Everyone can read the stories of Jesus and see the portraits painted by the words of those who knew him. but not everyone sees truth and beauty and infinite wisdom…”seeing they do not see”…if you do not prize him above all things, you haven’t apprehended his true worth.

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ

My prayer today is that we might know Christ’s character intimately. When we know his character, when we know Him, we are overcome by his greatness. We stand in awe. And in this we know God and His glory. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Jesus was both fully God and fully man-he was the most visible, tangible picture man has had of God. In looking at his life, we learn the nature of God himself.

In his book, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, John Piper examines the life of Christ and challenges you to truly see Him-to know Him and to be changed in knowing. Many can look at the Bible and point out the “good” things of Christ-his love and compassion, his mercy, his gentleness. What we rarely think of, however, is his great power, his majesty, his wisdom which commanded respect. The former view alone paints a portrait of a weak but kind man, the later view alone is a God to be feared, but not one who is accessible. In order to gain a glimpse of the true Christ, we must recognize that He, by his very nature, is both.

As Piper aptly puts it, Christ is a “lion-like Lamb” and a “lamb-like Lion”, and this strange dichotomy of characteristics are found within one Person. That is the greatness of God. The Lion of Judah is both strong and majestic (as seen when Christ is glorified in Matthew 17)-in the face of a glorified Lord the disciples, who had known and walked closely with Christ, fell on their faces in fear (17:6). And yet, this same man, the Lamb of God, is described as gentle and meek. Meekness in and of itself is a characteristic of greatness-one who is meek is patient under injuries, there is a great sense of humility combined with the idea of power under control. Piper further explains that Jesus both demonstrated an uncompromising justice and great mercy, He was great and yet submissive to God, Jesus baffled scribes and teachers of the law and yet had a deep love for the children. All of these characteristics are fully true of our God, without ever being in contradiction. This is His greatness, this is His glory.

He goes on in his book to explain the beauty in the suffering of Christ, “the only person in history who did not deserve to suffer, suffered most”. Piper explains that suffering is the design of God-Isaiah 53:10 confirms this, “For it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord make his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.” Christ’s suffering was God’s design from the beginning-the only way in which we could have true fellowship with the Father. And though Jesus did not long to suffer (Mark 14:32), he responded in perfect obedience.

The closer we look at Christ the more we learn of our God. He was worthy of all glory, yet he humbled himself like a servant. He alone held the right to condemn and yet chose mercy. My prayer is that we might be amazed by his love, in awe of his goodness, and humbled by his power and perfection. That we might know Christ is of greatest value. That we might be like Christ is our utmost ambition.

application

Read one chapter from a gospel. What do you learn about God and His character through Christ’s actions?

You may freely download Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper from http://www.desiringgod.org/media/pdf/books_bscp/bscp_all.pdf.

prayer

Father, may we be a people who know you. I pray that we would be thoroughly dissatisfied with living on the surface. Lord, may we come before you with renewed awe, may you open our eyes to your greatness, and may we be changed. I pray that you would enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we might truly see you in the scriptures and savor you. Make us hunger for you. Give us knowledge of you, draw our hearts near.