Seeking Jesus Ain't What You Think It Is

Introduction

I don't need to tell you this, but this world is turning upside down very quickly. Wrong is right, justice is dead, and evil seems to be given a free pass these days. It would seem that the America has lost its collective mind, and Americans have lost the ability to know much of anything. It would seem that our nation is on a very dangerous trajectory.

We Christians are struggling, too. Fear is gripping our hearts as they look at COVID and a nation that is unraveling around them. We have prayed for our nation to be redeemed, but it doesn't seem to be happening. We're supposed to have the answers, but we're missing something. What could it be?

Those who don't know Jesus are just as important to the Lord as those who do. And Jesus is trying to get us all to look at Him. That's what He's been doing since the world was created. He did that when He walked the earth. And for the sake of every human being who ever lived, who lives now, and who will live, our Creator wants us to stop trying to "figure out" on our own how to live, He wants us to trust in Him.

Until your life is singularly focused on the pursuit of Jesus, you will hunger for more spirituality; your work will be empty, and life will not be satisfying.

Vs 22-25 - Context

V. 26 - Purpose for seeking Christ

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching To Believe

Martin Luther once said, “Miracles take place not because they are performed but because they are believed.” Simon Lake believed in the possibilities of a submarine long before it was perfected. The Wright brothers believed in air transportation years before their daring flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

V. 27 - Priority of seeking Christ

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Win Some

The temptation is always to be agreeable with people, gentle and general. Daily someone says, “I never discuss politics or religion with anyone.” This is not only untrue, but a sad commentary on people with convictions. Every Christian, as Paul said to Timothy, is entrusted with the gospel and is expected to win laborers for His kingdom. (See 1 Tim. 1:8–11.)

Anything worth having is worth working for. We live in a society where, to many, everything is provided by the government, parents, or others. Farm life, however, means work. And work is what is needed when it comes to seeking Christ. We work for food, but Jesus says we should work for the food that will lead to eternal life - and that is Jesus.

Do we work at our relationships? How about our relationship with Jesus? It takes work, discipline, time, and commitment.

v. 29 - Purity of seeking Christ

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Faith Is the Victory

A nationwide poll was taken in the United States on religious questions. When asked whether they believed in God, 95 percent of those polled answered “yes.” When asked whether religion in any way affected their politics and their business, 54 percent said “no.” They had a belief, but they did not have a directing faith. Faith is action. Faith encompasses the entire spectrum of life’s encounters and experiences.

Conclusion

Until your life is singularly focused on the pursuit of Jesus, you will hunger for more spirituality; your work will be empty, and life will not be satisfying.

This will require we change the whole purpose for which we seek the Lord.

This means we must change our priorities for which we seek Jesus.

And this means we must seek Him with our whole hearts - completely - in our intellect, our emotions, and our actions/obedience.

Sin stands in the way of that. Only Jesus can take away our sin.