A little matter of personal,
perhaps human interest, maybe of some significance, but
I marvel at the providence of the Lord and the hand of God.
I'm very thankful and far and proud
of my son, Paul, who just led us in prayer. I was sitting there
thinking as he stood here preparing to lead in prayer that he would
be 29 years old tomorrow, and I was exactly his age when
we started this church 29 years ago last Sunday. I'm exactly
twice your age now. I was pastor here. And we started
this church 29 years ago last week. Paul was born a week later.
And we've been here 29 years. They've been 29 very blessed
years. Very happy years. God's done
some marvelous things for us, hasn't he? Let's turn to 1 John
chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3. I'll never be twice as old as
you are again, though. Never again. 1 John 3, verses 1 and 2. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now, right now, are
we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, when he
shall appear, we shall be like him, we shall be like him, for
we shall see him." as he is. I have a very strong desire,
and I think that desire increases as I get older, to see the Lord
Jesus Christ. I believe that I have seen him
by faith as he is revealed in the Word. I believe that I have. I am satisfied with the revelation
of Christ in the word of God. Our Lord said in John 5, verse
39, speaking to the Pharisees, ye search the scriptures, ye
search the scriptures, you are busy searching the scriptures,
for in them you think you have life, but they are they which
testify of me. I thank God that I have seen
Christ in the scriptures. His brother Trebrant spoke Wednesday
night a week ago and traced the revelation of Christ from the
Garden of Eden throughout the Old Testament and showed how
God had taught him to see Christ in all of these types and patterns
and pictures. I have seen Christ in that fashion.
I have seen him in his word. I have seen him in the revelation
of his glorious gospel. I have seen him. Then I have
seen Christ in the universe which he has made. The heavens declare
the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. And though
sin has marred this creation, I still can see the Lord's power
and his glory and his wisdom in the things which he has made.
I want you to turn to Colossians 1. In Colossians 1, verse 16,
it says, for by him, by him were all things created that are in
heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers,
all things were created by him and for him. And he is before
all things, and by him all things consist. Yes, I've seen the Lord
in the things that he has made. I can see the Lord in a beautiful
rose as it opens up, petals so perfectly formed, the color. I can see Christ in the rippling
stream that flows over the rocks. I can see Christ in the forest,
in the changing of the leaves. I can see him in all things,
in the moon at night, in the sun by day, in the The floating
white clouds that make their way through the blue sky, I see
Christ. I see his hand and wisdom and
power, don't you? And then I believe that I've
seen him thirdly, and I've seen his grace in the lives of some
people. This young man that just prayed,
I've seen God move in his life. I've watched him from an infant,
and I've watched him go through different stages of some high
and some low. But I've seen Christ do it in
your lives, in many of you. There are many people who disappoint
us. We're always going to have that. There are people who discourage
us and people who depress us. But there are some along life's
way with whom we come in contact
in whom we can see God. That's right, seek God. I've
seen God in your life. I've seen God in your life, Mike.
I've seen him work and mold you and change you and fashion you. He's going to do a whole lot
more, but I've seen him do what he's done. I've seen God in the
lives of people. I've seen God in their love and
loyalty, in their grace and generosity, in their forgiving and giving.
I've seen God in their lives. I've seen our Lord Jesus Christ. Somebody wrote a course one time,
Christ liveth in me. Christ liveth in me. Oh, what
a salvation, what a deliverance is this, Christ liveth in me. And I've seen Christ in some
of your lives. I've seen Christ. And then fourthly,
I believe I've seen him in his purpose and providence in my
own life. I go back over my life and I
see things that God has brought to pass. It has to be God bringing
me to the place where he has brought me. Turn to Genesis 50. This is what Joseph was saying
to his brethren in Genesis 50. There is not anyone here who
is not acquainted with the life and experiences of Joseph. He
was one of eleven sons, twelve after Benjamin was born. But
his father cared a great deal for Joseph because, well, one
reason was that he was the son of his favorite wife. And then
Jacob knew that God's hand was upon Joseph. He knew that. And
he cared especially for him. But his brethren did not. And
his brethren grew in a hatred for him until they thought that
they had destroyed him. And they sold him to some people
going down into Egypt, sold him to be a slave. And Joseph went
through many trials, slavery, success, and then bondage again,
and prison, and all manner of things, and then success. and
finally the throne of Egypt. And all these years had passed,
and now his 11 brothers were out before him. And Joseph said
to them in verse 19 of Genesis chapter 50, he said to them,
Fear not. Joseph said to them, Fear not,
for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you thought evil
against me. But God meant it unto good, to
bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Regardless of what you did to me, Joseph said, it doesn't matter. God is the first cause of all
things. Whatever has transpired, whatever has taken place in my
life, I see the hand of God. That's what Joseph is saying.
