In This Issue

• “SIR, WE WISH TO SEE JESUS”

• TEACHERS OF GOD’S WORD

• WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

• MORE INFORMATION...

“SIR, WE WISH TO SEE JESUS”

John 12:20-22, “Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’" 

Even before Philip was appointed to the apostleship, he was inviting his friends to “Come and see” Jesus, (John 1:43-46). About three and a half years later as Jesus was coming to the close of His earthly ministry, it was Philip to whom certain individuals came, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Those who made the request were Greeks, probably Jewish proselytes. This took place shortly after Jesus’ “triumphant entry into Jerusalem.” The whole town must have been buzzing with excitement. And these Greeks made a very wise choice in wanting to see Jesus.

Today, when many preachers are holding forth on human rights, animal rights, women’s “right” to an abortion, and various social causes too numerous to mention, surely there must still be a few hungering souls who would like to cry out, “Sirs, we want to see Jesus. We want to hear about Jesus.” And if 21st century preachers will preach the first century gospel, men can still see Jesus through the eye of faith. Men and woman today can know the love of Jesus, the will of Jesus, and experience the joy of having a right relationship with God. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” So that we may “see” Him as He is manifested in the inspired Scriptures, let us take a brief journey through the pages of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Our first glimpse of the Son of God is found in the early pages of the writings of Luke and Matthew. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, shepherds were in the fields, watching over their flocks by night. An angel appeared and informed them of the birth of the Savior, Luke 2:8-20. A few days or perhaps weeks later, wise men from the east came to worship Him, Matt. 2:1-11. 

Luke records the circumcision of Jesus when he was eight days old, then the purification of his mother when Jesus was 40 days old. The last Old Testament prophet had been Malachi, followed by almost 400 years of Divine silence. Now, new prophets appear on the scene, Simeon and Anna, identifying the child Jesus as the Messiah or Christ that the Jewish people had been looking for and longing for over the centuries. The next recorded incident in the life of Jesus takes place when He was 12 years old, conversing with the scholars in Jerusalem. The next time He is mentioned, He is a grown man, ready to be baptized by John, and begin His preaching ministry.

Matthew, chapters 5-7 record Jesus’ famous “sermon on the mount” in which He lays down the basic ground rules for “the kingdom of heaven” which was at hand. He gives instructions regarding moral purity, honesty, and spiritual sincerity. 

He speaks of relationships with family, with people in general, even with enemies. He teaches His listeners how to pray.

During the course of His ministry, Jesus met and talked with multitudes, and with individuals. His discussion with the Samaritan woman, John, chapter 4, is a classic. His instructions to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, are a masterpiece, John chapter 3. His manner of dealing with the woman taken in adultery, and crowd who brought her to Him, John chapter 8, is another stroke of genius. His parables are marvelous illustrations of how God’s will harmonizes with principles we understand and deal with every day of our lives.

As Jesus came to the end of His earthly ministry, He stayed in Bethany at night in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He went into Jerusalem to teach each day. On one occasion, while Martha was preparing a meal, she sought to persuade Jesus to rebuke her sister for not helping. Instead, Jesus revealed that Mary -- who was sitting and listening to the Master as He taught – had made the better choice, Luke 10:38-42. We, too, often get busy with the everyday affairs of life, and fail to take proper advantage of the time and opportunity we could use to “sit at Jesus’ feet” by reading and studying the New Testament Scriptures.

Jesus’ inspired biographers use from one fourth to one third of their record to tell of the events immediately surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion, and His resurrection from the dead. As Jesus Himself explained, John 10:17-18, “My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” No other man who ever lived could rightly make that claim!

Moses of Old Testament fame was a great man, but he remains buried. No man has ever known the location of his grave, Deut. 34:6. In Acts 2:29, Simon Peter declared that David, who was the greatest of all Israel’s kings, was still buried “and his tomb is with us to this day.” I have been privileged to stand before the grave of Ben Franklin in Philadelphia; the graves of many of the pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts; of seeing the San Jacinto battlefield where brave men fell securing Texas’ freedom from Mexico; and the battleground in Gettysburg, where brother fought against brother. All their tombs are still with us. Their bodies will continue to sleep in the dust till Jesus returns to wake them from the dead and bring them to judgment. But the grave of Jesus contains no body. The empty tomb in silence shouts the message of the angel, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5).

Finally, let us look toward heaven where Jesus, our forerunner prepares for our arrival, Heb. 6:20; where He serves as our intercessor, our advocate with the Father, the one mediator between God and man, Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1; 1 Tim. 2:5.

