Is Jesus Seen in You?

Is Jesus Seen in You?

By Pastor Matt Black

01 July 2007
Lord's Day evening
Ephesians 3:21

Introduction: Open your Bibles to the book of Ephesians 3. The title of this morning’s message is “Is Jesus Seen in You?”. Once you’ve found Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, won’t you stand with me this morning?

Let’s read verses 20-21, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Illustration: Imagine we are setting up for a camping trip, and I say “imagine” because I haven’t been camping in years! It’s not that I’m against camping—I actually hope to do it sometime soon as Will gets a little bit older. By the way, when I say “camping” I’m not talking about a recreation vehicle; c’mon that’s like saying Taco Bell is authentic Mexican food!—when I say camping I’m talking about setting up a tent in the woods on the cold, hard ground.

But I’m not really one to be talking about camping. At this point, if you asked me what a relaxing weekend look like, it’d probably include Amish country, and you all know what kind of excitement is over there! But a relaxing weekend might consist of a couple of things…

An easy chair in a quiet room
A pot of coffee with lots of cream and extra sugar in honor of Gary Johnson
And, I’m probably reading a book written by some dead guy like John Bunyan or Charles Spurgeon or one of the Puritans.

You probably think that’s strange, and that’s ok—you have to know that in order to go camping, one must needs be a little bit out of his mind also!

v You’re basically sleeping on the cold, hard ground.

v You are willingly cooped up in this little nylon tent on the hard ground with two or three or in my case four other people—one of which is a toddler.

v Then there are the bugs and the snakes and Mike Larsen tells me there are bears… and worst of all raccoons. Raccoons are nasty mean little creatures.

v And then there’s the whether. One night you’re sweating to death, and the next night you’re freezing to death and another night bailing out water from the rainstorm.

But of course, there are some benefits to camping (just like I’m sure that there are benefits to being a Cubs fan, but I haven’t found out what those are yet).

v When you’re camping, no one sees you, so one of the benefits is you don’t have to shave.

v You don’t necessarily have to shower, though you probably should

v Cooking over the open fire—definitely a benefit

v It is probably good to be in a place once in a while where there is no cell phone reception together with family! (Do you remember life before cell phones?)

So camping can be good, and one thing I love doing (unless it’s pouring down rain, is setting up the camp site. What do you do?

v First, you find your spot.

v You clear out the rocks and sticks and whatever else might be there.

v You set up your tent…

v And the last thing you do is you put down some stakes.

Now what is the purpose of a tent stake? It does define some things.

v Putting down those stakes is saying, I’m going to sleep here, not there or somewhere else.

v It gives the thing stability so that hopefully the tent doesn’t fall in the middle of the night.

What I want to ask you this morning is I want you to take special account of your life. I want you to think about what you have done thus far in your life. I want you to think about the days that you’ve spent. What do you do in a normal day? I want you to think about the time in your life. Maybe you’re a young person. Maybe you’re in your 20s and you’re looking ahead. Maybe you’re in your 50s and you’re starting to know what it is to look back on life. Maybe you’re in your 70s or 80s and you are realizing how short life really is.

What are you doing with your life? “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). What is your life? There are only two kinds of lives that are lived. There are those that are lived in this world, in the wisdom of this world for the purposes of this world which are selfish pleasure and pride. There are so many things in our culture that reflect this.

“What are you going to do with your life?”
“What are you going to make of yourself?”

When the whole thing ought to be turned around and say:

“I am created by God” and
“What does God want me to do with my life?”

There are two kinds of people in this world:

those that live their life by the world’s philosophy—“my life”—“what am I going to do with my life?”
and there are those who are called out of this world, who are infused with the purposes of God, who are born again, who come to that line of demarcation, and they leave the things of this world, and they leave this way of living. And now instead of having the purpose of being controlled by themselves or being controlled by others for money or power or pleasure or fame, they have only one goal in life!

And that goal is found in this verse. And I want you to put the stake of your life down, and never move it. “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21).

I want to emphasize this word “glory”. The idea is of giving your life aflame for God—one purpose in life—that is to glorify God—to give Him praise in every situation—“in all thy ways acknowledge Him” (Proverbs 3:6). I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but God does. I don’t know what your life is going to entail, but God does. In all circumstances “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus”. It doesn’t say “unto him be glory when life is good” or “when life is bad”. It says, “Unto him be glory in the church”—in the lives of that called out assembly of God’s people.