I see the hand of God all the way back there in all of these
things, whether in prison or whether in the pit. Whether on
the throne or whether in the taskmaster's field, I see God. I see his providential hand and
his purpose. So I've seen the Lord. I've seen
the Lord. I've seen him in his word. And
day by day I see him in his word. I see him in this scripture that
we're using this morning. I see the Lord. I've seen God
in the things that he has made. I hope to see more. of a revelation
of his power and glory and what he has made. I like to so tune
my thoughts that wherever I look, I see the Lord. Wherever I look
and whatever I see, I can see the Lord's hand. And I hope to
see more of him in you, in more of you. I hope that you can see
the Lord in me. And I have seen the Lord in his
providential dealings in my life fulfilling his purpose all for
my good and his glory, but I want to see the Lord. I want to behold
his person. I want to see him in his eternal
glory. I have a strong desire to behold
Christ and never to be separated from him. And I don't believe
this is wrong at all. If you turn to Exodus 33, Moses
wanted to see the Lord. I want to see Christ. I want
to see him in his glory. Moses wanted to see the Lord.
He said in Exodus 33, verse 18, and he said, I beseech thee,
show me thy glory. Lord, I want to see your glory. And God said, I will make all
my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name
of the Lord before thee, and I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
And he said, Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man
see me and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there
is a place by me there, and thou shalt stand upon a rock and it
shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, and I'll put
thee in a cleft of the rock, and cover thee with my hand while
I pass by, and then I'll take away my hand, and thou shalt
see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen." Moses wanted
to see it. He wanted to. Job wanted to see
the Lord. Turn to Job 19. It's exactly
what he wanted. He wanted to see the Lord. In
Job 19, beginning with verse 23, listen. Oh, Job said, Oh,
that my words were now written. Oh, that they were printed in
a book. Oh, that they were graven with an iron pen and laid in
the rock forever. I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall
I see God." I want to see God. I want to see God. That's what
he said, and I expect to. Not only that, he said, whom
I shall see for myself. And my eyes shall behold, and
not another, not a stranger, though my reins be consumed within
me, I'm going to see God." David wanted to see the Lord. David
said, but I shall be satisfied, but I shall be satisfied when
I awake with his likeness. The Apostle Paul frequently spoke
of his desire to see the Lord. Let's look at a few of them.
A few of them. First of all, in 2 Corinthians
5, verse 8. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 8. The Apostle Paul said this. 2
Corinthians 5, verse 8. I'm confident. I'm confident,
I say. And willing rather to be absent
from this body, to be present with the Lord. To be present
with the Lord. And again, in the book of Philippians,
chapter 1 and verse 23, the Apostle Paul said this. He said, I'm
in a strait betwixt the two. Betwixt two. I have a desire. What's your desire, Paul, to
depart? to die and to be with Christ. That's my desire, to
depart and be with Christ. And then he said in II Timothy
4, I've fought a good fight, I've kept the faith, I've finished
my course, there's laid up for me in heaven a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord shall give to me in that day, and not only
to me, but to all them who love his appearing. And then here
in our text, let's look at I John 3 again. And the Apostle John
said in chapter 3 of 1 John verse 2, the last line, he said, we'll
be like him and we're going to see him. We're going to see him
as he is. I'm going to see the Lord. I'm
going to see the Lord. And there's nothing wrong with
desiring to see the Lord. Moses wanted to see the Lord.
