My Mom taught me that it is not polite to stare at people. However some people make it
very difficult to follow my Mom’s instruction. With the artistic expression that is prevalent in our culture I have often found myself staring at people and feeling awkward when caught. I have thought some about this and I am no longer going to feel that sense of awkwardness because if people don't want to be starred at then why would they decorate themselves in such a way as to cause me to stare?
For reasons other than decoration and outward appearance I am sure that many starred at Jesus. I fact I we all would be better of if we would do more starring at our Lord. In order to overcome the barriers that keep me from positive life change, I need to stare
at Jesus and I would invite you to do the same. The passage on which we have based this series helps me better
understand exactly what this means. http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/2-corinthians/passage/?q=2-corinthians+3:17-18
We know that we as Christians are to keep our eyes
on Christ, but it seems to me that so many other things keep jumping into my line of sight. It’s like we are trying to down a busy freeway and we keep
getting cut off by semi-trucks. My goal in
this message is to help us stare at God.
1. Starring at God is more
than a glance. The word "beholding in our text ssuggests contemplation and meditation, not a cursory patronizing glance.
2. Starring at God is a
focus on His glory. Consider the following passages:”
A. Stop staring at each other. Genesis 42:1
B. Stop complaining about what God has given you. Numbers 11:6
C. Have a worshipful focus. Psalm 8
D. Look down and up. Psalm 27:13 and Psalm 123:1
3. Staring
at God transforming because…
A. We are beholding with “unveiled
face”
Because of Jesus’ has
removed the barrier of sin, we know can reflect the glory
of God. There is no
longer anything in between us a God.
B. Staring at Jesus makes us like
Him.
“His glory shines upon us, and into us, and fills us, until it
shines out from us again. By
gazing
on His glory the believer is changed through the Spirit into the same image.”
Andrew Murry
C. “It is a law of nature that
the eye exercises a mighty influence on mind and
character.”
Andrew Murry
With these points in mind the challenge becomes surrendering to what we see when we stare at God. When you stare at God He
will shape you into the image of Jesus. In Romans 8:29 Paul says, "For
those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed
to the image of His Son. We must understand when we will
be fully formed. This is explained by John in his first epistle when he writes, "We
know that when He appears, we
will be like Him, because we
will see Him as He is! (1 John 3:2) "
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