Does it just seem that way - because of our ignorance - or could it really be a form of Idolatry? Or, is it, instead - Just A Mixture Of Old Fashioned Selfishness And Unbelief?

You have just got to see him coming in the clouds? Why?

 (You may want to turn the volume down on your speakers. Please think about the words to this music.)

John 12:20-26 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (KJV)

In this text we have some fellows looking for Jesus and after their request to see him was passed onto him, He answered them by saying that those who would follow him would be with him. This point needs to be emphasized. 

Seeing Jesus in the physical sense is not that important, - being with Him is.

Are born again Christians with Christ? Are they supposed to be able to see him?

1 Peter 1:7-13 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (KJV)

From what we see in this text, it would appear that seeing Christ walking around again on the earth would be anti-climatic. There were then, in those days, glorious happenings, already, following Christ's sufferings and resurrection. For immediately, within just days, came Pentecost. Still, an even greater part of His glory was yet to come,  it would be soon coming, and it was actually at hand, and some who heard Him speak were to/did live to see Him return, etc. 

All of this had to do with a further enlightening of the believers of Christ's ultimate glory, - an all important form of seeing Him - that far surpassed a visible sighting of His physical bodily form.

Following Christ's telling his disciples that he must leave so the comforter could come he added the following. -

John 14:3-4 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Do we know where he is and do we know how to get there? Do we have the comforter? Did Jesus come back to, and even during the life time of some of, his first century followers? 

Is He here with us now, in power and in glory, healing and saving, even today, in fulfillment of both Old and New Testament Prophecy? Please say yes!

John 14:18-19 I will not leave you comfortless: will come to you. a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (KJV)

John 14:19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but  you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (NIV)

John 16:18-19 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (KJV)

John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

         16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: - again, I leave the world, and go (back) to the Father.

In this age, (the age that we are in, which is the age, or the day, that followed the end of all things then), we can ask the Father for things in the name of Jesus and he will do it. This is because Christ went back to his position of glory and is no longer limited by being relegated to the lowly position of inhabiting a human form.

Paul spoke of having his hope focused on the resurrection. We also know that he too was looking for the return of Christ with great expectation. This brings up some very important questions. Just what all was to happen when he returned? Was he to be seen in a physical body? This erroneous thought has since become a central theme of the Christian Church. However, - as I intimated above -

There are reasons for believing that his return would not involve his physical bodily presence, but would rather be one in which he would return in clouds of judgment and as such he would then be seen from one end of the earth to the other.

Matthew 24:25-28 Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore - if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers;  believe it not.  For as the lightning                   cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

We have no other commandment concerning his appearance, or the seeing of him in human form, then this. Based on this text we should never expect to see him as such again in this earth. If anyone ever tells us we can see him at any geographical location we will know they are lying. If we take note of his emphasis on the spiritual, we can add that information to this and should never expect to see him in a visible human form on this earth, for any length of time. Again, why is it, so to speak, that we keep standing looking up when he has already been here for so long? (He is sometimes seen in a vision)

Let us imagine that you were able to see and touch his physical body. Would this, in any sense, make you a better Christian? Yes, we need to see Jesus, but not in a physical sense.     The incessant desire to see him in the flesh holds no virtue. It in fact, instead, undermines virtue.  Almost all who did see him, only from that aspect, rejected him.  Doubting Thomas was upbraided for his lack of faith.

We are to seek his kingdom and his righteousness, not a glimpse of his physical return.

Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, - while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (KJV)

It appears that these angels my well have been chiding the disciples. Ask yourself,  “Just why was it that they kept standing there looking up?”  According to Matthew 24:25, they were not to be expecting him to come back in that fashion, but would see him coming in clouds, his literal person not being seen. That is how he left, (He disappeared from their sight into a cloud), and is why the angels chided them. However, he would produce the wrath they all knew was coming as he came back in power and in glory. This devastation of his enemies would deliver his Church from becoming extinct. His coming would be the physical redemption of his church and it would involve the revelation of the presence of Christ in his unlimited reigning power, there and then, in the first century, in keeping with all that he and the NT taught. This is the story told in the Book of Revelation, which is a revealing of him coming back in power and glory and pouring wrath on his enemies. Again - All of this being the final proof of His position and ability to deliver His people from both their physical extermination, and from their spiritual bondage. This was visible proof, portrayed to the world, of their final physical redemption, from extermination. 

Signs and wonders followed the Apostles as confirmation of their ministry. So did the fulfillment of OT prophesy confirm Christ's ministry, via the destruction of Israel. These happenings were proof that far greater things had happened, were happening and would continue to happen in the spiritual realm. Proving that Christ's ministry and acts, and the Christian way were not just coincidental. Remember, they were already redeemed, as far as their salvation was concerned, prior to this..There are other references to Christ's return being in or on a cloud. This aspect is the common thread among several verses, but not so - the seeing of His physical person. Unfortunately, it has become the standard to teach on the basis of one verse that it is His physical person that is all important, while ignoring the demanding implication held in the several references to clouds and his disappearing out of their sight into them, etc. None of these verses clearly teach that the physical person of Christ will be seen, only that He will be seen. The point being that His glory and power will be revealed in each instance, not His physical person. This happened in the first century at the destruction of His enemies - Nero, Jerusalem, the temple, and the decimation of the rulers of the Roman Empire for a short season.

Luke 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your         redemption draweth nigh.

Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Revelation 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

The Church was given the prominent position, elevated and glorified. This was the rapture this was their catching away. Translations and interpretation slide this aspect.

Revelation 14:14-16 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another  angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

The "earth" mentioned here are the systems that held power in Israel. (The mosaic system and Rome.) Christians were delivered from their strangle hold, while the power of these systems to destroy them was curtailed.

