We See Jesus

Look at Jesus. See Him. Set your sights on Him. Use the eyes that faith has given you and fix a steady gaze on the Lord Jesus Christ. “Behold the Lamb of God…” John the Baptist said. “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Wrote the mysterious writer to the Hebrews. Be like those Greeks who said, “Sirs, we would like to see Jesus.” Put yourself in the shoes of Peter, James and John who after seeing Jesus transfigured alongside Moses and Elijah, and cowering under that great voice from Heaven “looked up and saw Jesus only.” See Him in the rock that Moses struck to get water for Israel. See Him in the lamb that was watched for a while, penned off from the others before it was sacrificed. See Him in the tree that was ripped out of the ground and thrown into the bitter waters at Mara to make it sweet. Watch as He makes a man, who on his own saw only tree-people, look up and see Him. Watch as He speaks Mary’s name so that she can recognize His face. Watch as He breaks bread for that couple in Emmaus so that their eyes would be open too. Listen even to Pilate who would say, “Behold the man!” Even in your times of faithlessness, be like Peter who kept his eyes on the Lord - Even after swearing to a little girl that he never knew the man. Hear the words of Paul who in the middle of writing a letter to the Ephesians would pray to the end of having, “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.” We need to really see Jesus. Not only in his earthly ministry, but like John who after seeing the glorified Christ said, “when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.” May we have the simple faith to look and live. Be like those who were bit by the snakes, and simply took the Lord at His word, looking up at the bronze serpent for healing. Jesus told Nicodemus that that was Him. May the hope of seeing Christ face to face one day have a purifying effect on us, just as John wrote – “he who has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure.” May we find ourselves changed, not by self-effort, but to know that we “with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” See Christ crucified and know your sin is dealt with. See Christ risen and know you are only alive as life has to do with Him. See Him as the great Vine and yourself as a branch in Him - irremovable. See Him as the great Shepherd and yourself a precious sheep – irreplaceable. See Him seated at God the Father’s right hand and know that you are now seated with him There. See Him standing for our brother Stephen while he was being stoned for his witness that Jesus is the Son of Man. See Him appear before Saul of Tarsus declaring that he who touches any believer touches Christ Himself. See Him. Take a long hard look. Nail-scarred, love-worn, joy-brimming over, and a countenance like the sun shining in its strength. In a world that is distracted by an endless number of useless facades, we say along with all who long for His appearing, “we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus.”

BJ