Why Focus on the Gospels?

We can truly speak of the primacy of the Gospels, for in them we see Jesus living and moving among human beings, displaying perfect unity with the will of the Father. And we are taught to do the same, taking on the nature of Christlikeness-- sharing Jesus' vision, love, hope feelings and habits.

One of the best things we can do for one another, then, is to encourage regular immersion in the Gospel narratives, helping each other understand Jesus' perceptions into live and his counsels for growth and then making constant application to our daily experience. The dimensions of this task are infinite, of course. However, for the sake of our concern here, we want to consider how Jesus in his living provides us with a clear paradigm for our living."
-Richard Foster from Streams of Living Water

Jesus life IS the perfect life.

If we want to live even a good life, it is best not to seek to imitate heroes that demonstrate the weaknesses and corruption that all human lives represent. Rather, we should seek to imitate that which is the best that humanity has to offer.

The worst excuse I have ever heard is: "Well, THAT'S Jesus." With the implication being that we couldn't possibly live up to Jesus' standard. This undermines the main purpose for Jesus becoming human in the first place. Jesus never said, "Well, you could live like me if you were divine, but you might as well not try." Instead, Jesus specifically commanded his followers to imitate all that he did and said.

No, we can't all be perfect. But to surrender the attempt to be like Jesus is to give up trying to be good. We have to aim high in order to change the world. I had someone ask me, in a doroggatory way, "Are you trying to be a saint?" If being a "saint" is someone who, with all their might, attempts to live like Jesus, then my answer is: "Why? Aren't you?"