1. INTRODUCTION. I’M SURE THAT YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN ADVANTAGES OF SERIOUSLY SEEKING SOME THINGS IN THIS LIFE. THERE ARE ADVANTAGES IN SERIOUSLY SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, SO THAT WE CAN EARN A DECENT LIVING; FRIENDSHIPS, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE COMPANIONSHIP AND SOMEONE TO CONFIDE IN; MARRIAGE, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A LIFELONG SOUL MATE, EDUCATION, SO THAT OUR KNOWLEDGE CAN BE ENHANCED AND DOORS OPENED TO US; TO HAVE CHILDREN, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE OUR POSTERITY TO LIVE ON LONG AFTER WE HAVE LEFT THIS WORLD. FOR SOME THEY SERIOUSLY SEEK FAME IN ORDER TO OBTAIN WEALTH AND POPULARITY; AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. THE THINGS THAT I HAVE MENTIONED ARE NOT BAD IN AND OF THEMSELVES WHEN THEY ARE SOUGHT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS; BUT, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THE BEST ADVANTAGES IN THIS LIFE ARE FOUND WHEN WE SERIOUSLY SEEK THE ONE WHO HAS BORNE OUR SINS AND OUR BURDENS; THE ONE WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR OUR SALVATION; THE ONE WHO BECAME WEAK SO THAT WE COULD BECOME STRONG; THE ONE WHO DIED SO THAT WE COULD LIVE; THE ONE WHO WAS WOUNDED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS AND BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES, AND THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON AND BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED. IT IS NO MYSTERY THAT I AM TALKING ABOUT JESUS. AND I COME TO TELL US TODAY THAT THERE ARE ADVANTAGES OF SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS!
2. THE TEXT. THIS TEXT TAKES PLACE SIX DAYS PRIOR TO THE PASSOVER FEAST, LEADING UP TO THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR SAVIOR.
a) THE PASSOVER FEAST WAS INSTITUTED BY GOD IN COMMEMORATION OF THE DEATH ANGEL PASSING OVER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THE NIGHT BEFORE THEY MADE THEIR EXODUS FROM EGYPT.
b) LARGE CROWDS ATTENDED THIS FEAST WHICH WAS CELEBRATED FOR SEVEN DAYS.
c) IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, BECAUSE OF THE HASTE IN WHICH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE TO DEPART EGYPT, AND THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME TO BAKE THE BREAD.
d) THE TEXTS INFORMS US THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN GREEKS WHO CAME TO THE FEAST TO WORSHIP, AND THAT THEY DESIRED TO SEE JESUS.
e) ONE SCHOLAR SHARES THAT THE WORD TO SEE ALSO IMPLIES THAT THEY HAD THE DESIRE TO CONVERSE WITH JESUS.
f) THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US WHY THEY WANTED TO SEE JESUS OR IF THEY EVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OR SPEAK WITH JESUS.
g) ALL WE KNOW IS THAT THEY HAD THE DESIRE!
3. THERE ARE MANY SEEKING JESUS TODAY; JUST AS THERE WERE IN JESUS’ DAY.
a) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEEK HIM FOR SUPERFICIAL REASONS JUST TO GET FROM HIM AND NOT GIVE TO HIM.
b) THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT TO RUB UP AGAINST HIM, IN STEAD OF REACHING OUT TO TOUCH HIM.
c) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEEK TO KNOW ABOUT HIM WITHOUT ACTUALLY KNOWING HIM.
d) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEEK TO TALK AGAINST HIM OPPOSED TO TAKING A STAND IN SUPPORT OF HIM.
e) THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD SEEK TO FLEECE HIM, OPPOSED TO BEING FED BY HIM.
f) EVEN IN OUR CHURCHES, THERE ARE THOSE WHO ATTEND, BUT THEY ARE NOT SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS.
g) THEN, THERE ARE THOSE WHO SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A GENUINE HUNGER AND THIRST FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
h) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE SAVED FROM SIN.
i) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM BECAUSE THEY ARE IN NEED OF HEALING.
j) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS THE FRIEND WHO STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER.
k) THERE ARE THOSE WHO SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT HE IS A BURDEN BEARER AND A HEAVY LOAD SHARER.
l) THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO PUT FORTH TODAY IS WHICH CROWD DO YOU BELONG TO?
