X

Jesus Only

“They Saw No One but Jesus Only” (Mark 9:8)

I have been sharing Jesus with people and inviting them to follow Him as Savior and Lord since 1947. I was seven years old when I prayed and Jesus saved me and came to live in my life. Starting the next day I began to tell others of Jesus.

Through all these years and even today, I have seen so many people come to Jesus to believe in and follow Him. I can tell you that after all these years of witness people are hungry for Jesus! Oh, yes I have seen people who did not receive Him or even want to talk but I have seen face-to-face millions who did want to know Jesus.

From the bars to the churches, from America to Asia and Africa and the Pacific Islands to Europe to South America and even on Antarctica and everywhere else in between I have prayed with people to follow Jesus.

I have talked about Jesus and seen people come to know Him from every religion and almost every race on earth. I have carried the cross in every nation; I know what I am talking about.

Everywhere I have been, people want to know about Jesus!

Not religion-

Not church-

Not denomination-

Not politics-

Not leaders-

But Jesus!

Should there be anything the world needs to see, it is Jesus!

But the person of Jesus is getting so mixed up with so many other things that so often the world misses Him.

I remember back in the 60’s at the time of the hippies the church as a whole was saying the ‘new generation’ of lost youth had left the church and had no interest in Jesus. I well remember the ‘God is dead’ fad of the 60’s. But out in the street I found the young people interested in Jesus. Not the churches they had left or the terms or the rules but there was a deep inner hunger for the person of Jesus. Some others saw the same things and we went out to the young people where they were and witnessed the message and person of Jesus. From this sprang the historic and famous ‘Jesus Movement’. This movement swept across America and on to the world. Millions and millions came to Jesus and many of the preachers and teachers and churches and movements today have their roots in the ‘Jesus Movement’.

The total and complete focus was on Jesus! People responded!

Today the praise and worship music has its focus on worshiping God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit in a personal direct way. The focus is Jesus and this music is sweeping the world as people are speaking directly to God in worship and praise.

Oh, how different our world would be should we keep the focus on the person of Jesus.

But,

The simple pure message of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and the Omega, the Savior of the world whose Name is above every Name, the Name of Jesus is being lost and the focus is being misdirected.

The world is often not distinguishing between what they perceive to be Christianity and Jesus.

In clever terms people are wrapping different moral and political standards around Jesus so that the Person and Message of Jesus in no longer distinguishable from these other things.

We draw up lists of the Christian position. Anyone outside this list is inferred to be outside of Jesus. The longer the list, the more people are excluded. Now the focus is on the list of policies or beliefs or political objectives and the people can’t see Jesus. The focus is elsewhere.

Jesus lived in a world that was far more decadent and godless than ours today yet He gave the message of clear repentance and belief and denial of self to turn from our way to His way and take up our cross and follow Him.

Jesus is not pushing away the sinners; He was called the ‘friend of sinners’! The hurting, the sinful, the lost, the demon possessed, the immoral, the drunkards, the thieves and the corrupt business people could come to Him.

Welcome sinners, come to Jesus and see and hear and believe!

There are many good issues in life to embrace and support but be careful not to distract from Jesus.

Our story this week is about when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain as He was with Peter, James and John.

“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,

led them up on a high mountain by themselves;

and

He was transfigured before them.

His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

Then Peter answered and said to Jesus,

“Lord, it is good for us to be here;

if You wish,

let us make here three tabernacles:

One for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him !”
And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them and said,
“Arise, and do not be afraid.”
When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only .
(Matthew17: 1-8 in the Holy Bible)

Here these three disciples wanted to do something. They wanted to construct 3 tabernacles or tents, one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus.

One of the few times God directly intervened with words in the Gospels is here.

The emphasis is not on Moses or Elijah. The emphasis is on Jesus !

“Hear Him!

The disciples were terrified. Jesus had to comfort them.

Moses and Elijah were taken away and ‘they saw Jesus Only’!

Oh, that is what we need to see today in the world, Jesus!

Not our fund-raising or promotions or morals or politics or nationalism or slogans. Not our pointed fingers of judgment or contamination but Jesus. Let the world see Jesus offering life and hope and a new beginning and an eternity with Him.

Oh, but you say these ‘things’ are important, perhaps so’¦ but so were Moses and Elijah but not equal with Jesus. Not to be mixed up with Jesus!

Values will not save or change this world, only Jesus!

Morals will not save or change this world. only Jesus!

Democracy or any other form of government will not save or change this world, only Jesus!

No church or denomination or movement will save or change this world, only Jesus!

No preacher or president or prime minister or king or queen or dictator will save or change this world, only Jesus!

Nothing can wash away my sins, nothing but the Blood of Jesus!

The apostle Paul says it this way:

“For I determined not to know anything among you except

Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

(1 Corinthians 2:2 in the Holy Bible)

In the corrupt and godless Roman world and culture in which Paul lived he could have had many issues to emphasize and attack. He started with Jesus and stayed with Jesus and shook the world. We need to return to the same example and message of the early church.

Jesus!

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt

Luke 18:1