Seeing Jesus For Who He Is
#20/20Vision
OKAY – I want to start off this morning (day 19 of the year 2020) the way that I usually like to begin our Sunday morning conversations… by reading some Scripture and then praying us into our time of study… (the Bible and prayer, always a great to begin, amen!?)
The first passage is found in Matthew 13…
Jesus has just begun teaching the people using parables (His the parable of sower/seed/soil)
Many of the people who heard Him did not understand and the truth was they really did not want to.
The disciples however, did want to understand and so they came to Jesus as asked why he was speaking to the people in parables…
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. – Matthew 13:11-16
AND - we read the following in Matthew 16:13-16
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!”
- Matthew 16:13-16
Prayer
OKAY – this morning we are kicking off our first message of this new year, a series that I am calling ‘20/20 Vision.’
NOW - according to the America Optometric Association '20/20 vision' is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet.
SO - If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance.
Now, I think we all would agree that seeing things clearly (visual acuity) is a very good thing, which is why so many of us wear corrective lenses in order to improve our vision.
UNDERSTAND - clear vision really matters, visual acuity is a very good thing.
Many of you know that since January of 2013 I have struggle with 4th nerve palsy in my left eye which cause me to battle double vision, especially when looking down.
IN FACT – this week I went to two different eye doctors (I was wanting a second opinion about surgery needed to correct this worsening condition. BECAUSE visual acuity, having a clear and sharp vision matters.
I even took a couple of selfies on Friday while at the eye doctors office… and I gotta tell you I am most definitely ‘selfie challenged.
Here is the first one…
And the second
AND LISTEN - visual acuity, seeing things clearly is not just important when looking at an eye chart, it is also extremely valuable when it comes to various areas of our lives.
AND SO - in this six week series we discuss what it means to have 20/20 vision (to have visual acuity) in six of the most important areas of each of our lives.
1/26 - Seeing The Church As The Hope Of The World
2/2 - Seeing Yourself Through His Eyes
2/9 - Seeing Your Relationships As An Opportunity
2/16 - Seeing Your Work As A Mission
2/23 - Seeing Your Assets As Belonging To Him
AND THIS MORNING – we will talk about what is without a doubt the most important area where you and I need to have visual acuity… and that is when it comes to seeing Jesus for who He is.
AND UNDERSTAND – when I speak of seeing Jesus, I am not talking about seeing Him with the eyes of our head…
INSTEAD – I’m talking about seeing Him with the eyes of our heart.
QUESTION - did you know that you heart has eyes?
Checkout what Paul wrote to us in Ephesians chapter 1;
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead… - Eph 3:18-20 (NIV)
YOU SEE – in those verses Paul is praying that the eyes of your heart will be opened so that you will see;
• The hope to which He has called you (do you see that hope today)
• The riches of your inheritance
• And the great power available to you, because you believe
BOTTOM LINE - there is a way of seeing, that is much greater than mere physical sight. AND – the Gospel writers make it clear that sometimes even though people saw Jesus physically, they did not really see Him.
AGAIN – as we read earlier in Matthew 13… “Though seeing, they do not see” – Mt 13:13
IN – other words…they only saw Jesus with the eyes of their head and not the eyes of their heart…
NOW I REALLY LIKE - what John Piper writes in his book; “Seeing And Savoring Jesus Christ;”
Everyone can read stories of Jesus and “see” the portraits painted by the words of those who knew Him. But not everyone sees truth and beauty and infinite value. Some see only myth. Some see foolishness. Some see offence. “Seeing they do not see.” It is as though a child should look at a Michelangelo and prefer a comic strip.
Savoring Jesus is the response to seeing Jesus with the eyes of your heart. When you see something as true and beautiful and valuable, you savor it. That is, you treasure it. You cherish and admire and prize it. Spiritual seeing and spiritual savoring are so closely connected that it would be fair to say: If you don’t savor Christ, you haven’t really seen Christ for who he is If you don’t prize Him above all things, you haven’t apprehended His true worth…
UNDERSTAND – there were many people in the first century who saw Jesus but they did not see Him for who He really is.
For example…
• Some saw Him as Elijah, John the Baptist or one of the prophets
• Some saw Jesus as a great teacher or as a miracle work that could both entertain and fill their belly
• And some like the religious leaders saw Him as the competition and a threat, and others like Herod and Pilate as nuance or a problem that had to be dealt with
“Though seeing, they do not see” – Mt 13:13
I MEAN – if they did see Jesus for who He is (God in the flesh) there is no way they would have – argued with Him, tested Him, beat Him or nailed Him to a cross.
