The Ohio Independent Baptist, February 1971

''Sir, We Would See Jesus' ' by Rev. John Lineberry We must surely commend these Greeks for their true and wise desire in wanting to see Jesus. They came to Philip and said, "Sir, we would see Jesus," Their theology was sound as expressed in their sincere and burn– ing desire, "Sir, we would see Jesus," No man acts wisely but foolishly when he seeks to bypass Jesus in his deep and dire spiritual need. There is no peer with Jesus to be found in the whole universe, not in an angel in heaven, not in a man on the earth. He is the peerless One, almighty and eternal. There is no substitute for Jesus in the heart need of the sinner. Colorful, traditional ritual cannot replace Him. Moral reform does not supplant Him. - Refinement is not regeneration. Cul- ture is not conversion. Good works or good intentions on the religious list of "musts" cannot eclipse Jesus any more than a flicker– ing candle can eclipse the scintill a ting brilliance of the noonday sun. The sinner must always know that be has not one thing ever to commend him to God. The poet said it for all of us... "Nothing in my hand I bring; ritnply to Thy cross I cling." Would not the great disciple Peter have been acceptable to these Greeks? Would not an audience with Simon Peter of Jerusalem really have been something? Peter was one of the three so-called "inner circle" and spokes– man of all the disciples. Peter was the bold one whose high and holy zeal almost always came to the front quickly when tested. "You may see Peter," they were told. But the Greeks answered thoughtfully, "Sir, we would ee Jesus.,, How strange that they had come to Ph1l1p in the first place in– stead of Peter. Or was it strange? hey knew that men are only men at their best. A little later it was Peter ~'ho boasted ... then miserably failed his Lord in the great hour of testing. o, tl1e Greek.s knew whom they want– ed to see. 1 hey wanted to ee Jesus, o otl1er one would satisfy then1. - Would not J arnes or John have AVAILABLE FOR ••• Pulpit Supply and / or Sermons in Song R \J . GEORGE P. ZINN Rouf e 3. Huber Road Norw.lk , Ohio - 44857 Tel . (419) 662-9794 - - rH · OHIO I D ·P ND NT BAPTIST 1'ri ce I, 3. 7 5' A d ct 5 o c ~ x t rQ.. for- n,o.;J in'}· Contact: Re.\/. Ge ot',c Zinn. R.0 .11$ lluocr Rd. 1v'o'r'walk, Ohio +'i'IS1 Heaven been acceptable to these Greeks? These fine brothers had a noble re~ cord. They were called "sons of thunder" by the Lord. So, the Greeks may have an interview with them, with one or the other. How will they respond? Again, they request , "Sir, we would see J esus." They choo e Jesus 1n tead of Jame and John. We commend them again for their choice becau e James and John had been rebuked by the Lord for po ess1ng the wrong kind of spirit in wanting to use some of l11ah,s fire to bttrn up the Samaritans! ( ttkc 9 5..t 55). The reeks VvCre already ettled on seeing Jesus and l1ad corne to J ert1- sale111 for that very pttrposc. o 1nan would st1b titute for Jestl as far a tl1cy were concerr1ed. 'l l1ey kne, tl1at J est1s wot1Jd ce tl1e1t1 for Ile t t1r11 none avla e111pt)' ·c JJt tho"'e wt1 are filled y,1itl1 self. WJ1y dicl the 1rc k v.1a11t to e Jell ? J t1 c t1l l av th 111 and tl tuin tl1 111 and 111ak lif n1 ani11gtul , 11d J>tlrp f11J. J "tls The Wonder of It All The Heavens Resound Saviour More than Life to Me Christ Ia All Zion's Hill The Old-Fashioned Meeting And C~n It Be Ten Thousand Angels He Di ed for Me It's Real Holy Spi rit, Faithful Guide Came Down and Glory Filled f.1y Soul On Jordan's Stormy Banks could deliver them from the emptine s of their philo ophy and cau e then1 to delight in Hi pre ence and ble 1ng. J e u could give them grace, glorv and peace. There the Greel are t1pon the page of cr1pture trt1th, acting , ot1nd– Jy and anel} in their de, ire to ~ee Je, tl . I et ti learn a les~on h~re The deep heart cry of n1en 1, that che, y., ant to ee J e,t1 , not u let ti re\'eal Je')u to n1en 1n our prea~h1ng, teaching. a11d \\'itnes 111g. Rcn1er11l)cr John the Hapti ' t ,.,,a, a , ,oicc tor ,od i11 the Jt1 Jean ,v1lller– ness, to be heard, 1101 ,ten . ..-l 'he su .._ ccs f t1l fi her111an 111t1,t Ct)Jl al hi111- cl f. One St111da ' C\ c111ng the h pp p' tstor ,vi, s r j li i11g ir1 a 111an' n ,,J 1 Jot111d s, lvatio11. It i11qt1ir d l1in1 al ot1t tl1i , i11 tl1 t: ,, >r 1", ··11r tl1 r, ,, t1 t ,, a it tl1 t 1 , id tl1, t au d u t get Sfl\ ' d t )Ilig}1t n? "I tiling, 11 th– ing tl1at 'Ota ai 1 1 J>r a 11 r," h 1 a i 01 e d, ' l t ,, a tl r t t !" ·' tr, ,,, ,, t1ld ti ." 11 n! FEBRUAR 1911 13