I am amazed how easily we, even as believers devoted to the LORD, are often distracted from seeing the LORD. And, just how often we are distracted from our responsibility and opportunities to reveal and unveil Him to others, saved and unsaved . Yes, distracted by the world and situations around us. But most astounding is how often we are distracted by what seems good, and perhaps even godly to us.
Simple examples from the scriptures are the transfiguration and the Pharisees confronted with Jesus as the living word before them.
[Luke 9:28-36 NASB95] 28 Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing [became] white [and] gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. 33 And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”--not realizing what he was saying. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud formed and [began] to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, [My] Chosen One; listen to Him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.
[Mark 9:2-8 NASB95] 2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” 8 All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.
There is no condemnation of the disciples in this example , for which of us would not have been mesmerized at the sight of such glory and the embodiment of the Law and the Prophets appearing with Jesus. But, it is notable that in Peter’s desire to build three tabernacles (and the recorded “not realizing what he was saying” and “For he did not know what to answer”,) is revealed how easily we are moved from the centrality and preeminence of Jesus to the gospel, and the eternal purpose of God, which He reveals to us and desires to unveil through us. Even in glorious and Godly encounters we tend to focus on the peripheral rather than Jesus. Peter is essentially rebuked from on High, and when the cloud of glory subsides… All that is left is Jesus! This speaks to, and of, our need for Jesus, and He alone as being central and essential. The testimony of the Father is upon Him, and of Him, and we are to hear and listen to Him.
I’ve known so many believers that chase “the glory, the next experience, God showing up, what spectacular “thing” God is doing now, etc.” but rarely pursue knowing Jesus, seeing Jesus, experiencing Jesus as God reveals Him; Much less pursue opportunities to unveil Him to others as He has been revealed to them. That revelation is generally outside of intellectual knowledge and rote religion. These believers may chase knowledge and understanding of, and talk about ,ecclesiology, eschatology, evangelism and apologetics, charismatic power and gifts, doctrine and faith. None of these is evil, in and of itself, but these theological concepts are not central. And, more times than not, a focus on them, and anything but Jesus, leads to division and dispute over who or what is right or the greatest. Such disputes many times lead to the judgment of legalism or the hyper-grace of libertinism. Only the revelation of Jesus brings us freedom under the discipline of the Spirit submitted to His Lordship, and without leading us into excising the flesh in following the rules of self-made or man-made religion and religious activity.
That brings us to the second example of the confrontation with the Pharisees.
[John 5:36-39 NASB95] 36 “But the testimony which I have is greater than [the testimony of] John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish–the very works that I do–testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38 “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
Jesus here is revealing Himself again as one with a testimony from the Father. He speaks of His works that carry the testimony that the Father sent Him in them. Saying clearly and pointedly to these religious leaders “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me.” But they have not heard the Father’s testimony. Jesus tells them they have not heard His voice nor seen His form. In other words, you are so focused on your own purpose and understanding that you have not seen Him (the Father) in Me (Jesus) , nor have you heard Him (the Father) in Me (Jesus). I (Jesus) am right here and you have looked right past Me/Him (Jesus/Father). You have instead searched the Scripture looking for eternal life by and through your own understanding, your own intellect and your own precepts and interpretations. And even in that, you have looked right past the testimony of Me (Jesus) that is in them, for they DO testify of Me.
I love the word of God revealed in the scriptures. But if they did not reveal, by the Spirit’s illumination, the living Christ Jesus, I would be lost in in the legalism of trying to establish righteousness by works, effort, and religion, Even so, I’ve still known many believers that are so locked into their own understanding and interpretation of scripture, or a particular form of theology, that they look right past the Jesus revealed in the scriptures. and, as someone has said, treating the Holy Spirit like he is the retired author. And worse, instead of unveiling Christ to others, they stand in harsh judgement of others (unbelievers of course, but also believers- labeling them heretics) and, much like the Pharisees, laying heavy burdens on them to perform certain duties and work for God in their own forms of self-made religion.
While we as the Body of Christ are to hold up a standard for His truth, righteousness, and just judgment. Let us keep in focus that we have not been commissioned to lay burdens on others, but to reveal the love of God and unveil Jesus as saving Lord, lifting Him us as central to a restored relationship to the Father. Jesus told Nicodemus, another Pharisee:
[John 3:14-18 NASB95] 14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
We are blessed to be numbered among those that have had a revelation of Jesus. A revelation that is beyond just an understanding of the law and the prophets, or our own understanding/interpretations of them like the Pharisees. We have been given a revelation of Jesus like that of Peter. And that revelation, because it comes from God by the Spirit, makes all the difference. That revelation empowers us beyond our intellect and our own understanding into seeing and knowing He that is central to the eternal purpose of God. Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God.
[Matthew 16:14-19 NASB95] 14 And they said, “Some [say] John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal [this] to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” .
It is the revelation of Jesus as Christ, the anointed one (anointing symbolizing Priest and King), and Son of God that is the rock upon which the ekklesia is founded. And it is that revelation that empowers the church which is His body to stand and not be overpowered! And, being given the keys to the kingdom of heaven we may unveil Him and His authority.
In writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul spoke of revelation. Specific revelation of the mystery of Christ (the anointed, Jesus) to him to be used in bringing to light a mystery that had been hidden for the ages in the purpose of God, and that would continue to be made known through the church.
[Ephesians 3:1-5, 8-10 NASB95] 1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles– 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; … 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.]
This revelation of the mystery of Christ gave Paul commission to take to the Gentiles an understanding of the unfathomable riches of Christ,. Let us note that Jesus and the unfathomable riches of knowing Him, seeing Him revealed, were and are central to bringing to light the manifold wisdom of God through the church. Nothing else will transform men individually. Nothing else will transform the church.
Are we focused on Jesus and bringing to light Him, His unfathomable riches, and all that is in Him. Or, are we more interested in bringing to light just our understanding of doctrine, eschatology, ecclesiology, etc. Passing along knowledge rather that introducing and exposing people to Him.
It is a revelation of Jesus that is life changing. Let us pray for such a revelation for ourselves and for others in the church. And, let us pray that we may unveil/reveal Jesus in, and through, us to each other, the world around us, and principalities and powers above us.
[Ephesians 1:15-19a NASB95] 15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which [exists] among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention [of you] in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
God’s intent in the church is that the fullness of Jesus be unveiled, revealed and seen clearly in the church…
[Ephesians 1:19b-23 NASB95] 19 [These are] in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly [places,] 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Oh! That we might unveil, in our love of one another and the power of the Spirit in us, His Lordship/Dominion and the depth of the unfathomable riches of Christ Jesus.