AND EVEN TODAY – there are people (and not just those in the world) but even who go to church, attend numerous bible studies, lift their hands and sing songs about Him…
YET – they do not see Jesus for who He is…
INSTEAD – they see Him as…. An insurance policy, a good guy to have around in a crisis, as a cosmic vending machine or a 911 help line, as someone who exists to simply make their life better.
I MEAN – if they saw Him for who was would they…
NOW – at times there were people in the first century WHO DID see Jesus for who He is… and their reaction was to fall on their knees in worship…
• When Jesus called the storm
• When He was transfigured on the mountain
• When the curtain was pulled back and the apostle John saw while exiled on the island of Patmos (Revelation)
MGCC – this morning I want to talk about seeing Jesus for who He is… AND UNDERSTAND – I am fully aware that there is no way that in a few moments I can come close to giving a complete picture of Jesus… I MEAN – I will barely (if even that) scratch the surface of His unlimited depth.
HOWEVER – I still believe that because God’s Word is alive and active… AND - because the Holy Spirit longs for you to see Him more clearly (day by day). I am 100% convinced…
THAT – our visual acuity in regards to Jesus (if we lean into this conversation and right now and want to see Him) is about to get a little clearer.
I. Who Is Jesus… - Jesus Is A Hard Guy To Pin Down
One of the books on my favorite books about Jesus is written by a guy named Leonard Sweet and it is called; “Jesus Drives Me Crazy…” NOW - the premise of the book is just that…
THAT - Jesus drives His followers crazy… HE – is so unpredictable, so hard to pin down…
I MEAN – just when you think you have Jesus figured out…
SEEMINGLY – out of nowhere He suddenly pulls a 180.
UNDERSTAND - nearly everything that Jesus said and did is unpredictable – you never really see it coming….
It’s the antithesis of conventional thinking…
Jesus said that…
• The way up is down
• The way in is out
• The way first is last
• The way of success is service
• The way of attainment is relinquishment
• The way of strength is weakness
• The way of security is vulnerability & openness
• The way of protection is forgiveness (even to 7 x 70)
• The way of life is death – death to self, society, family
• Know your strengths. Why? Because that’s the only way that you can lay them down.
• God’s power is made perfect…where? In our weakness.
• Want to get the most? Go to where the least are.
• Want to be free? Give complete control to God.
• Want to become great? Become least.
• Want to find yourself? Forget yourself.
• Want honor? Think of others more then yourself
• Want to ‘get even’ with your enemies? Bless, love and pray for them
AND NOT ONLY– were the things that He said U-turns from the way the world thinks…
BUT - so were the things that Jesus did.
• THE CREATOR – leaving heaven to become one of us…
• THE KING – coming to serve and not be served
• THE – always existing creator, the great and mighty one, dying on a cross, for a sinful people…
QUESTION – how do you pin down a guy who is so
unpredictable…
SERIOULSY…
• What good shepherd would risk the survival of 99 safe sheep to find the one sheep that was lost?
• What employer would pay last-minute workers the same wage as those who had worked all day?
• What father would throw a huge party to welcome a son who blew his entire inheritance?
• What bank would reward investors who risked their clients money in the futures market while rebuking those investors who played it safe, took no risks, but protected the money entrusted to them?
• What guest would wait until the end of the party to surprise the hosts with 180 gallons of the best wine they would ever taste?
• What kind of man would forgive and pray for men who were driving 7 inch spikes into his body…
YES – our Jesus, is unpinnable and unpredictable…
I MEAN…
• ONE DAY - Jesus talks about peace…
THE NEXT DAY - He tells His disciples to go buy some swords…or is making a whip and overturning tables in the temple
• ONE DAY - miracles seem to flow from Him (sometimes without Him even knowing who was healed)…
AND THE NEXT DAY – His power is blocked by the people’s lack of faith.
• ONE DAY – Jesus calls out and encourages men to follow Him…
AND THE NEXT DAY - He asks people who say that they want to follow him, “Are you sure” and then proceeds to discourage them…
• ONE DAY – Jesus tells those who he healed… “shsh…don’t tell anyone, I don’t want to draw attention…
AND THE NEXT DAY – He stands up in the middle of the synagogue on the Sabbath and heals a man (like William Wallace picking a fight with the British… ‘hey Pete where is Jesus going’ where do you think - to pick a fight’).
• ONE DAY – when the crowds want to make Him King and He walked away…
AND – on another day He rides right into the middle of the crowd of 1000’s as they shout “Hosanna,”
• ON – the way to the garden Jesus told the disciples that he was the way the truth and the life…
AND – a few hours later when Pilate asked him the question, “What is truth,” Jesus says nothing.
UNDERSTAND B/S - if Jesus had never lived, we would not have been able to invent him.”
YES – Jesus is a hard guy to pin down, a hard guy to put in a box… BUT – that doesn’t stop us, does it?
