Looking For Jesus
by Pastor Andrew Wolfenbarger
10/14/2023
Jude 21 – “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
In the great Christian classic “Pilgrim’s Progress”, the book opens by describing a man named Graceless. He is clothed in rags, holding a book in his hand, and he is depicted carrying a heavy burden upon his back which only he can see but others cannot.
He crosses paths with a man named Evangelist who was well acquainted with burdens of this sort. His message to Graceless is to set out for the Celestial City (which is a picture of Heaven). Evangelist points over the distant blue hills to a shining light. He instructs Graceless, “Keep that light always in view. Go straight towards it and by and by you shall see the wicked gate.”
If you have never read the book, I want to help you understand some of the allegory. Graceless is an unsaved man whose sin has been revealed unto him by the Word of God. It is the burden that only he can see. He knows not how to rid himself of the burden until a witness comes to tell him how he may and that is by entering in at the wicked gate. This is a description of the fact that every man must realize that they are a sinner and confess their sin before God. When Graceless arrives at the Wicked Gate, he is invited in by one named Good Will. Upon his entry into the gate, his name is changed to Christian. It is there he is saved by the grace of God and his journey toward Heaven begins.
I want to point out that Evangelist calls upon Graceless to keep his gaze forward to the distant glow of the Celestial City. We must always keep our focus on Heavenly things.
Colossians 3:2 - “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Hebrews 12:2 - “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;”
Jude instructs the very same thing. He says, “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” What he means is that we are to continue looking, with expectation, for the return of Jesus. I believe this means that we are to look with anticipation to the rapture of the church and the Lord’s second coming. Just as sure as Christ came to Bethlehem’s manger, so is His return certain. But we are taught in the Scriptures that we will be tempted by the world around us to cease looking for His return.
2 Peter 3:1-4 - “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
Jesus is concerned with our resolve in this particular area because He said, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). The Lord is looking for you to look for Him today.
10/14/2023
Jude 21 – “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
In the great Christian classic “Pilgrim’s Progress”, the book opens by describing a man named Graceless. He is clothed in rags, holding a book in his hand, and he is depicted carrying a heavy burden upon his back which only he can see but others cannot.
He crosses paths with a man named Evangelist who was well acquainted with burdens of this sort. His message to Graceless is to set out for the Celestial City (which is a picture of Heaven). Evangelist points over the distant blue hills to a shining light. He instructs Graceless, “Keep that light always in view. Go straight towards it and by and by you shall see the wicked gate.”
If you have never read the book, I want to help you understand some of the allegory. Graceless is an unsaved man whose sin has been revealed unto him by the Word of God. It is the burden that only he can see. He knows not how to rid himself of the burden until a witness comes to tell him how he may and that is by entering in at the wicked gate. This is a description of the fact that every man must realize that they are a sinner and confess their sin before God. When Graceless arrives at the Wicked Gate, he is invited in by one named Good Will. Upon his entry into the gate, his name is changed to Christian. It is there he is saved by the grace of God and his journey toward Heaven begins.
I want to point out that Evangelist calls upon Graceless to keep his gaze forward to the distant glow of the Celestial City. We must always keep our focus on Heavenly things.
Colossians 3:2 - “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Hebrews 12:2 - “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;”
Jude instructs the very same thing. He says, “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” What he means is that we are to continue looking, with expectation, for the return of Jesus. I believe this means that we are to look with anticipation to the rapture of the church and the Lord’s second coming. Just as sure as Christ came to Bethlehem’s manger, so is His return certain. But we are taught in the Scriptures that we will be tempted by the world around us to cease looking for His return.
2 Peter 3:1-4 - “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
Jesus is concerned with our resolve in this particular area because He said, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). The Lord is looking for you to look for Him today.
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