Today’s Scripture

Psalm 146       John 20:19-20 (Beginner’s Bible)  Hebrews 12:1-6

 

            When Jesus appeared to the disciples that Easter evening, they could not take their eyes off of him.  It was such a miracle even though they were used to witnessing these miracles.  They remembered that night in the boat when Jesus walked across the water to them.  They could not take their eyes off of him then either.  Later when he ascended into heaven, they stood there on the mountain watching where he had gone.  It took the angels to tell them it was OK to head back as Jesus had earlier told them to.

 

            Others wanted to see Jesus or pointed others to see him.  John the Baptist said, “Look!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” [John 1:29].  Andrew could not wait to tell his brother Simon (Peter) that he had found the Messiah [John 1:41].  Zacchaeus perched himself up in a tree so he could see Jesus [Luke 19].  Do not forget one reason Zacchaeus had to climb that tree.  There was quite a crowd of others who wanted to see Jesus too.  Nicodemus came at night to see Jesus [John 3].  There were crowds who gathered in different places to see and hear Jesus such as the Sermon on the Mount, his teaching from Peter’s boat, the feedings of five thousand and four thousand, and the throngs on Palm Sunday. 

 

            At the time of his birth shepherds came in from watching their flocks to see their savior in the manger.  The Magi (Wise Men) came a great distance to see Jesus.  That King Herod wanted to see Jesus, dead!  Simeon and Anna saw their savior, Jesus, as a baby brought to the temple that day. 

 

            Pontius Pilates’s wife wanted to see Jesus released.  The King Herod of this time wanted to see Jesus perform one of those miracles he had heard about.  On Calvary, temple leaders, Roman soldiers, and many others watched as Jesus suffered and died.  Bartimaeus was blind, but he still saw Jesus as the “Son of David,” as he cried out for Jesus’ mercy [Mark 10:46-47].  A Centurion whose servant was ill saw Jesus as one whose word was supreme [Matthew 8].  Greeks came to the disciples and asked Philip to see Jesus [John 12:20-21].  Mary Magdalene saw the risen Jesus outside the tomb.  At first she did not recognize him.  She then ran and told others that she had seen him and what he had told her [John 20:16-18].  Paul records that after the resurrection more than five hundred saw Jesus at one time [1 Corinthians 15:16].

 

            The writer to the Hebrews calls on all to “fix your eyes on Jesus” because Jesus is the “author and perfector of our faith,” [Hebrews 12:2].  Luke records, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem,” [Luke 9:5].  The King James Version says it this way, “He set his face to Jerusalem.” 

 

            Not once during his life on earth did Jesus ever take his eyes off the reason he came.  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him,” [John 3:1`6-17].  Jesus overcame all temptations.  He never sought glory or honor for himself but always to bring that honor and glory to our heavenly father.  Jesus did not take any single thing for himself as even his simple clothing was stripped from him and divided among those who nailed him to the cross.  Jesus kept his eyes focused on you, each and every one of you.  His desire was and is that you are one with him as he is with the father, and that you have all of the glory that is given to him [John 17:20 ff]. 

 

            “Keep your eye on the ball,” we call to the batter, the fielder, the receiver, the defender, or to anyone whose attention wanders from the task at hand.  “Keep your eyes on Jesus,” on everything he did, and everything he has spoken.  It is because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the father except through him [John 15:6].  He is the narrow gate, the only way to heaven.  When we take our eyes off of him we conjure up all kinds of ways that do not lead to heaven, but lead to destruction.  [Matthew 7:13-14].  Jesus has called you to be his own.  Jesus has marked you as his own in baptism.  Jesus has won you back from sin, death and Satan with his very body and blood.  Jesus has destroyed death and the grave so that you know that because he lives, you too will live.

 

            Keep your eyes on the ball – yes, keep your eyes on Jesus.