I MEAN, WE STILL TRY – to define, tame, control, limit mold and shape Him into our own image.
QUESTION – how do we know if we have done this?
ANSWER – when Jesus always seems to agree with us (and is okay with our faults while condemning the faults of others
IN - the first chapter of his book, ‘Jesus Revealed,’ Mark Roberts writes;
By making Jesus fit our preconceptions, we obscure who he really was and who He really is today. We miss the point of his life and message, not to mention his death and resurrection. Moreover, if we invent a pseudo-Jesus who happens to be just like us, then we completely miss the opportunity to be transformed by the real Jesus, to become more like Him and to live the life He designed for us.
OKAY – here’s what I am trying to say…
YOU SEE – part of seeing Jesus for who He is, of seeing Him clearly is to…
• recognize that He is at times hard to see clearly
• understand He does not, cannot and will not fit nice a neatly into the boxes we want to put Him in
• move past the clichés and stereotypes about Jesus
• take Jesus off the flannel board of our current understanding
• stop tying to pin down, de-claw and domesticate the Lion of Judah
• see Him through a new pair of lenses
NEXT…
II. Who Is Jesus… - The Image Of The Invisible God
The Son is the image of the invisible God… - Colossians 1:15
UNDERSTAND - images convey meaning way beyond what words can describe.
My wedding band represents the fact that Laurie finally said, “yes” to me!
When we see the Statue of Liberty, something unexplainable takes place deep inside, doesn’t it?
And, the image of the American Flag flying, ignites feelings of patriotism…
BUT - as powerful as these symbols are, they are simply representations of far deeper realities.
My ring doesn’t make me married. Rather, it’s a symbol that I am married.
The Statue of Liberty doesn’t in and of itself do anything. It stands for a nation that honors freedom.
The American flag is a powerful national symbol but it only represents what our country is all about.
Listen carefully.
Jesus is not just a symbol of God; He is God Himself. The word “image” in Greek is “eikon” (eye – cone) and refers to “likeness, manifestation, or replica.”
It’s a word that conveys 2 thoughts… representation and revelation…
YOU SEE - Jesus not only represents God. He is the exact symbol of God. BUT LISTEN – the word icon means more than just a symbol.
It also means that the symbol brings with it the actual presence of the object.
It is the actual revelation/manifestation of the object it represents.
In other words, Jesus brought God into the human sphere of understanding. Jesus manifested God.
This same terminology is used in Heb. 1:3, where the writer states…
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…
AND – John says in the first chapter of his Gospel…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. – John 1:1,14,18
B/S – here’s the point…
IN - Jesus, the invisible God became visible.
JESUS - made God known in the earthly sphere of existence. JESUS - represented and manifested God to us.
JESUS - is the perfect and exact manifestation of God to humanity.
IN JESUS - the invisible God pressed Himself into the clay of humanity so that the second person of the Trinity could show us how to live.
So Jesus is the physical revelation and representation of the invisible God. Jesus is God in the flesh.
Jesus said in John 14:9, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”
In other words, Jesus is God.
The great I Am, the always existing One.
Who Is Jesus… - The Creator Of All Things
All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. – John 1:3
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:16,17
Jesus created what? All things.
And wow, there are a lot of things, amen?
AND LISTEN - that’s why when Jesus became flesh He frequently demonstrated His power over His creation.
• He cast out demons and they obeyed Him, because He had created the angels before they fell.
• He cursed a fig tree and it withered. Why? Because He made the fig tree.
• He walked on water and the water sustained Him. Why? Because He made the water.
• He said to a storm, “Peace! Be still!” and it obeyed Him, because He made the water and He made the weather and He made the wind.
• He touched the grain and the bread and it multiplied, because He made it.
Paul says, “All things have been created through Him and for Him.” Did you notice that? We have been created for Him.
Now that is really significant because that goes against everything that society teaches us. We tend to think that the universe is supposed to revolve around us, that the universe was created for us. But Paul says we were created for Him, and that goes against our selfish society and our selfish desires.
MGCC - you were created for Him.
It’s not all about you.
It’s about Him and about the purpose He created you for.
Jesus created all things
All things were created for Him and
He holds all things together
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
- Colossians 1:17
He is before what? And in Him what?
B/S – what or rather who holds all things together in creation?
Jesus.
To “hold together” means to prevent something from falling into complete chaos.
Christ is before all things, and He is the glue that holds it all together.
By Him everything came to be, and by Him everything continues to be. IN FACT – if He were to remove His sustaining power, everything would dissolve into disorder, literally.
The universe is made up of atoms.
And we know that opposite attract and that likes repels.
Then what holds the nucleus together…
‘the strong force’
It is estimated that the there are between 1078 to 1082 atoms in the known, observable universe.