Job wanted to see the Lord. David said, with all that I've
enjoyed and all in which I've participated and all with which
God's blessed me, I'll never be satisfied until I see the
Lord. The Apostle Paul wanted to see
the Lord, and here John says, verse 3, and every man that hath
this hope, what hope? He's going to see the Lord. I'm going to see the Lord, purify
himself even as he's pure. All right, I want you to look
at several things now. We shall see him as he is. That's
my text right there. The last line of verse 2, chapter
3, 1 John, we shall see him as he is. We shall see him as he
is. I want us to look at this glorious
position. We're going to see him as he
is. I'm going to see him as he is. Now, my mind has often tried
to visualize Jesus Christ as he was. Has your mind ever tried
that? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. How often
I've wondered about the babe lying in the manger. Isaiah said he shall grow up
as a tender plant, as a root out of a dry ground. And I try
to visualize in my mind, and I have some questions about what
he was like as a baby. His mother held him. Don't you
know Mary looked down upon that babe like Simeon of old. She
knew some things God had told her. Well, she said, I don't
know a man. How can I have a child? And the
angel said, that holy thing will be the Son of God. But you know,
Mary looked at him with wonder and amazement. And I sometimes
think I would like to look upon him. And then I wonder about
that young boy in the carpenter's shop. I see your children, young
Colin's boy and Cecil's boy and Miles' boy following along behind
them. Joseph had a boy once, unusual
boy. He knew something too. He knew. Don't you know when he was busy
working in that cart in the shop and he turned and saw Jesus over
there working? Amazing. He knew that was not,
he didn't conceive that son, but that's the Son of God. And I know he must have held
him in great awe as he watched it grow in body and wisdom and
favor with God and man. And then my mind inquires a lot
about the man Jesus Christ, when he left home at 30 years of age
and went out to preach. And Jesus began to preach. And
I see him walking. I wonder about his walk. I wonder
about his eyes. I wonder about his statue. I wonder about his voice. I see him standing there and
James and John, the sons of Zebedee are fishing and he looks at them
and they look up at him and he said, you follow me and I'll
make you fishers of men. And they just laid everything
down and followed him. What a voice, what power. Some folks came out to arrest
him one day and they came back and said, never a man spake like
that man. We couldn't lay hands on him.
He walked along and Matthew, Matthew was an important, influential
tax collector, sitting at the receipt of customs and our Lord
walked by and said, Matthew, follow me. And he walked home,
never looking back. He heard Matthew's footsteps.
He knew he'd follow. And then I see him as he sits
on the side of that well, and that sinful woman comes to draw
water. And he looks at her with those
eyes of tenderness and compassion, and he says, give me a drink.
Give me a drink. And then all that conversation
took place, and she said, when the Messiah comes, he'll tell
us all things. Wouldn't you love to have been
standing there and heard him say, I am he. That makes cold chills run up
and down my back. And to see him as he walks along
and hears the cry of Bartimaeus, Jesus, son of David, That mercy
on me, and he stops and says, tell him to come to me. And our
Lord spoke to Bartimaeus, and his eyes were opened. Oh yeah,
I'm human. I'd like to have been there.
I'd like to have heard it, that voice. I'd like to have heard
the preacher of the Beatitudes sitting there on the mountain
speaking to his people. I'd like to have eavesdropped
against him in his garden and heard somebody pray that can
pray. Heard him pray that great high
priestly prayer. I pray not for the world. I don't
pray for that which shall never be. If I prayed for the world,
the world would be saved. I pray for them which thou hast
given me. I pray for them. And then in my mind and eyes
are strained to look back at that cross. as he hangs between
heaven and earth, and that thief over there curses him and blasphemes
him, and this one over here says, Lord, you're not going to stay
dead and remember me when you come into your kingdom. Today
you'll be with me in paradise. Well, I'll never see him as he was. Bethlehem's manger is gone. You're
pagan if you start looking for it. It's gone. It is no more. The carpenter's shop is gone.
It is no more. People say they're going to walk
where Jesus walked. Calvary's hill cannot be found,
nor the tomb. They are as things that were
and are no more. Even if you could determine where
these places are, the presence of God would not make them holy.