Of course this is referring to two aspects of the church.

There is the elect of all ages—the entire multitude of God’s blood bought Spirit filled people scattered throughout the world and also gathered in heaven. Christ “loved the church and gave His life for it” (Ephesians 5:26). This body is bigger than Tabernacle Baptist Church. It includes all the believers of all ages. “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages…” This body is the one that will be gathered in heaven at the end of time and will worship the Lord and reflect His glory for ever.
The Local church: This is the Body of Christ that has manifested itself on earth. This is a group that has manifested itself here locally. It includes both saved and lost because it is in the process of gathering in all of God’s elect. There are both wheat and tares—there are those who truly know God and love Him, and there are those who don’t know God and don’t love Him.

This text is referring both aspects of the church. The reason I say that is because chapters 4 through 6 of Ephesians goes on and tells the local church how to bring glory to God. In chapter 4 it tells us how to dwell in unity in the church and also gives us the earthly offices of the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These are visibly manifested in local assemblies. It talks about our behaviour toward each other—“put off lying, and speak the truth”—don’t lie in the church. It’s talking about a corporate visible entity like this one. In chapter 5, it tells us as the church how to live life in the Spirit and how to dwell in unity in the home. And in chapter 6, we learn about spiritual warfare in the world. All these things have to do with how we live here on earth as the local manifestation of Christ’s body in this earth. It says “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages…”

I want you to take stock of your life, and I want you to compare your life to this verse. There’s just one question I want to focus on as we look at this text, and that is: is Jesus seen in you? Have you staked all your hopes and desires and destiny to the eternal Son of God? Is Jesus pre-eminent in your life? Colossians 1:18 tells us that Jesus “is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Is Jesus first in your life? Are you seeking first His Kingdom? Have you staked everything on Him?

So many people stake everything on seeking out their own happiness. This morning I want to tell you that the quickest way to misery is to seek out your own happiness. You were not created to find happiness in your self or in your comfort. You were created to reflect the glory and beauty and holiness of God, and if you do that, you will find complete satisfaction. You are “complete in Him”. The one thing that will bring you most joy in your life is that Jesus might be seen in you.

Illustration: Look at this picture. This is a picture of Jill. Why do I love this picture? I love it because it reflects a little bit of what Jill looks like. But this picture is not Jill. For one thing this picture is one dimensional. This picture does not walk around and talk. It doesn’t have flesh and blood. There is really no personality to this picture. It is only a snapshot of Jill at one moment in time. But I love this picture because it reflects and reminds me of Jill. Now if I were love this picture more than Jill that would be strange. That would be unthinkable.

Yet, everything is a picture of God in this world, and we fall in love more with the creation that reflects the Creator, instead of the Creator Himself. Everything in creation is a snapshot and picture of who God is. Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Man was made to reflect the likeness of God—we were made in His image. Romans 1:25 says that we “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” The One who is “blessed forever” is cast aside and the created thing is worshipped.

This world sees beauty and wisdom in a man or woman, and exalts that person. This world has all their stars and celebrities, but who should we be celebrating? Any beauty in us is just a reflection of our God.
We see the beauty in flowers, and some people spend much time designing their flower gardens, but all of that is a picture of the beauty of God.
We have special awards for the genius of men—Nobel prizes and awards, but all man’s wisdom is simply a tiny miniscule snapshot of the great wisdom of God. Who are we in comparison with Him? Why do we celebrate man’s wisdom so much?
We all have our favorite foods, but everything that brings your taste buds pleasure and that satisfies your belly, is simply reflecting the truth that God satisfies—Jesus is the bread of life. “O taste and see that the Lord is good!”
We celebrate heroes, but what is someone who sacrifices his life for another person in comparison to our Saviour who is perfect and sinless and sacrificed His infinite life for the world? “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages…”

All the beauty and wisdom and pleasure in this world is simply a small snapshot of all that God is! He’s awesome and He is worthy of all our praise. We ought to reflect Him and give Him praise! Listen, if we do not lift up our lives and our voices, “then will the stones cry out!” (Luke 19:40).

