We want to see Jesus

The end of Jesus' earthly life was drawing near.  He was at Bethany, where he had a friend named Lazarus, and yes, this is the same Lazarus Jesus had raised from the dead.   There was a dinner given during which the incident over Mary anointing the feet of Jesus occurred.  We take a reading from Scripture in Luke 12:9-11

⁹ Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see  Lazarus as well, ¹¹ for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

The very next day Jesus entered Jerusalem, hailed as King of Israel.  Prophecy was being fulfilled, and our old friends, the Pharisees were there, concerned that the whole world, it seemed, was following after Jesus. 

We start reading in verse 20

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

I like to think I would have been in that crowd of Greeks, wanting to see Jesus.  For the Christian, the greatest anticipation arises when we think of the day of his return and we actually get to see Him.

Michael Reeves, in his book, Rejoicing In Christ, makes the following statement.  "That full, unveiled, physical sight of the glorified Jesus will be so majestically effacing it will transform our very bodies around us. The sight of him now by the Spirit makes us more like him spiritually; the sight of him then, face to face, will make us--body and soul--as he is. "

Each of us, through the sacrifice of Jesus, and he, paying out sin-debt with his very life, can enter his presence with excitement and expectation.  He is coming again to take us home with him. 

Now don't think all of these events in the "someday" of our Christian experience leaves us just dangling in nothingness right now.  We are still flesh and blood humans, subject to sinning, hurting, disappointment, and suffering.  However, if Jesus lives in us, right now, as he promises, then and only then can we be effective as overcomers,  showing Jesus to the world.

Remember those Greeks mentioned earlier, that wanted to see Jesus?  What if someone knocked on your door asking you to show them Jesus.  Could we, would we, welcome them into our house while telling them "Jesus lives here,"  and into our church with the words, "Jesus will meet you right here," or even with the example of our lives, showing them Jesus lives in our heart?  There are still multitudes of people in our world who want to see Jesus. 

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