He walks there no more. In vain we try to paint these
places and create these places and imagine these places. They're
gone! And John didn't say, we're going
to see him as he was. He said, we're going to see him
as he is. We're going to see him as he is. He's not abased in incarnation,
he's seated in glory. But we shall see him as he is,
the head that once was crowned with thorns is crowned with glory
now. The writer of Hebrews wrote this. who being the brightness of his
glory and the express image of his person and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged
our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. He is not a man of sorrows anymore,
rejected and despised, but he is now exalted and honored and
worship no more the bloodied spear, the cross and nails no
more, for hell itself shakes at his name, and all the heavens
adore. And God hath given him a name
which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
shall bow, and every tongue shall confess. Every knee in heaven,
earth, and hell shall bow and confess that he's Lord, he's
Lord, he is Lord. And we shall see him not as he
was, no more. But as he is, we shall not see
him in the wilderness tempted and tried by Satan. We shall
not see him with the finger of scorn pointed at him, being called
a winebibber and a glutton. We shall not see him mocked and
ridiculed and despised. We shall not see him stand silently
as men spit in his face and slap him and nail him to a tree. But
we shall see him as he is! exalted, enthroned, and adored. He's not under the Father's wrath.
He's robed now in majesty and power. All hail the power of
Jesus' name. Let angels prostrate fall. Bring forth that royal diadem
and see him as he is, and see him as he is, and see him as
he is. Lord of all. Turn to John 6,
verse 57, and let me ask you a question, a question our Lord
asks some of those religious people of his day. Does a little
sovereignty offend you? Does a little sovereignty offend
you? Does a little frail, feeble,
weak preaching by human beings of the glories And the majesty
and the power of Christ offends you, does it? Well, he said in
John 6, verse 57, As the living Father hath sent
me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he
shall live by me. This is that bread which came
down from heaven, not as your fathers did eat manna and are
He that eateth of this bread shall live forever." And these
things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum, and
many, therefore, of his disciples when they heard it, they said,
This is a hard saying. Who can hear it? When Jesus knew
it himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto
them, Does this offend you? What? And he said, Ye shall see
the Son of Man ascend up where he was before. Will you see him as he is? Does
a little weak, frail, feeble preaching of sovereignty offend
you? Then you would be greatly offended
to see him as he is. You wouldn't want to, because
you'd cry with those who cry for the rocks and mountains to
fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth
on the throne. on the throne, nobody begging
to be hid from the sight of a sweet little Jesus, boy. Nobody begging
to be hid from the sight of the frail Reformer who was frustrated
and defeated at every turn. But men at judgment cry for the
rocks and mountains to hide them from the face. of him who sits
on the throne as he is. I'm going to see him as he is. And I'll tell you this, I'll
be totally honest with you, I'm anxious to see him as he is,
because I believe him as he is. And I'll tell you this, I'm glad
he's as he is. I wouldn't have anyone else where
he is. Because God put him where he
is, and he died to be where he is, that he might be Lord of
the dead and the living. Let's look at our text
again. I'm going to see him. We shall see him as he is. As
he is. And then notice the person glorified. We're going to see him as he
is. Him. Him. Perhaps someone would say, but
Brother Mahan, I want to see the beloved Savior. I want to
see the tender, the tender Redeemer who sat and brought the little
children to him and said, suffer the little children to come to
me for such is the kingdom of heaven. I want to see the one
who stooped and wrote in the sand in forgiving grace. to the person found in sin. I
want to see the one who said, does no man forgive, does no
man condemn, neither do I go and sin no more. I want to see
the one who loved me and died for me. I want to see the tender,
kind, merciful Redeemer who touched me and called me by His grace.
That's who I want to see. You're talking about an enthroned
king and majesty and monarch and ruler. I'm talking about
a beloved tender shepherd. Same one. Same one. We're going to see him. Him who
loved us and gave himself for us. Him. Him. We're going to see him as He. Turn to Hebrews 6. The writer
of Hebrews talks about this in Hebrews 6, verses 19 and 20. Listen to this. In verse 19 and
20 of Hebrews 6, he said, We have a hope, which hope we have,
verse 19, as an anchor of our souls, both sure and steadfast,
which entereth into that within the veil. Whether the forerunners
entered for us, even Jesus, even Jesus, even Jesus, that's his
name of humiliation. When the angel came to Joseph,
he said, call that infant's name Jesus, Jesus, for he shall save
his people from their sin. Jesus, they put over the cross,
this is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. But that's
not all he is, listen, even Jesus. made a high priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. This one, ancient of days, having
neither beginning of days nor end of days, having neither mother,
father, or pedigree, a priest forever! Same one, same one. You'll know him by his Godhead
and by his manhood. You'll know him by his Do you know that he'll still
bear those scars in glory? Fanny Crosby wrote about that,
and she said, when my life here is ended and I cross the swelling
tide, when that bright and glorious morning I shall see, I shall
know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, and his smile
will be the first to welcome me, oh, that soul-thrilling rapture
when I view his blessed face and the luster of his kindly
beaming eye, how my full heart will praise him for his mercy,
love, and grace that prepared for me a dwelling in the sky.
