They're not so much useful to me kids. They're not so much useful to me as much as they are beautiful to me. I as much as they are beautiful to me. I as much as they are beautiful to me. I don't love them because of all the other don't love them because of all the other don't love them because of all the other great things they bring into my life, great things they bring into my life, great things they bring into my life, like millions of dollars. In fact, they like millions of dollars. In fact, they like millions of dollars. In fact, they cost me millions of dollars. But I don't cost me millions of dollars. But I don't cost me millions of dollars. But I don't love them for what they bring into my love them for what they bring into my love them for what they bring into my life. I love them for them because life. I love them for them because life. I love them for them because they're beautiful to me. For some of they're beautiful to me. For some of they're beautiful to me. For some of you, Jesus is useful. You think he will you, Jesus is useful. You think he will you, Jesus is useful. You think he will help you obtain heaven and avoid hell.

help you obtain heaven and avoid hell. help you obtain heaven and avoid hell. You're looking for him to provide you You're looking for him to provide you You're looking for him to provide you with a good marriage or give you help with a good marriage or give you help with a good marriage or give you help with your kids. You think Jesus is the with your kids. You think Jesus is the with your kids. You think Jesus is the gateway to the good life. But for Paul, gateway to the good life. But for Paul, gateway to the good life. But for Paul, Jesus was the good life. Jesus was Jesus was the good life. Jesus was Jesus was the good life. Jesus was beautiful even when everything else in beautiful even when everything else in beautiful even when everything else in his life was falling apart. So which is his life was falling apart. So which is his life was falling apart. So which is it for you? You think Jesus can help you it for you? You think Jesus can help you it for you? You think Jesus can help you obtain the good life? Or do you think obtain the good life? Or do you think obtain the good life? Or do you think knowing him is the good life?