The Greeks of John 12:20 were wise to seek Jesus. The men from the east who came to worship Him long ago, were wise men, Matt. 2:1-2. Wise men and women still seek Him. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

- Clarence R. Johnson

TEACHERS OF GOD’S WORD

There is always a demand for qualified teachers. In a local congregation, there is almost a perpetual seeking for teachers to be in the particular classes. Teaching is the very heart of the religion of Jesus Christ. (John 6:44-45) (Matthew 28:19). The salvation of one’s soul is dependent upon that one being taught the word of God. Christians are those who have been taught. They have obeyed “that form of doctrine delivered them” (Romans 6:17-18), and are rejoicing in the promise of God that their sins have been forgiven. Having received this joy, why shouldn’t they desire to teach this truth to others? How can one truly say that he loves the truth and doesn’t desire to teach others concerning it? I have said on many occasions that one of the real tests of a man’s conversion being real and true is his attitude toward others that have not obeyed the word of God. When one appears docile and indifferent toward trying to teach loved ones, friends or acquaintances the truth, who can say that he deems it important and as valuable as the Bible reveals that it is? The Christian is to greatly consider others (Philippians 2:3-5) and no greater consideration can be give to others than the thought of teaching them the truth.

Nevertheless, teachers appear to be hard to come by. At times it often reaches the low level of extreme urging and pleading for some to teach. Invariably, it has come down to who will do it regardless of other considerations or qualifications. Brethren, these things ought not so to be! But this being true at times, what accounts for it? Isn’t it basically due to the attitudes that members have toward teaching? What are some of these attitudes?

THERE ARE THOSE WITH:

Ability and knowledge but no desire. These are not novices! They have been sufficiently schooled in the truth to teach others. They have the ability to do so and in past times when their love was greater, they adequately demonstrated their ability in teaching. What has happened? The desire has gone! Let someone else do it. They are content to sit back and be a back seat member rather than use their ability and knowledge for the glory of God. Perhaps, to be a teacher of the Bible has become entirely too commonplace for them. The glory of man’s achievements has thwarted their evaluation to the extent that desire has gone. In the light of what Jesus taught in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), this constitutes a very serious attitude that can cause one to lose his own soul.

Reasonable desire but lack of knowledge. From our conversion, we are to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18). It is understandable that young converts need growth before assuming a responsible teaching role. The desire will prompt them to add the knowledge as time goes one. However, there are those who have had the time and yet they lack knowledge to be dependable teachers. The Hebrew writer describes some: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Hebrews 5:12). There are those who are babes in Christ and then there are those who might be termed “spiritual runts”! In manner of time, they have had sufficient time to add knowledge, but they have neglected to do so and have not spiritually developed. How long is it proper to refer to them as babes? Hosea wrote: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee…” (Hosea 4:6). Lack of knowledge is certainly a detriment to a program of teaching and causes individuals to fail God’s work and His purpose in them.

Knowledge and ability but no consecration. We mean by this that there are those who know and can do it but they will not live it. They are so grossly inconsistent with the truth that they are not “meet for the master’s use” (II Timothy 2:21). I have known of individuals who were capable of teaching a good lesson from the word of God; however, that was about the only time they would be present. Time after time they would prove themselves unfaithful in failing to assemble with the saints. Surely, no one could contend that such people are “meet for the master’s use”. They need to listen to themselves and start practicing what they preach. Their knowledge and ability in being used as teachers of God’s word is to no avail until faithfulness becomes a part of their life.

“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? (Romans 2:21). May God help us to be diligent and zealous teachers of His word. May we always count it a great honor and privilege to serve in such a capacity and keep ourselves “meet for the master’s use”.

– Bobby K. Thompson

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

A college professor posed the following problem to his class for their resolution.

“A young girl has gotten pregnant out of wedlock. She has a fiancée, but he is not the father. She did nothing to plan or provoke what happened; she was simply overpowered. Her fiancée, whom she loves very much, is a very scrupulous man and will probably reject her when he finds out. Her culture is also severely strict in its views about these things, so she will be subjected to very sharp public criticism and, perhaps, even punitive legal proceedings if her condition becomes known. Indeed, it is fair to say that her entire life will be permanently ruined by this pregnancy. Even if her fiancée were to take her, an early child would greatly complicate their new marriage. Both of them are already below the poverty level and will have to move away from their hometown at the height of the pregnancy. What would you recommend for this girl?”

The class unanimously recommended that she have an abortion.

“Congratulations,” stated the professor, “you have just aborted Jesus.”

- Gary Eubanks, Stonegate Standard, Vol. 12, Issue 52.

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