"We Would See Jesus!"

John 12:20-21... Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

By this time in John’s account, Jesus had performed some wondrous miracles including raising Lazarus from the dead. I don’t know if those Greeks wanted to “see” Jesus because they were “believers” or if they just wanted to see who this “celebrity” was.
Curiosity is the lust of the mind to see great men, remarkable places, and uncommon things, said Thomas Hobbes, 1651.

Nothing has changed. There are still those who would reverence celebrities today, who will die in their misplaced worship.

But grace in the heart, desires to see Jesus the Lord!

Being made spiritually alive by our regeneration, we DO see Jesus our Savior.

We see what we call “emblems” here today of His broken body and His shed blood.
Jesus Himself instituted this to remember Him... symbols of His redemptive work at Calvary. If we can, we must reverently bring to mind, meditate on, and comprehend what Jesus did, not just on the cross, but everything that He did for all of man. Although this observance proclaims His death until He returns, I believe He wants us to remember His Life as well. I also remember His resurrection and ascension. And, as we are gathered around this table we symbolize the fellowship of the people of God in Christ, and the coming day when we will gather at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

So we DO remember Him... and we DO see Jesus... when we are in joy or in sorrow; in prosperity or in trouble; in sickness or in health; we DO see Jesus, Who will enable us to always triumph.

Heb. 2:9... But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone.
Jesus was made.

We are predestined to be conformed to Christ's image, in this life and hereafter. But now I groan in this body of flesh. Now I sometimes grieve, because I am so carnal, and my mind is so wandering.

 "But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him--for we shall see Him as He is!" 1 John 3:2.
We shall be like Him! Because He was made a little lower than the angels in order to die for us, we shall be raised up above with Him and be like Him. Every faculty will be perfect in holiness, and our whole being will be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory! We shall be like Him! Then we shall be perfect in knowledge!

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Cor. 13:12

We shall be like Him! Then we shall be glorious!

The Lord Jesus shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Phil. 3:21

 I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which He has begun; and He shall present my entire being perfect in Christ. 

James Smith, a Baptist pastor and contemporary of Charles Spurgeon said in 1860:
“But let us not allow the hope of perfection hereafter to make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be earnest; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now to have her perfect work. Let us pray to "be filled with the Spirit," that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.” 

And so, we not only want to SEE Jesus, but we desire to be with Him.

The Apostle Paul said, in Philippians 1, ...to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

And he had a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better, he said.

To live IS Christ... it should be! ...living Holy, Godly lives and having an effective ministry while we are here on earth, which is our reasonable service, Rom. 12:1, to the Glory of God and Jesus.

But to die is gain, for then we would BE with Christ which is FAR better.

The BEST thing for anyone, while we are here as believers, as born again children of God, is to live with and in the Spirit, in service to God, being fruitful, fellow-shipping together with ourselves and God our Father...beholding with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, being transformed into His image from glory to even more glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18

And the one thing that accomplishes all that is the power of Love.... the dynamics of Love in us. If Christ is in us, then God’s Love is alive in us, desiring to be shared. Isn’t that what Jesus did? THAT is the BEST thing while we are here... is it not? And the BEST thing when we depart... is to BE with Jesus.

Oh God in Heaven, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of us all who Love You; thank you for Your Grace. We were undeserving, as sinners, of Your benevolent purpose when You called us in Christ. And now we beg for Your showers of blessings; Grant to us now a refreshing, for such is the love of Jesus, in Whose Name I pray. Amen