4. THE DISADVANTAGES OF NOT SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS, CAN LEAD TO A WORLD OF WOE FOR SINNERS AND BELIEVERS.
a) SINNERS WHO DO NOT SERIOUSLY SEEK JESUS WILL NEVER KNOW JOY UNTIL THEY KNOW HIM.
b) THEY WILL NEVER KNOW PEACE UNTIL THEY SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM.
c) THEY WILL NEVER KNOW OF HIS GRACE UNTIL THEY SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM.
d) THEY WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE HIS SALVATION UNTIL THEY SERIOUSLY SEEK HIM.
e) BELIEVERS WHO DO NOT SERIOUSLY SEEK JESUS WILL FORFEIT THE BLESSINGS THAT HE WANTS TO BESTOW ON THEM.
f) NOT ONLY WILL THEY FORFEIT BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE, BUT ALSO IN THE WORLD TO COME.
g) THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL CONTINUE TO PASS THEM BY.
h) THEIR JOY WILL BECOME DULL, AND WORSHIP SERVICE WILL BE ENTERTAINING INSTEAD OF ENLIGHTENING.
i) THEIR HOPE WILL DRY UP LIKE A STREAM THAT HAS BEEN SCORCHED BY THE SUN.
j) I COME TO TELL US TODAY THAT THERE ARE ADVANTAGES OF SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS!
5. THE ADVANTAGES OF SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS, WILL PROVIDE BLESSINGS THAT CANNOT BE COUNTED.
a) SINNERS WILL FIND SALVATION.
b) HIS GRACE, MERCY, AND HIS PEACE WILL BE PRESENT IN BOTH GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES.
c) HIS JOY WILL SPRING UP IN OUR SOULS LIKE A NEVER ENDING STREAM OF DELIGHT.
d) THERE WILL BE COMFORT IN TIMES OF SORROW.
e) YOU WILL EXPERIENCE ENEMIES BECOMING FOOTSTOOLS.
f) HIS GUIDANCE AND HIS COUNSEL WILL BE FAVORABLE.
g) LONELY NIGHTS WILL BE BEARABLE.
h) MISERY WILL BE MANAGEABLE.
i) HEARTACHE AND HEARTBREAK WILL BE CONQUERABLE.
j) ANGER WILL BE CONTROLLABLE.
k) DELIVERANCE WILL BE AVAILABLE.
l) GOALS WILL BE REACHABLE.
m) HEAVEN IS OBTAINABLE.
n) YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THERE ARE ADVANTAGES IN SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS!
6. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION.
a) ONE, NEVER GIVE UP ON SERIOUSLY SEEKING JESUS. WHY? BECAUSE LUKE 11:9, “AND I SAY UNTO YOU, ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU; SEEK, AND YE SHALL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU.” EVERY BELIEVER NEEDS TO CONSTANTLY ASK, SEEK, AND KNOCK, THEN WATCH WHAT GOD WILL DO.
b) TWO, THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN SEE JESUS IN THIS WORLD IS THROUGH THE DILIGENT STUDY OF HIS WORD. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HIS WILL, GET IN HIS WORD. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HE REQUIRES, GET IN HIS WORD. THEN AS YOU GET IN HIS WORD, LET HIS WORD GET IN YOU! PS. 119:105, “THY WORD IS A LAMP UNTO MY FEET, AND A LIGHT UNTO MY PATH.”
c) THREE, WE SEEK HIM SO THAT WE CAN OBEY HIM AND LIVE FOR HIM AND HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM. JOHN 14:23, “JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, IF A MAN LOVE ME, HE WILL KEEP MY WORDS: AND MY FATHER WILL LOVE HIM, AND WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, AND MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM.”
d) ONLY JESUS…
• HAS THE TRUTH THAT CAN MAKE US FREE
• CAN PROVIDE THE STRENGTH WE NEED TO FIGHT OUR BATTLES
• CAN GIVES US THE COMFORT WE NEED IN TIMES OF GRIEF
• CAN SUPPLY OUR EVERY NEED
• CAN OPEN SPIRITUALLY BLINDED EYES
• CAN SAVE A SIN SICK SOUL
• WHO ELSE…
• KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING LIKE JESUS
• CAN PUT THE FRAGRANCE IN THE ROSE LIKE JESUS
• CAN HUSH THE HOWLING WIND IN OUR LIVES LIKE JESUS
• CAN CALM THE RAGING STORMS THAT BESET US LIKE JESUS
• CAN MEND A BROKEN HEART LIKE JESUS
• CAN TAKE A TWO PIECE FISH DINNER AND MAKE A BANQUET FOR OVER 5,000 LIKE JESUS
• CAN GIVE US STRENGTH IN THE MIDST OF TEMPTATION LIKE JESUS
• CAN MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO SPEND ETERNITY IN GLORY LIKE JESUS
• CAN TRANSFORM OUR MIDNIGHTS INTO DAY LIGHT LIKE JESUS
• CAN TRANSFORM OUR BURDENS INTO BLESSINGS LIKE JESUS
• CAN TRANSFORM OUR FEAR INTO FAITH LIKE JESUS
• HE’S WORTHY…