This morning I want you to put your stake down on one primary truth: that your life might give glory to God by Christ Jesus Are you doing that? Is Jesus seen in you? Take stock of your life. You know about taking stock right?

Illustration: We are in a consumer culture. Investments are big. You’re supposed to put away for retirement. You’re supposed to invest early so you can get a bigger return. We know about investments in America. If you’ve ever invested in mutual funds, you know that every so often you get a statement. Stocks go up, economy goes up, you get a good return. Stocks go down, you could get a negative return. That statement that you get allows you to “take stock” of your stock. It allows you to see where you are at, where you’ve been, where you’re going.

I want to ask you this morning to take stock of your life. Where are you at? What are you doing? You go to church. That’s fine. That’s good if you go to a church that preaches and teaches the Bible. You have the learning down. You know your Bible. That’s good. But you know this Bible was not given to us to look at and to memorize only. It was given to us to live. The Word of God is to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

What are you living for? Are you living for the glory of Jesus Christ to be reflected in your life, or are you living for a million earthly things in this life? We must take stock of every little thing that we do. Does it reflect the glory of God? What are you doing with your life? Is your life glorifying to God?

Now our text this morning says: stake your life on one thing—the glory of God! Reflect God in your life! Is your life glorifying to God? In order to answer that question we have to ask ourselves what does it mean to glorify God?

The word is “doxa” and it means to give the right opinion of God. It means to reflect the Person of God in your life. It means to mimic Him, to do His will on this earth.

And of course this idea is found throughout Scripture. We are to reflect His will on this earth as it is in Heaven. We sing that song, “I saw Jesus in you”.

I saw Jesus in you, I saw Jesus in you.

I could hear His voice in the words you said -

I saw Jesus in you.

In your eyes I saw His care,

I could see His love was there.

You were faithful, And I saw Jesus in you.

Stake your life on God’s glory…

I. Is Jesus seen in your personal life?

Do people see Jesus in you? “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages…” (Ephesians 3:21).

Jesus is to be seen in us. We can only give glory to God as we reflect Jesus. “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus”. This is all over the Bible. Jesus says, “Abide in me and I in you” (John 15:4). He says later in John 15, let my words abide in you! Does God’s Word abide in you? The Scripture says “Walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16)—and that we should follow in Jesus steps (1 Peter 1:21). We hear the shepherd’s voice. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

Illustration: You know they say the longer two married people dwell together, the more they look alike. Have you ever heard of that? Even though they are not related whatsoever, they begin looking like each other. You know as long as you are spending time with God and dwelling with Him, you’ll start looking like God. You want Jesus to be seen in you? Dwell with Him long! Spend time in His presence. Now we make lots of excuses for not spending time in His presence.

One of the excuses is: “Well I pray all day long, so I don’t need to pray.” It’s true that the Bible says “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). I don’t need to pray alone with God because I pray all day long with God. Is that really true? Is your heart really that on fire that you don’t have to get alone with God? If so, then you must be greater than the greatest men that ever lived. Why is it that God’s greatest servants who shook the world spent hours on their knees each day with God in prayer?

J. Hudson Taylor who turned China upside down for Christ said, “The sun has never risen upon China without finding me at prayer”.
Martin Luther, who turned Europe upside down for Christ during the reformation said, “have so much to do that if I didn't spend at least three hours a day in [private] prayer I would never get it all done.” It is said of Luther that he was a powerful preacher, teacher, and soul-winner because he was a man of powerful private prayer.
A. W. Tozer was known to spend 3 to 5 hours a day in prayer.

Are you more spiritual than the giants of the past? I doubt it. I think we are better at them at one thing: we are better at making excuses!

Is Jesus seen in you? Jesus said “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father”. Are you reflecting God in your life?

God is holy. He wants you to be holy. That’s what Ephesians 5:25 says, that “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Psalm 119:1, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.”

Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

If you are a child of God, your one desire will be to reflect the holiness of God in your life. You will not want to blend in with the world.

