But for those who still see Christianity and God as no more than religion, rules, and getting up early on Sundays, “Jesus loves you” is meaningless.  It isn’t transformative; in fact, it’s almost pathetic in its puppy dog-like devotion (Jesus thinks you’re swell…awww, thanks Jesus!).  It conjures up images of Barney singing “I love you, you love me” to a bunch of eight year-olds, or of Mr. Rogers kindly looking at us and asking us to be his neighbor.  Certainly there’s nothing earth-shattering about such an understanding of that phrase.

This past Sunday, we began to discuss the mission, vision, and strategy of NewLife as we move forwards as a church.  If our mission could be summed up in a word, it would be Transform.  In full, our mission is this:  To join God’s mission of transforming lives, transforming our community, and transforming our world.  This mission stems from a few convictions:  firstly, that it’s God’s mission, not ours, and our greatest mission is to join His.  The second conviction is Jesus’ prayer that His Father’s kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven.  God’s mission is to transform and redeem this world so that it becomes a place of love, peace, and justice, like His kingdom.  As His church, we join Him by working to make our community and world like His kingdom, so that all might see the beauty of life under the reign of God.  The third conviction is that as long as we are alive, God is working to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ, first by awakening us to the eternal life available in Jesus, and then by doing whatever he can to transform us into people of love, truth, joy, peace, and purpose. 

Which brings me back to “Jesus loves you,” and “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”

There’s a saying that I referenced on Sunday that has been quoted often, perhaps most notably by Max Lucado on the cover of his book Just Like Jesus.  It goes like this:  “God loves you as you are, but loves you too much to leave you that way.”  As profound as “Jesus loves you” is to those who have experienced this reality, too often the second part of that statement is left out.  It is very true that God loves you just the way you are, in all of your successes and failures, beauty and wickedness, good works and sinful ways.  There is no part of you that Jesus did not know when He chose to die for you out of love on the cross.  God loves you through and through and proved it through Jesus’ death on the cross (neither Barney nor Fred Rogers can claim that…)

However…

God loves you so much that He does not stop there.  The “moment of salvation” or time that you first experienced eternal life and reconciliation with God was only the starting line.  Now God demonstrates His love for you by doing all He can to free you from everything that holds you captive and prevents you from being all that He has created you to be.  He wants to free you from the need for money or power or more stuff or the approval of others.  God wants to heal you from the memories and experiences that prevent you from living in freedom and joy.  He wants to transform you into a person that loves others above themselves, someone who lives a life of significance in this world.  If you would only let Him, God could transform you into someone who could change the world. 

That is also what “Jesus loves you” means.  Not only that He died in your place, taking the punishment you deserved, but that He can give you the power to become like Him, a person living in freedom and purpose. “Jesus loves you” means put your complete trust in Him, for whether He uses miraculous means or painful experiences, He knows how to care for you.  Ultimately, “Jesus loves you” means that if you would only let Him, He will transform you into someone more amazing than you ever dreamed possible.

Try that, purple dinosaur.