The Advantages Of Sincerely Seeking Jesus

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.