Grace For The Journey

  In 1996, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two graduate students at Stanford University, were working on a research project that eventually made them multi-millionaires, and internet technology icons.  Page and Brin created a website whose name is recognized by computer geeks and grandmas alike.  Their research project was a new search engine that they named Google.

For the technically challenged and internet illiterate, Google is a site that helps you find what you are looking for on the internet.  You simply type in a word or a phrase and Google gives you a list of web sites that match your search.

What words or phrases would best describe what you are searching for in life?  If you could use Google for your life’s pursuits, what would you type into the search engine?  No doubt, some of you would type in the phrase, “more money.”  Some would search for “true love.”  Others would enter the word, “happiness,” because the search of their life is to find something that brings them true happiness.

Long before Google, the internet, and computers, the Lord Jesus asked a very relevant and important question.  In John 1:38, Jesus turned to His first two disciples and asked them, “What do you seek?”  That’s a good question.  In reality, all of life is spent in the pursuit and search of something.  Unfortunately, most people are seeking for all the wrong things.

In this story, we find that there are three things we should seek for in our journey with the Lord.  No matter who you are, or where you are in your relationship with Christ, all three of these things should be something you pursue.

 1) SEEK HIS CLEANSING.

There are a couple of reasons to seek His cleansing . . .

Because We Are Sinners.

Because He Is the Savior.

Verse 36 John the Baptist proclaims, “And looking at Jesus as He walked, he saith, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’”

 2) SEEK HIS COMMAND.

When these first two disciples approached Jesus, they were seeking more than just forgiveness.  Yes, they wanted cleansing, but they wanted more from the Messiah than just atonement.  Verse 38 says, “Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’  They said unto him, ‘Rabbi, (which is to say, when translated, Master,) where are you staying?’”  Notice how they addressed Him – Rabbi or Master.  In calling Him “Rabbi,” these disciples indicated that they wanted to listen to Him and learn from Him.  They wanted to hear His commands for their lives.

Notice a couple of things we must do in seeking His command.  First of all, we must . . .

Recognize Him as Lord

Request His Leadership

While Jesus is Lord, He will not force Himself upon anyone.  These two disciples sought Him and pursued Him before He began to teach them and instruct them.

3) SEEK HIS COMPANY.

Verse 38 says, “Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following Him, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’  They said unto Him, ‘Rabbi, (which is to say, being translated, Master,) where are you staying?’”  The Lord had asked them already what they were seeking. They them ask the Lord where He dwelt.  Certainly, there were a lot of things these men wanted, but mainly, they just wanted to be with the Lord.

Notice a couple of truths we draw from this verse that speak to us about seeking His company in our lives . . .

The Difference in this Request.

They did not invite Jesus back to their home.  They wanted to go to His.

It was not so much that

They wanted Him to be

A part of their lives,

As they were interested

In being a part of His.

Most people want Jesus

To come into their lives,

And to work around their schedule,

And their needs, and their situation.

Oh, that we would reach the point in our Christian lives where . . .

We simply want to be wherever He is!

How different our prayers would be if we wanted to go with Him, rather than Him going with us.

No longer would we say, “Lord, I want to do this,” but rather, “Lord, what do you want me to do.”  We will stop praying, “Lord, bless what I’m doing,” and we will start praying, “Lord, help me to do what You are blessing.”

In seeking His company, notice not only the difference in this request, but notice also further . . .

The Desire of this Request.

They didn’t ask Him for any miracles.  They didn’t want Him to meet any specific need. Their hearts desire was simply to be in His presence and share His company.

Of all the things you are pursuing in life, could anything be more important than the seeking to live in the presence of Jesus?  That should be the utmost desire of our heart.

This is God’s Word …

This is Grace for your Journey …

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”