AND B/S - please don’t miss out on the implications of this truth that Jesus is the creator of all things because it has incredible carryover for each of us today.
UNDERSTAND…
• If Jesus made you, then that means that He can remake you. If Jesus created you, He can recreate you in His image.
• If He can hold things together in our universe, then that means that He can help you hold things together, you’re your life seems like it’s falling apart.
• If He is over all things and is superior to every kingdom power (visible or invisible) then He is probably well equipped to handle any of the problems that you might face this week.
• If He is the Creator and in control, then you can rest in His plan and you can trust in His will.
III. Who Is Jesus… - Our Savior
AND LISTEN – every person who has ever breathed air and walked on this planet has needed a Savior.
Because everyone has sinned and fallen short
And our sins separate us from God.
NOW – when it comes to Jesus being our Savior, I think I will let God’s word do most of the talking here.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. – Luke 2:11
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. – Acts 5:12
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. – 1 Timothy 1:15
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. – 2 Timothy 1:9,10
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, - Titus 3:5
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconcile everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. – Colossians 1:19-22
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6
IV. Who Is Jesus… Our Lord
NOW – this word is found 612 times in the N.T.
181 times in The Gospels
100 times in the book of Acts
331 rest of the NT
Paul writes in Philippians 2…
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Phil 2:8-11
Confess what?
Mark Roberts in his book ‘Jesus Revealed’ talks about a time when he was a high school counselor at a Christian camp.
He talks about how the entire week was geared for Wednesday night. ON Wednesday night the speaker talked about how Christ came to forgive them of their sins…
After the message Students were asked to give their lives to Christ - dozens did and were baptized in the lake.
Later that night they had a counselors meeting – and they were pumped up. I MEAN - they were pretty sure the only students who didn’t accept Christ that night were already believers which meant that – all of the students were now Christians.
One counselor there however, was less than enthusiastic he said, “okay, we’ve encouraged them to accept Jesus as Savior, but what about Jesus as Lord?
We seemed to have buried that in fine print at the bottom of the contract. We haven’t called students to commit their lives to Christ.”
Another counselor said, “Hey don’t worry we will do that tomorrow night when I speak on Jesus being Lord.”
ON THURSDAY NIGHT – that is exactly what they did…
AND AFTER – the message they called on the 200 students there (all who had accepted Jesus as Savior) to raise their hands if they were willing to live under the Lordship of Christ… only 20 students raised their hands.
ALL - were willingly for Jesus to be their Savior…
BUT - only 10 % were willing for Jesus to be their Lord.
What do think our percentage is in this room?
QUESTION – what does it mean for Jesus to be Lord (and He is)? AND – how are we to live in light of this reality?
It means…
• Jesus is the boss – He is in charge not us
• It’s about Him, not about us
• That we are to – obey Him, seek His will not ours, do what He says, go where he tells us to go
• If Jesus (trough His word) tells to - stop doing something, we stop, start doing something we start
BOTTOM LINE – since Jesus is Lord we must wave the white flag and surrender over to Him our…
thoughts, attitudes, actions tongues, wants, desires, dreams and lives.
Jesus leads – and we follow…
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ - Matthew 7:21-23
Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? - Luke 6:46
V. Who Is Jesus… The Alpha and Omega
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." – Revelation 1:8
NOW – you probably know that (Alpha and Omega) are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet.
UNDERSTAND - this title is parallel with the description of Jesus being the first and the last – the beginning and then end.
OKAY… BUT – what does it mean?
It Means That…
• Jesus has always been here
• He was here before the universe was spoken into existence
• Jesus is eternal and always existing
• Jesus has been here, and He will always be here
• He has been everywhere that we have ever been, that He is where we are and that He is already standing where we are going to be tomorrow
• Jesus stands before time began and He will stand when time is no more
• He is a sure thing, a solid rock – that we can fully count on Him
NOW - another thing the title Alpha and Omega Reminds us of is that Jesus unlike us (who tend to procrastinate, leave things undone and fail to follow through), Jesus finishes whatever he begins!
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. – Revelation 21:5,6
It is done = I finished what I started…
That’s why I think it is significant that we only see this title of Jesus in the last book of the Bible Revelation.
A book where we see Christ completed what He began in Genesis.
In Genesis God created the heavens and the earth…
In Revelation he creates the new and perfect heaven and earth
In Genesis – satan began to act, humanity lost paradise, and sin and death began to reign.
In Revelation – Satan is cast into the pit forever, paradise is regained and death and sin are destroyed forever!
In Genesis – man is driven from God’s presence
In Revelation – man is brought back into God’s presence for ALL eternity!
Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. – Revelation 21:3
WHO – is Jesus?
The Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end), the One who is everything and who is everywhere!
