Beginning a new year always makes you think about your goals and the direction of your life.  This year, I want to encourage you to focus on "going deeper" as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.  Here is what that means to me (it's probably a little different than you are thinking).

Going Deeper Into What Jesus is Committed To:

1.  The World!

You cannot be committed to Jesus without being committed to the world.  Do you want to know just how deeply committed Jesus is to the world?  Just look at the cross!

And who is "the world?".  Let me make it simple:  the world is people...people who are lost and headed to hell without Jesus.

So if you really want to "go deeper" this year you are going to have to be willing to get out of your safety zone and get messy and dirty as you wade through a broken world in order to reach people for whom Jesus died on the cross.

Sitting around in our holy huddles preaching and teaching all the theological mysteries our feeble minds can comprehend will not save people from hell.  Only the Holy Spirit drawing people to Himself can do that.  But He often uses us as we reach out and love people.  When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone?  How many will you share with this year?  Will you go deeper in 2012?

2.  The Church!

You cannot be committed to Jesus without being committed to His Church.  He is the Head and the Church is His body; He is the Bridegroom and the Church is His bride; He is the Shepherd and the Church is His flock; He is the Builder and the Church is His building; I could go on but you get the picture.

And who is "the church?"  Let me make it simple:  the church is people - people called out of the world and placed into one body, the church; people who are sometimes hurting and alone even though they have Jesus.

I just received an email from one of those people who previously attended Westside Fellowship.  They expressed grief that no one "reached out to them" when they were "going through it" this past year.

I wonder if any of us knew how deeply they were going through it?  I wonder if they would have felt neglected if some regular old church folk had been as committed to them as Jesus is and reached out to them.

So the challenge to you this year is to love the Church (God's people) with the same dedication and passion that you have for Jesus!  You cannot say, "I love and serve Jesus" if you do not also love and serve Jesus' BODY (the Church)!

So in particular, I want to challenge you to "go deeper" by becoming an active, vibrant member of a local "Body of Christ".  Are you fulfilling your part in Jesus' body?  Will you go deeper in 2012?

3.  You!

Yes, Jesus is committed to YOU! And if you are His, then He is also committed to conforming you into His image.

If God is making you like Jesus, it means you are not finished yet!  You have not "arrived!"  And if you are like me, the more mature you become the more you realize how immature you really are in certain areas of your life.  We are in a perpetual struggle to allow Jesus to be "Lord" of our lives in some area (money, attitudes, eyes, mind, words).  Please don't get caught up and distracted by temporary things.  As you enter 2012, make your relationship with your Savior the number one priority.  Jesus is committed to you being conformed into His image.  The question is, are YOU committed to that same goal?  What are you doing to grow?  Will you go deeper in 2012?

Typically when someone says they are "going deeper" they are referring to Bible study.  Does Bible study play a part in this?  Certainly! Of course you need to be faithful to read, study, and memorize His Word.  Of course you need to be faithful in prayer.

But is Bible study and prayer enough?  Certainly Not!  The Pharisees had more Bible knowledge and spent more time praying than most every Israelite but Jesus constantly used them as an example of what NOT to be!  Deeper knowledge must be completed by deeper love!  Love for the same folks Jesus loves:  the world, the church, and even yourself!

And as the Holy Spirit reveals truths to you through His Word, your relationship with the Lord, His church, and His world will go deeper!

Will you go deeper in 2012 and let God transform your life?