Sir, We Would See Jesus

SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS

John 12:21

INTRO: If we had been in Jerusalem on a certain day, we would have seen a great crowd making its way down toward the Temple. If we had not known the particular significance of that day, if we had not known why all the people were there, we would have said to some passerby, “Why are all the people gathered here, and what is going on down at the Temple?” And he would have answered, “Why didn’t you know this is the day of the Passover Feast, and our people have gathered from far and near to observe this solemn and important occasion?”

But on that particular day there was One there who appreciated the real meaning of the Passover. Jesus was there. He knew He was the Lamb without spot or blemish. He know He was the Lamb who would be slain.

But there were others present also. Certain Greeks were among them who came to worship at the Feast. They came not to worship, but to see the One whose fame had spread everywhere. They came to see Jesus. So they approached Philip and said to him, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” So far as we can determine the Greeks did have an interview with Jesus. I know they were blessed by it, and I hope they put their trust in Him for time and eternity.

“We would see Jesus.” That is the agelong cry of all humanity. “Show us the Father,” they said, “and that will be sufficient.” And in due time Jesus came and showed men the Father in His own Person. The cry of men today is just the same as it was in that faraway day. “Just show us the Father and it is sufficient.” Let us look at some occasions today when we want to see Jesus.

I. WE WANT TO SEE JESUS WHEN WE ARE BURDENED WITH SIN.

Look at David’s great confession in Psalm 51. It is the cry of a sin-sick soul trying to get back into fellowship with God.

Can you imagine the man “after God’s own heart” humbling himself that way before God? He was just a sin-sick soul saying, “I would see Jesus.”

ILLUS: I once witnessed to a young man who was guilty of every sin in the book. But God convicted him of his sin, and he was gloriously saved. Afterwards, he gave his testimony. He said, “When I walked down that church aisle to give my heart to Jesus, it seemed that the weight of the whole world was pressing down upon me. But when I came to Christ and He saved me, the load was lifted and became as light as a feather.”

Why? Because he had see Jesus, and his sins had been washed away.

We, too, carry the burden of sin. There is only one way to get rid of that burden. We must bring it to Jesus. He is our great Sin Bearer. Saved people carry sins, and lost people carry sins. Bring them all to Jesus. He will take them away.

II. WE WANT TO SEE JESUS WHEN WE ARE ENGAGED IN HOLY WORSHIP.

This was a time of religious chaos and confusion in Jerusalem. Men could come to the Temple and go through all of their religious ceremonies, but the sin and guilt would still be there. There would be no peace in their hearts.

A person may go to church today, go through all the forms of religious worship, and yet not truly see Jesus and have his sins washed away.

We want to see Jesus in the songs we sing. There ought to be a real Christian message in every song used in our churches. And may the Lord deliver us from those songs where we hear only the voices of the singers, but can’t understand one word of the song. The really great songs, the ones that move and bless our hearts, are those written out of the deep heart experiences of men.

We want to see Jesus in the sermons that are preached. We fail miserably in our preaching if we don’t present Jesus to the people.

ILLUS: A young preacher went to a new church as pastor. He thought the people wanted to hear intellectual preaching, so he filed his sermons with these things. His church’s attendance began to fall off. The young people left the church. Then one day, when he came to his pulpit, he found a card with the words, “We would see Jesus,” written on it. He was angry at first but soon began to realize he had been giving his people the wrong messages. He promised the Lord that from that time on, he would preach “Christ and Him crucified.” As he did this, his congregation began to grow, and the young people returned to the church.