It's Not Just a Name - It's a Mission

What’s the first thing you do when you take a test? You write your name at the top. Why? Because names represent ownership. Identity. It tells the teacher who the test belongs to.

When you say yes to Jesus, your identity changes. You take on a new name—Christian—which literally means “belonging to Christ.”

It’s not just a label; it’s a lifestyle. From that moment on, you don’t just live for yourself. You live to represent Him. It’s like handing in the test of life with His name at the top instead of your own.

But there’s more.

To follow Jesus means more than carrying His name—it means following His example. He didn’t just teach with His words; He lived it out.

He healed the sick, welcomed outcasts, forgave sinners, and ultimately gave His life for the people He loved. Scripture says it was “for the joy set before Him” that He endured the cross.

That joy?

It was you.

It was anyone who would believe.

A lot of people think following Jesus means trying harder—reading more, cussing less, fixing your behavior. But Jesus didn’t die to just make you behave better.

He died to bring you close.

To give you a new identity.

To give you purpose. To invite you into His mission.

That mission isn’t about being impressive—it’s about being available. It means loving the people Jesus loves: the hurting, the broken, the lost.

Trying to act like Jesus without sharing His heart will always leave you exhausted and burnt out. But when our heart starts to align with His, our actions will naturally follow.

Jesus summed it all up with two commands: Love God. Love people. That’s it. That’s the mission.

And it starts with surrender—denying yourself, taking up your cross, and choosing to follow.

It won’t always be flashy.

Sometimes it’s sacrificing an hour of sleep to spend time with God.

Sometimes it’s sitting with someone who feels alone.

Sometimes it’s letting go of comfort so someone else can meet Jesus.

But it’s always worth it.

Practical Step: Think of two or three people in your life who don’t know God or feel far from Him. Write their names down. Start praying for them every day. Then ask God for the boldness to start a conversation when the time is right. A simple question like “What do you think about God?” could open a door that changes everything.