Tuesday 10 January 2017

We would like to see Jesus - A-men!

John 12:21 “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 

Today we will consider the first point of our New Years Message, 'a ...

Gospel Request


Seeing and Savouring Jesus!

To my church family,

The Story of Joshua Bell
Joshua Bell is a world-class, brilliant concert violinist. He fills great auditoriums with cultured and very wealthy people. You pay big bucks to see and hear him perform.

One day he picked up his $4,000,000 violin, changed his general appearance, unshaved etc, and played on the Metro DC train station - like a common basker. As this brilliant violinist played people hurried by, most not even making eye contact, a few stopped and listened for a few moments, some tossed 50 cents or $1 into his hat - most just rushed by. Only one lady recognised him and stopped to savour the glorious experience.

He played a full and magnificent concert - but the people had no idea they were in the presence of greatness, recipients of grace - they didn’t even acknowledge him! They failed completely, to take in and enjoy the wonder.

Here is a link to the episode on youtube.  https://youtu.be/UM21gPmkDpI 

It is worth clicking the 'Show More' link below the video as it tells the full story of how he played for 45 minutes and collected $32 from about 11000 passers by.

If you want to know how good he is - check this out: https://youtu.be/1h88cW8Kuzl

So what?
We are like those people. We are in the presence of Jesus. He is ‘playing for us!’ Pouring out His extraordinary gift of grace, a gift no money could buy, serving it to us freely, moment by moment and day by day. He really wants us to see Him, to savour Him, to hear Him, to be awed by Him, to have our affections stirred by and set upon Him. 

That is why this request of the Greeks is arguably the greatest, wisest, most worthy request any of us can make … to see Jesus! …

Solomon asked for wisdom - we ask for Christ who is the wisdom of God!

This request corresponds directly to the greatest of all our needs. It is your great need today - it is my great need today. To See and Savour Jesus!

If we do not feel the need to see Him, (as is the case with me virtually all the time!) if the desire to see Jesus is faint and our passion to see Jesus is cold, that is all evidence of our spiritual lethargy, complacency, and the deadness of our soul. If we fail to recognise His presence today - it is not that He is not present, or is not pouring out grace, it is that we need revival of soul - we need to see Jesus, to catch a glimpse of Him!

This year, let us all, together, determine to behold Jesus like we have never beheld Him. That He might fill our gaze. Let’s pray this not only for ourselves, but for one another too. Let’s ask God for stories to tell to each other of how our eyes have been opened afresh, stories that will encourage one another, and let’s ask the Lord to give stories to others in the church to share with us for our encouragement. Lets pray that we see Him in some wonderful way today!

Be Thou My Vision O Lord of my Heart
Be all else but naught to me save that Thou art
Be Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Both waking or sleeping

Thy presence my light.

4 comments:

  1. Blessed to thee my brother & sisters, that we share are love with each and with god our Savior.

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  2. God bless you Julian. That is a great message.

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