What Seek Ye?

What Seek Ye? (John 1:35-39)

INTRO

Steven Paul Jobs was an American entrepreneur, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, the chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; a member of The Walt Disney Company's board of directors. Jobs died a billionaire. Jobs went to seek out ways of creating new gadgets like phones, tablets, iPods, computers, laser printers, visual effects for movies, and so on. Jobs died in 2011 with pancreatic cancer. He left behind this essay in his last days before his death.

I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is the epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, my wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on my bed and recalling my life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in have paled and become meaningless in the face of my death.

You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you, but you cannot have someone bear your sickness for you. Material things lost can be found or replaced. But there is one thing that can never be found when it’s lost—Life. Whichever stage in life you’re in right now, with time, you will face the day when the curtain falls.

Treasure love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well and cherish others. As we grow older, and hopefully wiser, we realize that a $3000 or a $30 watch both tell the same time. You will realize that your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you fly first class or economy, if the plane goes down—you go down with it.

If a billionaire that could have anything he ever wanted in this world is telling others that all his material gain was for nothing, surely us as Christians should already know this fact. Unfortunately, we need to be reminded that we must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. (13) And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. (14) I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The first words of Jesus in John’s gospel is “What seek ye?”

Seek = to desire, endeavor, enquire for. To worship or to crave.

THE PERSONALITY IN SEEKING

Isolation in Seeking - “What seek YE?”

Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

You know what you want to seek, and you are responsible for what you are seeking.

(New Year’s Resolution, Weight Loss Goals, Stop Smoking, Stop Drinking Caffeine, etc)

Think of playing a game of hide and seek. Someone has to seek.

Intentional Seeking

Psalms 63:1-3 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; (2) To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. (3) Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

David doesn't say, “If I happen to think about God.” He says, “I will seek thee.” There is determination in those words.

It speaks of seeking God first, earnestly, and without delay. Not just at a certain time in the morning.

Psalm 42:1–2 “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, So panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?”

Whatever you set your affection on is what you will seek.

THE PREDICAMENT IN SEEKING

Psalms 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

When playing hide and seek, you have to do a little work to find whoever is hiding. I never liked to be the seeker, because you had to work. If you were hiding, you wasn’t doing much of anything.

We have Fleshly Desires.

While we are saved, we have to battle with this flesh. “Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!” We constantly have to battle with what the flesh wants and what the spiritual man wants.

Romans 7:14-18 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Our inner man (saved) wants to seek out the things of God. A lot of times though, we mess up and do the wrong thing.

We have Fleshly Debates. (thoughts)

Romans 8:5-8 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

When a Christian keeps his or her mind on worldly things, you can’t think on spiritual things. When Peter got near Jesus and talked to Jesus, he felt like there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do for the Lord. But when his circumstances and his surroundings changed, he denied the Lord three times.

Some have Fleshly Deposits (earthly treasures)

Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Spurgeon - "The heart must be set on God, or it will never seek God."

Psalm 27:8 “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”

Think of pirates searching for treasure. They are willing to do anything to get that treasure.

We’ve got us a map to let us get as close to Christ as we can. Are you using it?

THE PLAN FOR SEEKING

The Person

Luke 19:2-6 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. (3) And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. (4) And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. (5) And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. (6) And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

If you want to know more about Jesus and who He is, you’re going to have to do something to get to know Him.

I sought Emily. I didn’t goof around and just wish I could know her. I made an effort to get to know her.

If you are lost, you need to seek the Lord!

Isaiah 55:6–7 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

The Place

Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

As far as God is concerned, we’re already sitting in heaven. We should probably act like we are already there, instead of acting crazy down here.

The Priority

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

We're not just to seek the Lord, but seek Him first!

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

The Purpose

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

The purpose of seeking the things of God is not because it will help us in our walk, even though it will.

It’s not to have a good name for ourselves.

It’s not to get revivals and more appointments.

It’s not to have other people recognize how good of a Christian you are.

IT’S BECAUSE WE ARE NOT OUR OWN ANYMORE. IF YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, YOU SHOULD SEEK EVERYTHING THAT CHRIST SOUGHT, AND THAT’S THE WILL OF THE FATHER.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Luke 9:23-25 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (25) For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?