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mark 13:25-26 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 14:62-63 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

1Thessaloins 4:17-18 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Is the Church always with the Lord? Is He in His Church? Were some of the early Church believers still alive and lifted up before the world at the return of Christ? If not why not? If not we have a problem!

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so,  Amen. (KJV)

Those who pierced Him lived to see Him return in vengeance. Note: It is the clouds and His return in them/on them/with clouds, that is the repeating clarification, not the seeing of Him in a physical body.

 Still, with all of this behind us we are still incessantly demanding that he come back in the flesh, but to do what?

we not doing just like Israel did when they demanded that Samuel give them an earthly king?

Is this not a form of Idolatry?  

Samuel was upset because Israel wanted to have a king like all of the other nations. He thought they were rejecting his ministry to them as a prophet. However, God told Samuel that it was He that was being rejected, not Samuel. They wanted a flesh and blood king. They had become dissatisfied with following a God who was a Spirit.

Do you remember what the servant of the prophet was enabled to see after the prophet prayed that his spiritual eyes be opened? There is such a thing as spiritual reality.

We demand to see our God, to have an earthly image stand before us, one that we can see and touch. We justify our giving into carnal earthly feelings as we slight the spiritual inner man. Are we not already new creatures in Christ? 

We have no need for a physical presence, for the Spiritual is infinitely superior to the physical. It was the spiritual aspect of the Kingdom that was central to Christ's teachings.

Why do we not see the spiritual glory of his kingdom and the glorious effects it has had on this planet over the last 2000 years? Our fascination with the fantastic speculations, concerning his supposedly eminent 2nd coming, put down the glorious power of Christ that is portrayed during the conversion of a soul. Again, these speculations take away from the glorious power revealed as God heals both spiritual and physical problems. 

Our blindness further implies, First, that he did not keep his word, for he said he would not forsake them and would come back quickly. 

Secondly, it implies that he did not finish his earthly ministry in the first century.

Just like them - the Jews - but even worse - we too are standing around looking up and wasting time, for he quickly came back in fulfillment of all that he said he would do.

We have divided our attention and split our forces.

We should be concentrating on the job at hand, which is to save the lost and to change this world. We make a terrible mistake when we set down and accept the false premise that this world is none of our business. Jesus did come to save the world, this job is on going, on going, and on going, and He left us in charge and equipped.

Unfortunately, we have instead covered our eyes with a veil of literalism. In doing so we are following the same path that Judaism took and so we too are now filled, centrally, with futuristic expectations of a climaxing earthly utopia.

This nonsense has all happened because we have such little faith, and this causes us to slide back into idolatry. Being thus we are then blinded and so cannot fathom the truth concerning spiritual reality.

The unlimited dynamic spiritual power of the living Christ that has been repeatedly manifested around the alters of our Churches and in our homes is forgotten? We are so blind that we no longer are able to see Jesus?

St. John 3, Jesus spoke of our being able to see the kingdom, but only if we are born from above. Not only just seeing it, but entering it too. How can we see it or enter it if it is not here?

   He only has one kingdom.

Many of us are into witnessing for Christ, but all the while we are going about making Him out to be a liar.

It is very evident that the Church of today needs to repent and be born again, so they can see Jesus.

Some more questions. What was that carcass mentioned in Matthew 24:25 above, and what was he pointing to when he said there will the birds be gathered?

There is the old and new wine skins. There is the born again experience. The old was vanishing and to be replaced by the new. Jesus said that the kingdom would not come through observation, but would be in the heart. He said it would not be of that world. He also told numbers of people that some of them would live to see him return.

When Jerusalem was destroyed, and that primarily by the Jews themselves, we have a picture of a carcass that was surrounded then by an army whose signature was a bird of prey. There were also many heretical factions, birds, involved in the civil war that raged within the walls of Jerusalem as it fell. Jew against Jew. Well over one million of them died during their own inward siege.

Matthew 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

We demand to see Jesus return, yet we are to do so presently, in the now, supposed to be able to see the glory of Christ's kingdom, via his Spirit. We are supposed to be able to see the great things that the prophets were looking forward to and longed to see, for Jesus said they were present even as He spoke.

Do we see Jesus? If not why not?

2 Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While 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.

is it that we have convinced ourselves that a temporal view of Christ's physical body would be more glorious and powerful then seeing him through our spiritual eyes? Why is it that we have come to believe that physical reality is more real and powerful and glorious then spiritual reality?

our God have skin on him? Must we be able to physically touch him before we can see Him?

Have we lost our first love?

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

John 3: Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth  hath not seen him, neither known him.

Is the sin of unbelief stopping us from seeing Jesus?

3 John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil  hath not seen God.

In counseling Christians who were plagued by depressing situations I and many others have told them to look away to Jesus. This works, for he is not far from any of us.

Let us, once and for all, and from now on, recognize that Jesus did come back and has been saving and healing and building his church, and for nearly 2000 years - already.

Let us focus our attention on the present order and keep our priorities strait. The gates of hell are to give way before the advance of the Church.

Let us embrace the thought that it is Christ in us that is our hope of glory and embrace our responsibilities.

Let us no longer pass or responsibilities off onto a future erroneous hope that Christ will come back and do our work for us.

We have been equipped to do the job through the indwelling presence of Christ and are not to fear this world, for he overcame(destroyed) death (Hades, hell) and the grave nearly 2000 years ago.

(Do the words to this music ring true for you?  They do for me. "The Lord has come, let every heart make room.")

Manson

11/15/98 - 07/13/00 - 05/23/01 05/03/02

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