Episode Details

Welcome back to our verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. Last lesson we focused on how you can see Jesus with the eyes of faith by reading the eyewitness accounts of Jesus in the Bible, seeing Jesus in creation, seeing Jesus in other believers, and trusting that one day you will see Jesus face to face in Heaven.

In this lesson, we’re going to focus on gazing upon Jesus.

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.

Let’s focus on …which we have gazed upon…

The disciples not only saw Jesus in person, but they gazed upon Jesus. To “gaze” means to be transfixed, to study, to analyze, to look closely at, to contemplate, and to behold attentively.

The disciples gazed upon how Jesus behaved, how He performed miracles, how He loved people, how He prayed, how He taught, and how He suffered for humanity.

If you want to really grow in your relationship with Jesus follow the example of the disciples and gaze upon Him. Even though you can’t physically see Jesus, you can still gaze upon Him by reading the Bible and studying who He is.

God wants you to look to Him, to seek His face, to keep your eyes always upon Him, to keep your thoughts on Him, to lift up your eyes to Him, to behold Him, and to fix your eyes upon Him.

Let’s look at some Bible verses encouraging you to gaze upon God, seek Him, set your mind upon Him, and believe in Him.

In Numbers 21 the Israelites were complaining against the LORD to Moses. Moses was leading the Israelites through the desert to the promised land. Because of their complaints, the LORD sent venomous snakes among the people. As a result, many people died. Then, the people confessed their sins. The LORD told Moses to put a fiery serpent on a pole and that anybody that looked at the serpent on the pole would live. This is a foreshadowing of looking to Jesus for salvation.

Numbers 21:8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.

In John 3:14-15 Jesus says that the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness. You are to look to Jesus and believe if you want to have eternal life and be freed from sin.

John 3:14-15 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

In 2 Chronicles chapters 6 and 7, we read about Solomon’s temple dedication. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we read God’s response to Solomon after Solomon finished building the temple. He lets Solomon know about the benefits of seeking His face.

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