Read
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Meditate
Today’s message
I started by saying what John experienced: we heard, we saw, we touched. He speaks of experience, not hearsay. Our experience with Jesus will determine the depth of our faith. And this is where many stumble: there is a big difference between information and revelation of Jesus. Information you receive from me. Revelation is born when you open the Gospel, draw near to it, and the Holy Spirit removes the lenses accumulated by tradition, culture, and wounds.
Hebrews 1 helps me: God spoke through the Son, the radiance of His glory, the exact representation of His being. Jesus is the clear picture of the Father. Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father (John 14:9). Everything you want to know about God is in the person of Jesus. That’s why John insists: life was manifested. It’s not theory. It’s person. It’s presence. It’s communion.
Three types of filters we can use as examples
- Sunscreen — blocks radiation; reminds us of when we try to block God out of fear.
- Water filter — removes impurities; reminds us of when we try to 'clean' Jesus until we lose His power.
- Brightness filter/glasses — changes color and clarity; shows how lenses distort the real face of Jesus.
Now I want to get to the point. Many see Jesus through inherited lenses. Result? Distance, guilt, bargaining, or a domesticated Christ. In the Gospel, however, Jesus touches lepers, lifts the adulterous woman without condemning her, and calls the rich young man to confront his idol. He forgives the thief on the cross and, at the same time, says: go and sin no more. Grace and truth. Closeness and change.
There is a big difference between information and revelation of Jesus.
Seven filters we need to remove
- Religious Jesus — only rules and rituals; protocol relationship on Sunday.
- Exchange Jesus — bargaining for merit; when I deserve it, I approach.
- Condemning Jesus — fear of constant punishment; the heart moves away.
- Distant Jesus — too holy, far from everyday life; prayer becomes a cold monologue.
- Utilitarian Jesus — I only ask for things; I treat Him like a 24-hour bank.
- Jesus who never confronts — I refuse the cross and discipline; I remain the same.
What is the way? Draw near to Him without a filter. Jesus is not waiting for you to be clean to purify you. He is just waiting for you to draw near to Him for Him to purify you. Read the Gospels on your knees, ask for eye drops to see. It’s not about performance, it’s not about religiosity, it’s about Jesus in our lives. I don’t want to be informed or reformed. I want to be transformed from glory to glory into His perfect image.
I close as I began: He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1). Remove the lenses of distance. Remove the lenses of exchange. Surrender to the living Christ. Let Him confront and comfort. All I need in my life is Jesus.
Did you know
- Laodicea, mentioned in Revelation 3, was known for a famous eye salve; the exhortation to 'buy eye salve' speaks of healed spiritual vision.
- Colossians 1:15-20 is considered one of the earliest Christological hymns, exalting Christ as the image of the invisible God and reconciler.
- Hebrews 1:3 uses exact representation language: the Son is the express image of God's person, a strong term in ancient Greek.
Key phrases
- Our experience with Jesus will determine the depth of our faith.
- There is a big difference between information and revelation of Jesus.
- Everything you want to know about God is in the person of Jesus.
- Everything I need in my life is Jesus.
Translated from the Portuguese original.
Seek
To seek today
Go deeper
Go deeper
Life Manifested - Pr. Nei Messias
Watch