Thought for the Month - March 2012

"Beholding the Son" By Barry Adair

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

I was thinking about the word "beholds" recently from the verse above. I hadn't seen that verse in ages and then along it comes a couple of times in the last week or two. The verse is found in John chapter 6, verse 40.

The Greek word translated as 'beholds' means to show regard to, to pay attention to, to consider carefully, to view attentively.

If we are in the presence of something or someone special and yet we pay scant attention, then we aren't beholding that object or person.

On this very topic, I want to include the following true story…

On a cold January morning in 2007, in a corner of the Washington DC Metro station, a young violinist took up his instrument and began to play. Just like any other street musician, he opened his violin case in the hope of tips. He played six classical pieces for about 45 minutes and during that time approximately 2,000 people went through the Metro station. Six people stopped to linger and listen for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk at their normal pace. Several children stopped to listen, but in every instance, the parent pushed the child to move on. For his morning concert, the musician collected $32. After the hour was over, the young man stopped and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded. Unbeknownst to the DC Metro patrons, the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the finest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars! Two days before, Joshua Bell had sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100!

Those passers-by in the story above failed to recognise or behold a great talent. There was no acknowledgment of the genius who was in their presence.

In our world today the vast majority fail to recognise that there is an awesome Creator behind our very existence. I am often ridiculed for my belief in a special creation i.e. rather than believing in a Godless evolution. Atheists and agnostics seem to be gaining in number. To them, the idea that God exists is sheer lunacy. And to my personal belief that God sent His Son to die for a lost mankind, well, that is laughed out of our workplace tea room!

Only those who behold the Son, only those who acknowledge the Son and believe on Him alone for their salvation will have eternal life.

I can sense a growing hostility to the things of God. In workplaces and schools up and down the country, Bible believing Christians are increasingly being told that we believe in fairy tales. There is also a growing belief that science has proved that God doesn't exist. I also detect an increased pride in their own self-reliance.

• The Lord Jesus Christ was the most perfect Man who ever walked this earth and many don't believe in His deity.
• Jesus created every part of this Universe, a Universe, many insist, which came about purely at random.
• Jesus entered a sinful world to allow sinners an escape but many don't feel the need to escape anything!

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise really. The Bible is clear that the road to a lost eternity is wide and many travel on it and that the road to a heavenly home is narrow and few are found on that road.

If I can repeat myself again -
Only those who behold the Son, only those who acknowledge the Son and believe on Him alone for their salvation will have eternal life.

Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. Rev 3:20

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Cor 5:17

Jesus is the real deal.
Jesus is truly worth getting to know.
Jesus is our only way to Heaven and home.

Until next month then (DV)…

(All quotations are from the NASB)

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!