"Peter and his companions....saw His glory." Luke 9:32....."And this is the world's need today - people who have seen their Lord." Joseph Parker..."Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread." D.T. Niles
The apostles seemed to constantly speak of being an "eyewitness" to His glory and wonder. All of them, including Paul, could say this. Yet they were not the only ones. There were many in the early church and down through the ages who could say the same. Augustine, Bunyan, Wesley, Mueller, Moody, Graham, and so many more whose names we'll never know, were also eyewitnesses to the wonder and glory of Christ. They are the ones Parker speaks of, and they responded to the desperate emptiness of a world that needed and still needs to hear from those who have seen their Lord. Will they hear from us?
In the 21st century western church what marks our ministry? Information or impartation? We're said to be living in an information saturated culture. Do we really believe that what the church and the disinterested and apathetic world around us needs is more information? We are not in need of people who know about Christ. There is a desperate need everywhere to meet those who KNOW Him, and in their lives have SEEN Him. Seen Him with the eyes of the Spirit. Witnessed His work and wonder. Beheld Him in His Word as that Word becomes alive in their lives. Proclaiming to an unbelieving and skeptical world, and sadly, to much of the Church, the words spoken by Mary after the resurrection. "I have seen the Lord."
We seem to work very hard at making things in "the church" attractive to the eyes of flesh. We promote ourselves in every kind of way in order to be visible to the surrounding communities. The effect of it all, if it has any to begin with, will only last until someone else comes along and presents something even more pleasing to the eye. I remember clearly my first days in the Lord. After a few months, He led me to a congregation that was nearly 30 miles from where I lived, devoid of singles like myself, and singing music I had absolutely no familiarity with. Yet that very first Sunday, through the proclaimed word, the music played, and the atmosphere I sat in, was the undeniable presence of the King. I knew that I was listening to a man proclaim a truth that he knew firsthand. Someone who had seen the Lord. A beggar telling me, another beggar, where he had found bread, and where I could find it as well. Christ was appearing through that church. A church that could offer nothing to my flesh. But a church that made it possible for me to behold Christ, and that was all that mattered.
Many local news channels now present themselves as "Eyewitness News." There should be no greater bearer of the eyewitness news of the King, of Christ, than the Church. You and me. Are we? Are we the true eyewitness of His glory, or just proclaimers of information? We've had enough of that. A dying world has had enough of that. We need to behold His glory, and then we, beggars ourselves, need to go out to all the other beggars, and tell them what we have seen and heard. What have we seen, what have we heard, and what do we give? Information on Christ will never bring life. Revelation of Him yields an invitation from Him that will raise the dead. Only an eyewitness can share that. Will that be eyewitness be you...and me?
Blessings,
Pastor O
We seem to work very hard at making things in "the church" attractive to the eyes of flesh. We promote ourselves in every kind of way in order to be visible to the surrounding communities. The effect of it all, if it has any to begin with, will only last until someone else comes along and presents something even more pleasing to the eye. I remember clearly my first days in the Lord. After a few months, He led me to a congregation that was nearly 30 miles from where I lived, devoid of singles like myself, and singing music I had absolutely no familiarity with. Yet that very first Sunday, through the proclaimed word, the music played, and the atmosphere I sat in, was the undeniable presence of the King. I knew that I was listening to a man proclaim a truth that he knew firsthand. Someone who had seen the Lord. A beggar telling me, another beggar, where he had found bread, and where I could find it as well. Christ was appearing through that church. A church that could offer nothing to my flesh. But a church that made it possible for me to behold Christ, and that was all that mattered.
Many local news channels now present themselves as "Eyewitness News." There should be no greater bearer of the eyewitness news of the King, of Christ, than the Church. You and me. Are we? Are we the true eyewitness of His glory, or just proclaimers of information? We've had enough of that. A dying world has had enough of that. We need to behold His glory, and then we, beggars ourselves, need to go out to all the other beggars, and tell them what we have seen and heard. What have we seen, what have we heard, and what do we give? Information on Christ will never bring life. Revelation of Him yields an invitation from Him that will raise the dead. Only an eyewitness can share that. Will that be eyewitness be you...and me?
Blessings,
Pastor O
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