Scripture Ref: Genesis 3:14–15 Psalms 19:1–4
Isaiah 7:14 John 1:1, 14
Isaiah 53:9, 12 Romans 10:17
Luke 2:16, 40–52 Genesis 1:26
Luke 24:9–12, 13–24, 33–39 Galatians 5:22–25 John 21:1–13 Ephesians 5:8–10
1. Introduction
a. In 1971, a pop group by the name of The Chi-Lites had a No. 3 billboard hit entitled Have You Seen Her?
b. The lyrics of the first verse went like this:
Oh, I see her face everywhere I go, On the street, and even at the picture show.
Have you seen her? Tell me, have you seen her?
Oh, I hear her voice as the cold winds blow, in the sweet music on my radio.
Have you seen her? Tell me, have you seen her?
Why, oh, why did she have to leave and go away?
c. The subject of this song has lost his true love and is suffering from it. He sees her everywhere in everything.
d. Today, I change those lyrics somewhat and ask the question, Have you seen Him?
2. Seeing Him in His Past
a. Asking the question “Have you seen him,” implies that you have been looking for Him. Although it may possibly be for you, it is not a new search for He has been sought throughout history.
b. Approximately 3,500 years ago, the book of Genesis was written by, what is generally believed to be, Moses. There is no way of knowing when Genesis’ recorded events actually occurred. However, the coming of Christ was prophesied by God Himself as the age of paradise was brought to a close.
Read Gen. 3:14-15—So the Lord God said to the serpent, “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
c. Approximately 900 years later, or 2,600 years ago, the prophet Isaiah also prophesied His birth,
Read Isaiah 7:14—Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
and that He would come to save us and to die for our sins.
Read Isa. 53:9, 12—And He put His grave with the wicked, and with a rich one in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth…and He was counted among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors.
d. Approximately 2,040 years ago, as prophesied, He was born.
Read Luke 2:16—So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
3. Seeing Him in His Physical Life
a. Not much is told about Him before he reached the age of 12 except what can be gleaned from Luke 2:40-52 — He ”grew, and waxed strong…, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him…increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
b. Not much is told about Him between the ages of 12 and 30 other than He lived in Nazareth with His parents and was subject to them.
c. Much is told about Him and his brief ministry and the miracles He performed between the ages of 30 and about 33.
· Feeding 5,000 with only 5 loaves and 2 small fishes
· Raising Lazarus from the dead
· Walking on the water
· Calming the tempest
· Healing the blind man
· Cleansing the leper
d. We are most interested in the miracle following His crucifixion—the resurrection.
4. Seeing Him in His Resurrected Life
a. After receiving the report from Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Joanna, Peter ran to the tomb seeking Him because he did not believe the women.
Read Luke 24:9–12—When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
b. On the road to Emmaus, two of Jesus’ followers, one named Cleopas, had an encounter with Jesus but did not know it was Him. They recounted to Him the story of Peter at the tomb.
Read Luke 24:13–24
c. The two, after having Christ reveal himself to them that evening in Emmaus, returned to Jerusalem (about 7 miles away) and told the 11 of their experience. While there, Jesus appeared in their midst.
Read Luke 24:33–39
d. Jesus later appeared to the disciples by the sea of Tiberias and then ate with them.
Read John 21:1–13
5. Seeing Him in Your Life—In almost all of the previous cases, the disciples did not know they had seen Jesus until He revealed it to them. Do you see Him and how do you know?
a. In Nature (Give examples)
Read Psalms 19:1–4—The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
b. In Scripture
Read John 1:1—In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Read John 1:14—The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Read Romans 10:17—Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
c. In You
(1) Genesis 1:26—Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…”
(2) We see Christ (or should) when we see ourselves because we are made in His and God’s image. Not that we physically look like Him, but rather because we have intelligence like Him and because we have the ability to love and care like Him.
(3) We see Christ (or should) when we see ourselves because He lives within us and as we grow, we begin to exhibit His attributes.
(a) Read Galatians 5:22–25—But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
(b) Read Ephesians 5:8–10—For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
6. Have you seen Him?
a. Can you sing these lyrics?
Oh, I see His face everywhere I go, in the clouds, and even in the folks I know.
Have you seen Him? Tell me, have you seen Him?
Oh, I hear His voice as the cold winds blow, in the sweet, sweet music on my radio.
Have you seen Him? Tell me, have you seen Him?
My, oh, my, I’m glad He had to leave and go away?
7. Invitation