2 Timothy 2:19, “The Lord knoweth them that are his”… How? Read on. “And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Let me ask you, do you live a life that glorifies God or that blends into the world? Listen Jesus said, “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14). The next verse says that we are to let our light shine before the world, that they might “glorify our Father which is in heaven”. What is that light? It is a reflection of God’s holiness, goodness, and love in your life. Do you act toward others the way God has acted toward you in loving mercy? Are you living a life that reflects Jesus in holiness?

If you are living a holy life, you are standing against the world, and the world will hate you if you refuse to blend in with them. You prick their consciences with your life, and if you want to make someone mad, then turn the light on in their life. Shine Christ’s light on their sin. You reflect Jesus and you will be living totally contrary to the world.

So take account: Are you living a holy life contrary to the world? Have you staked your life to be a life of holiness? Are you living for the holiness and purity of God to be flowing through your life? Is the glory of God’s holiness ablaze in your life?

God is loving and merciful. He wants you to reflect His love and forgive as He has forgiven you. To serve those who are selfish. To love those that hurt us.

God is truthful. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He wants you to “put away lying and speak every man truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 5:25).

The Bible guarantees us that a life lived for the glory of God will contradict every virtually every worldly principle there is. Personally and corporately as Christ’s body, our lives will offend and contradict the lives of those who do not have Christ.

Stake your life on God’s glory…

II. Is Jesus seen in our corporate life as members of the Body of Christ?

The verse says again, “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages…” (Ephesians 3:21). You are to reflect Christ in your life personally. The same can be said of our church corporately.

Think about this—Jesus died for a bride. He died so that He could be married. This passage anticipates the day when the groom will see His bride, when Christ will receive His church—the day of the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The letter of the Ephesians is all about the beauty of the Bride. It is about how God chose us to make us holy, just as it says in the opening verses of chapter 1—verse 4, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”.

Does our church stand in contrast to this world? So many churches are filling up because they are seeking the world’s approval. The quest for the world’s approval is nothing less than spiritual fornication and harlotry. We are to use the power of the Word of God alone and the foolishness of preaching and teaching. To bring people into the church through entertainment and good fun is spiritual adultery. In fact, that is precisely the imagery the apostle James used to describe it. He wrote, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

There is and always has been a fundamental, irreconcilable incompatibility between the church and the world. Christian thought is out of harmony with all the world’s philosophies. Genuine faith in Christ entails a denial of every worldly value. Biblical truth contradicts all the world’s religions. Christianity itself is therefore the complete opposite of virtually everything this world admires.

Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19).

In the weeks and months to come, we will be getting into the rest of Ephesians and how to reflect Christ in the Body of Christ. Chapters 4 through 6 are going to tell us how to live together as a Body on principles that are totally contrary to this world. Not based on selfish gain, but in lowliness preferring one another in love. Chapter 4 speaks of unity in the church, love in the church, having the same mind and being completely humble—“all lowliness of mind”. Do people see Jesus in us? Are we any different? Are you growing and changing in your life to be more like Him? We as the Body of Christ are predestinated “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

A. Why do you come to church? We come to church that we might see Jesus. In the early church they assembled every day (Acts 2:41-45). Why is it important to assemble together? Earlier in Ephesians 2:17 we read that Jesus “came and preached peace to you which were afar off”. “Where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the midst.” We come to honor the Lord. We come to see Jesus. We are not here to be taught simply some doctrine by a preacher. Mormons and cults can do that. We are here to hear from Jesus. “My sheep hear my voice!” Jesus promises His presence when the Word of God is preached!

B. What about fellowship? Look at 1 John 1.

1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Our fellowship is not simply a social occasion.

C. All this is that you might as 2 Peter 3:18 says, “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ! “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

D. This is an eternal transaction. It will never end. This is what we need to learn to do now, because we will be doing it for eternity.

“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Conclusion: Is Jesus seen in you? 2 Corinthians 2:15 says that “we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death”.

Illustration: When I was in college Jill and I used to write every other day. She would always perfume her letters. That perfume would turn a bad day into a good day! What about you? Are you a “a sweet savour of Christ”? This gets right down to where we live! Is Jesus heard in your voice? Do you show kindness when someone hurts you terribly? Do people see Jesus in you? Let’s close by singing that song, “I saw Jesus in You”.

Closing Hymn: 513 I Saw Jesus in You