Seeing the Invisible (8)

 

“We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18).

 

When I began this series I had a sense of where I wanted to go, I wanted to work through 2 Corinthians and demonstrate that in every chapter Paul is seeing the invisible. Of course, this is true of the entire Bible, its writers are always seeing the invisible to one degree or another, even when they don’t quite know what they are seeing. Just as we ought to always ask, “Where is Jesus Christ?” when we read the Bible, we can also ask, “How am I seeing the invisible when I read this passage?” We can be certain that the invisible will always come from Christ, reveal Christ, and lead us back to Christ.

 

This morning as I ponder the situation in our nation with respect to the professing church, and the betrayal by many pastors in leading their people into participation in the Imperial Cult and offering incense to Ceasar, I am thinking of the way most of us make our choices – most of us in the professing church make our choices based on what we can see, not on seeing the invisible, not on seeing Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

 

What I mean is that we look at the visible options and take our pick. We look at this political party and that political party, we look at this “Christian” movement or that “Christian” movement, at this tradition or that tradition, at this “teacher” or that “teacher.” We consider this policy and that policy and yet another policy – often we make our choices based on what we reject rather than on what we truly want to embrace, often we think that by choosing “the lesser evil” we are doing the best we can.

 

The Bible teaches us to choose Jesus and only Jesus. Evil is evil and we do not overcome evil by using or supporting other evil, we overcome evil by good (Romans 12:21; Matthew 5:38 – 48).

 

But we can only do this as we learn to see the invisible, to see Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

 

Jesus says that “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Mt. 8:20). This is true of Jesus, it is true of His Body, the Body of Christ. There is nowhere on this earth for us to lay our Head. When we attempt to find a home, a resting place, among the movements and systems of the present age we prostitute ourselves and others, we sell ourselves to the elements of the world, the flesh, and the devil. We become galley slaves of the principalities and powers of a world in rebellion against God and His Anointed (Psalm 2).

 

My sense is that our Father is not giving His sons and daughters any options other than Jesus – He does not intend to, He has never intended to. Throughout history those who have followed Jesus have been a minority, those who have never heard of Jesus and who have yet responded to the light that God has given them have been a minority – those who respond to God are always a minority…usually (if not always) a minimal minority. Those who respond to Divine goodness, truth, and beauty will be a minority until that Day when the Holy City descends from the invisible and that which is unseen is made manifest to the glory of God and the Lamb and a great harvest is gathered unto God.

 

When we read of the various beasts in Daniel and Revelation, we are seeing the images and natures of the governments and movements and systems of this world, including our own nation – we are seeing the invisible. What may appear righteousness on the outside is death on the inside “full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness…hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Mt. 23:27 – 28).

 

Friends, something isn’t right when we aren’t looking to Jesus. Something isn’t right when Jesus isn’t our one and only Message, when He isn’t our one and only Spouse, when He isn’t the heartbeat of our lives, when pastors and teachers and professors and elders aren’t insisting that their people belong to Jesus and only to Him. Are we not to be seeking that City whose Builder and Maker is God? As Moses, are we not to be seeing Him who is invisible? (Heb. 11:6 – 16, 23 – 27).

 

Are we not in the midst of deluding influences that are not just permeating society, but also the professing church (2 Thess. 2:10 – 11)?

 

The fruit of godly teaching ought to be intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, what do we see? I hear followers of End Times teachers speak of the End Times. I hear followers of worldviews speak of worldviews. I hear seekers of “experience” speak of experiences. I hear seekers of Bible data and technical learning speak of those things. Where do we hear people speaking of their relationship with Jesus Christ? Where are those who freely and naturally share out of their friendship and fellowship with Jesus?

 

I have been in small groups who seldom (if ever) speak of their relationship with Jesus, the same with Sunday school groups. I have been in countless Sunday worship services in which few, if any, share of their relationship with Jesus – before, during, or after the service. O yes, I have also been among saints who can’t wait to share Jesus with others. I have been with saints who love sharing what they’ve been reading in the Bible and how God is speaking to them through His Word. I have known saints who love praying for one another, laying hands on one another, speaking words of love and joy and encouragement to one another in Christ.

 

O dear friends, our identity does not lie in the world and its systems and governments and political movements and economic practices or in national identity. Our identity, now and forever, must be in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and calls us into an invisible and eternal reality in Him. When the invisible Kingdom of the Lamb is manifested in all His glory, the kingdoms of this world will turn to dust along with its powers and authorities.

 

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth” (Rev. 5:9 – 10).

 

“For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).