Through the gate to the city in a robe of spotless white,
he will lead me where no tears will ever fall, and in that glad
song of ages I will mingle with the light For I long to see my
Savior first of all, and I shall know him, I shall know him, as
redeemed by his side I shall stand, I shall know him, I shall
know him by the print of the nails in his hand." My friend,
we'll see the hand and we'll see the nail prints, but not
the nails. They've been drawn out forever.
We shall see his side that was pierced, but there'll be no blood
flowing from it. We shall see him arrayed, not
in peasant's robes, but with a starry universe about his shoulders. We shall see him, not with a
mocking reed in his hand, But we shall see him with a golden
scepter of complete dominion over all creation. We shall see
him not surrounded by critics, not surrounded by Pharisees,
not surrounded by those trying to trap him in his talk. But
we shall see him surrounded forever with angels and seraphims and
cherubims and the redeemed multitude, and every voice will be lifted
in complete unity. Worthy is the Lamb. We shall
see him. Write the word him as large as
you wish. Those who know him will recognize
him. All right, one other point, and
I'll close. 1 John 3, we shall see him. We shall see him as he is. And we shall see him, same one,
as he is. And notice this, the glorious
promise, we shall. We shall. We shall see him. How I love
the shalls and wills of God's word. All that the Father giveth
me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. He that believeth on the Son
shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. Thy people
shall be willing in the day of thy power. My sheep hear my voice,
and they follow me, and I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man
is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. Other sheep
I have, which are not of this fold, them I must bring, and
they shall hear my voice. and they shall be one fold and
one shepherd. Who can separate us from the
love of God, till tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or nakedness, or peril of sort? Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. I am persuaded
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, No things present, no things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. We shall, we shall. But notice this word, we shall
see him. We shall see him. How partially
we see him now. I said I see him in his word,
but I see through a glass dimly. I see him in you, but it's only
a dim and weak sight. I see him in what he's made,
in the things that he has made. I see him, I see him, but, oh,
my friend, I'm going to see him face to face, face to face. Then I shall know, I shall be
able to comprehend. as I've been known and comprehended.
Someday the silver cord will break, and I know more, as now
shall preach or sing with all the joy when I shall awake in
the presence of the King, and I shall see him." Think of it
face to face. You can't hardly imagine it. And face to face, some day my
earthly house will fall, I cannot tell how soon it will be, but
this I know, I shall, I shall see him. I shall. And watch this right here. And
John said, 1 John 3, verse 2, last line, we, we, we shall see
him. We. Everybody's not going to
see him. No, no, everybody's not. But
we shall. Oh, brother of mine, I want to
be in that we. I do, too. I do, too. Oh, I want to be in that we.
Well, who are they? Well, turn to John 6. We, chosen, yes. Called, yes. justified, yes, but this we are some folks who by their own, of course by
God's grace, but by their own experience and choice and good pleasure have laid hold
upon Christ and refused to leave him. That's what in John 6, verse
66, listen, and from that time many went back and walked no
more with him, no more with him. They wanted nothing to do with
the despised one, wanted nothing to do with the rejected one,
they wanted nothing to do with the suffering one, so they walked
no more with him. Then Jesus said to the twelve,
will you also go away? Simon Peter answered, Lord, to
whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ,
the Son of the living God. We are going to see him. That's
the we right there, Bob. That's the weak. It is those,
the only ones who will not be ashamed to behold his glory,
are those who are not ashamed to behold his sacrifice and suffering. Not ashamed. I'm not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ. It's the power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believeth. Yeah, from that time many went
back and walked no more, and he turned to the wheat and he
said, will you also go away? Bless his heart, old Peter spoke for the rest of them, and
he said, but to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe, we believe and we're sure that thou art
that Christ, the Son of the living God. And John, the beloved, writes,
and we shall see him as he is.