Seeing Jesus Series: Who Get's To See Jesus?

Illustration: In the June 2014 issue of the Harvard Business Review under the topic of Competitive Strategy there was an article titled “Mastering the Intermediaries” written by Benjamin Edelman

"In our increasingly digital world, businesses and consumers have become starkly more dependent on a number of powerful platforms… platform dependence is now ubiquitous. Almost every retailer looks to Google to refer customers, and it’s rare to find a manufacturer whose products are not sold on Amazon.”

Transition To Body

Which has created some challenges?

Exploit the Platform’s Need for Completeness

Identify and Discredit Discrimination

Support or Create an Alternative Platform

Deal More Directly

Transition To Body

2 Corinthians 5:16–20 ESV

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:16

Body- Others See Jessus

Who gets to see Jesus?

They See Jesus’ Disciples

The Greeks csaid, “Sir we wish the disciples to see Jesus

John 12:20 ESV

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.

Greeks:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 11.90 Ἕλλην, ηνος

a person who participates in Greek culture and in so doing would speak the Greek language, but not necessarily a person of Greek ethnic background—‘civilized, Greek.’

wish:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 25.1 θέλω; θέλησις, εως

to desire to have or experience something—‘to desire, to want, to wish.’

see:

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament οἶδα

though always used in the pres.: “to have realised, perceived” == “to know.” It often replaces the perf. ἔγνωκα (→ I, 689), “to have experienced, learned to know” == “to know.”

John 12:21 ESV

So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

Philip = Greek name = lover of horses

Philip is out and about

wish:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 11.90 Ἕλλην, ηνος

a person who participates in Greek culture and in so doing would speak the Greek language, but not necessarily a person of Greek ethnic background—‘civilized, Greek.’

wish:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 25.1 θέλω; θέλησις, εως

to desire to have or experience something—‘to desire, to want, to wish.’

see:

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament οἶδα

How do they see Jesus’ disciples? When the disciples are available and properly engaged

- fruit of the Spirit implications

through the work and ministry of the Body of Christ therefore it matters how we do the ministry

ministry= service

ministers= servants

Jesus’ Disciples Talk To One Another

Jesus’ Disciples Go And Talk To Jesus

How is your prayer life?

The Holy Spirit gives us words to say-

the work of the Holy Spirit () &

Jesus Responds To His Disciples

to give to the “Greeks” who come to worship

What is Jesus’ reply?

John 12:23 ESV

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

John 12:23–26 ESV

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Is Jesus saying, the time for people seeing him in the physical flesh is over; that He is about to die in order to birth the church i.e. bear much fruit. Is Jesus saying that the Greeks ought to be able to see Jesus through His disciples?

Abide in Jesus

John 15:1–5 ESV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 14:6–12 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

John

John 14:6–14 ESV

Regarding the word glorified:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 87.24 δοξάζω

to cause someone to have glorious greatness—‘to make gloriously great, to glorify.’ καὶ νῦν δόξασόν με σύ, πάτερ ‘and now, Father, glorify me’ or ‘… give me that glorious greatness’

Regarding the word serve:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 35.19 θεραπεύω; ὑπηρετέω; διακονέω; διακονία, ας

to render assistance or help by performing certain duties, often of a humble or menial nature—‘to serve, to render service, to help, service, help.’

Regarding the word follow:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 15.144 ἀκολουθέω

to come/go behind or after someone else—‘to follow, to come behind, to go behind.

Regarding the word honor:

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 87.8 τιμάω; δοξάζω

to attribute high status to someone by honoring—‘to honor, to respect.’

Transition To Close

Transition To Close- But then Jesus response is kind of unusual. Jesus makes a shift

John 12:27 ESV

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

John 12:32-

John 12:32–36 ESV

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

So The Greeks did not get to see Jesus

They only got to see Jesus’ through His disciples

What if a person’s only means of seeing Jesus is through you?

Are ready to help them see Jesus today?

Are you ready to loose your life for the cause of Jesus Christ?

Are you ready to follow Jesus Christ today?

John 12:25 ESV

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Luke 9:23 ESV

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

To follow Jesus is to deny yourself

And take up your cross daily!

Did someone come to this church building today looking Jesus?

Did you come looking for a greater purpose in life than just living for yourself?

Did you come looking for deliverance and restoration today?

Well, you can find it all in Jesus Christ!

And let me take a few moments to introduce you to Jesus Christ!

Colossians 1:15–23 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.