The Simple Presence

   “The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” (John 1:35-36)  

Desiring to be with Jesus Christ is the heartbeat of a healthy soul, the first step in the life of faith, and the foundational habit of fruitful ministers. There is no spiritual life to had without Him. Let me ask you: do you desire to be with Jesus? Perhaps you had this desire once long ago but have since lost it. Well, this morning in our devotion, I want to challenge each of you to center your life once again on the presence and person of Jesus.

Many think of the Christian life in terms of its benefits: forgiveness, hope, eternal life, and a glorious and exalted moral imperative, the likes of which the world has never seen, But more than any of these things, the Christian faith and life center upon the person of Christ. After all, what does it even mean to be alive? Jesus himself says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3). Without Jesus, the Christian life is like a heart without love, a home without a family, a fireplace without a flame, and a body without blood.

Just like a baby rooting for her mother’s breast, the healthy soul instinctively turns towards Jesus. When we respond to the gospel, it is not to the offer that we respond, but to the One making it. It is to Jesus that we turn with our souls, and it is in the presence of Jesus that we gain the strength as disciples to put one foot in front of the other each day.

Let’s unpack this principle in our passage this morning. Notice first of all that the disciples are drawn to Jesus by the Word of the Cross. They hear John exclaim, “Behold the Lamb of God!” Behold the One who has come to become the scapegoat, the substitute who will bear away your sin forever, and to whom your hearts are drawn to follow. This is always the way with the gospel. It is to sinners weary of their sin that Jesus is most attractive. When you read your Bibles, therefore, read them as the words of Christ. Call upon the Spirit of Christ to reveal the glory of Christ to you. Give Him no rest and cry, “Open my eyes. I want to see Jesus!”

Notice then in the second place, when they follow Jesus, He asks them, “What are you seeking?” They respond, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” In other words, we want to be where You are. And it was as their Rabbi that they conceived of Jesus, as the One who would teach them about God, life, death, heaven, hell, and salvation. They came as those needing instruction. Do you feel your need for the instruction of Jesus, or has spiritual pride blinded your eyes to your ignorance?

Notice also in the third place, once they had been with Jesus, they couldn’t rest contentedly until they had brought others to Him as well. Human beings are naturally evangelistic about their deepest delights. We taste some incredible new ice cream, we watch a funny YouTube video, we are enthralled by an amazing movie (and the list goes on), and what happens? We have an irrepressible urge to tell others about each experience, to have them enjoy the same. What is true of worldly pleasures is true also of spiritual treasures. There is, of course, one exception: Our unconverted friends will normally have little desire to hear about our Christ and His gospel.

Fourth, when we bring people to Jesus, we bring them to the One who can and who will change them. Jesus renames Cephas. This is important. It was, after all, God who named the animals at the beginning, who renamed Abram as Abraham, and who turned Jacob into Israel. In the Bible, a change of name points to a change of nature. The change extends beyond outward things, addressing the core identity of the person behind it. In that vein, Jesus changes Simon into Peter, the rock. What a difference Jesus makes!

Do you desire the presence of Jesus? Then you must take very great care that you don’t lose Jesus in your Bible reading, in your praying, or in your arguments with your friends over the claims of Jesus Christ. Make knowing Jesus the chief desire of your soul. When you bow your knees to pray, when you open your Bible to read, do not rest until you have centered your life and all it entails -  your thoughts, your struggles, your hopes, and your fears - at the feet of Jesus, for it is there that you will find strength, true peace, and contentment.