Do You See Christ?

What do you see?  Do you see Christ?

I will contend that the heart of the Christian faith is seeing Christ.

John, when he was baptizing, saw Christ - Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Stephen, when he was being stoned, saw Christ - Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

John pauses the great action of his life to see Christ; Stephen sees Christ even in the midst of his death.  They see Christ.

What do you see?  Do you see Christ?

When you look at the Supper - do you see Christ?  This is My Body, This is My Blood.

When you look at your neighbor - do you see Christ?  Whatsoever you have done to the least of these, My brothers, you have done it unto Me.

When you look at your own works and accomplishments - do you see Christ?  On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

So many things vie for our attention, our focus.  They demand that we focus upon them.  My ego,  my pride want my attention.  My neighbor's pride, my neighbor's sin demand a focus, a reaction.  The world wants its due.  Yet all of these are a distraction, the vain and final gasps of the defeated fallen world.

Everywhere you look, there is Christ Crucified.  When you see your pride and ego, that has already been taken by Christ and crucified with Him.  When you see your neighbor's sin, that has already been taken up by Christ.  When you see the world, it is passing and Christ Jesus who made it shall make a new heavens and a new earth that will declare His glory without blemish or stain.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.