Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love our neighbour. So it is all about relationships with other people.

Why do we need a relationship with God?
Because we were created by him to have a relationship with him. Just as we need to know and have a relationship with our human parents we also need to have a relationship with our creator father. Without a relationship with God we can feel unfulfilled and empty at times. People try to fill this void with various substitutes, drink, drugs, money or possessions. These may give short-term satisfaction but this does not last.

The Bible says the reason for this emptiness is because men and women have turned their backs on God. The primary reason for our creation was to have a living relationship with God. Therefore without that we are bound to feel unfulfilled.

Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life’ (John 6:35). He is the only one who can satisfy our deepest hunger because he is the one who makes it possible for us to be restored to a relationship with God.

a) He satisfies our hunger for meaning and purpose in life

At some point everyone asks the question, 'What am I doing on earth?' or 'What is the point of life?' or 'Is there any purpose in life?’ As Albert Camus once said, 'Man cannot live without meaning.'

Until we are living in a relationship with God we will never find the true meaning and purpose of life. Other things may provide passing satisfaction but it does not last. Only in a relationship with our creator do we find the true meaning and purpose of our lives.

b) He satisfies our hunger for life beyond death

Before I was a Christian I did not like to think about the subject of death. My own death seemed a long way in the future. I did not know what would happen and I did not want to think about it. I was failing to face up to reality. The fact is that we will all die. Yet God has 'set eternity in the hearts of men' (Ecclesiastes 3:19). Most people do not want to die. We long to survive beyond death. Only in Jesus Christ do we find eternal life. For our relationship with God, which starts now, survives death and goes on into eternity.

c) He satisfies our hunger for forgiveness

If we were honest, we would have to admit that we all do things that we know are wrong. Sometimes we do things of which we are deeply ashamed. More than that, there is a self-centredness about our lives which spoils them. Jesus said 'What comes out of you is what makes you "unclean". For from within, out of your hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make you "unclean"' (Mark 7:20-23).

Our greatest need is for forgiveness. Just as someone who has cancer needs a doctor whether he realises it or not so we need forgiveness whether we realise it or not. Just as with cancer - those who recognise their need are far better off than those who are lulled into a false sense of security.

By his death on the cross Jesus made it possible for us to be forgiven and brought back into a relationship with God. In this way he supplied the answer to our deepest need.

Why bother with Jesus?

Why should we bother with Christianity? The simple answer is because it is true. If Christianity is not true, we are wasting our time. If it is true, then it must be of vital importance to every human being.