"Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
-- John 12:21, ESV
Americans come to Christ casually. Getting baptized, confirmed, or otherwise joining one of the churches on every corner is virtually a birthright. Even Tom Petty's main squeeze in Free Falling "Loves Jesus, and America, too."
We Americans do love Jesus. But do we really know Jesus? Do we really understand Jesus? Do we accept the claims Jesus makes on the lives of those who claim to believe in Him?
At the last Passover, some obscure Greeks come to Jesus' disciples to request an audience with the Messiah. "We wish to see Jesus," they said. Don't we all? But let us be careful what we wish for.
When we see Jesus, we see that He is fully committed to God's glory. Everything Jesus ever did was calculated to give God the most glory. This includes being silent for most of His life. Did you ever think about how not saying something can give God the most glory? When Jesus finally spoke up, however, He did so in full allegiance to God, not man.
When we see Jesus, we see He was willing to die so that others may live. Jesus explained, pre-cross, that He had to die in order for others to live. This is true, as any good doctrine of the atonement or a discussion of double-imputation can prove. Jesus sowed seeds of blood that have yielded a crop of believers going on two thousand years now. And the first full resurrection was His own.
When we see Jesus, we see His concerns are overwhelmingly spiritual, not earthly. This is not to say He does not care about Covid, or your electric bill, or your final exam in math class. He does, He is a loving God. But He is mainly concerned about matters of holiness and righteousness. He wants to see those who see Him partaking in worship, discipling the nations, and loving one another.
We cannot see Jesus now, but one day we will crown Him with many crowns. His trophy case will be full, and it is doubtful there will be any golden hammers there for winning "Carpenter of the Year." Such prizes give a temporary high, but one that does not last higher up.
Do you "wish to see Jesus" in this way, not as some Santa Claus in the sky, but as a real man who really died to prove He really is God, the God who demands complete worship and comprehensive discipleship? See Jesus, then take a second look at the Son of God. Now take an honest look at yourself.
Look closely and be fully committed to God's glory. God will not settle for half of you, and you cannot know and enjoy God until you are fully committed to His glory. As Westminster informs us, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
Look closely and take up your many crosses, your many deaths, your many sacrifices, that bear the fruit of other souls coming to Christ as well. Do those closest to you know you are so close to Christ than they can see your cross?
Look closely and love God and His kingdom far above any earthly loves. If you love anything more than the Lord Jesus Christ, then you don't love the Lord Jesus Christ.
The real reward will not come until you get to Heaven. But if you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you will get an astounding reward: honor. Do you know what it feels like to be honored by your spouse, your children, some school or organization? Imagine what it will be like to be honored by God, when you see Him face to face.
You can wish for an understanding of economics and investments, make a lot of money, and leave it all behind when you die. You can wish for fame, notoriety, and practically nobody will remember you two days after you are gone. Or, you can say, "We wish to see Jesus," come to Him on His terms based on His word and live for Him in this life, and this flicker of a life will give way to an amazing, unimaginable place of glory and honor. The glory is all God's, but the honor can be all yours.
So, do be careful what you wish for.
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].