John 14:16 –  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:17 –  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 14:18 –  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:19 –  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Hello readers, just want to say thanks for reading my blog, I hope it has been a blessing and help and relevant to you, and hopefully you have a blessed end of year. We are on the verge of Christmas, and at this time many reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ. God himself walked the earth as a man, he took part in his own creation to save his creation. For God so loved the world. It is silly of us to remember the fact of his birth at this time of year without asking… why was he was born at all?

Jesus Christ had a purpose for being born into this world. Jesus Christ said to a lost and unrepentant and unbelieving and unsaved Roman governor “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” If you know the context in John 18 where Jesus said this, you know that Jesus was speaking to Pilate, and about to be crucified… here he had arrived at his purpose for his birth. Jesus Christ was born to die, and die for our sins.

But not only die… but rise again. And he died on the cross, but on the third day he rose from the dead, because it was not possible that death could hold him. Why not? Because death is for sinners, but Jesus did no sin. Death applies to mortals, but he is immortal. Jesus paid our sin debt, and rose from the dead, and guess what… since then he has disappeared hasn’t he. He ascended to the Father and for two thousand years all we’ve had is the Bible and the Holy Spirit of God… which is more than enough in his absence.

I’ve titled this blog seeing someone last seen two thousand years ago. Because guess what, you can see Jesus Christ today, you can see him at Christmas like the wise men did, like Simeon did, like Anna did, like the shepherds did. You might not see him “exactly” like them, but pretty darn close, and just as good to be honest. You see, yes, Jesus Christ has been hidden from this world for two thousand years. This world has not seen him since his body was hauled off the cross by Roman soldiers. But believers have seen him, just in a different way, through the eyes of faith, through the illumination of the Holy Spirit of God. We know Christ in a way this world cannot and never will, until he is revealed the second time… although this “birth” of God into his creation will look quite different the second time.

See we tend to look back, but at this time we also look forward. Because as he came the first time, he is coming a second time. Yes that second coming is different, but no less anticipated. So much of the Bible deals with a time that lies in the future, rather than behind. Let us look forward. I remember reading in the Old Testament where the Bible says there would be a time where Israel will no longer say “The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt”… ” But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.” See, this isn’t a past faith, this is a present faith and a present salvation and a present God, who is the God of the living, not of the dead. He IS the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… not “was”.

So this world hasn’t seen Christ for two thousand years, he is hidden from them. But believers have a revelation of Christ when he is birthed in their hearts and they know Christ through the Holy Spirit, who is the first fruits of our salvation… all the while we wait on the promise of one day seeing him face to face.

In the back parts of the book of John is Jesus talking to his disciples just before his betrayal and arrest. And his disciples were being saddened by him saying he was going away. But Jesus told them it was necessary for him to go away, and that he would not leave them comfortless, but he would come to them. So even though he would be hidden from this world, he would be very real in each of their lives.

And they had a hard time understanding how that could work. And the Bible says in John 14:22 that “Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” See? How can we know you while nobody else does. That’s because you do get the revelation of Christ, just like Christ was revealed to the wise men and so on at his human birth. And Jesus explained how it would work, and it is the Holy Spirit whom every single believer receives, who reveals Jesus Christ to us.

So at this Christmas time, may Jesus Christ be revealed afresh to you. He is revealed to you every time you open your Bible. He is revealed to you as the Holy Spirit works in your life to draw you unto Christ, he who wants to have the relationship with you that will give you the Song of songs in your heart. Remember how Jacob’s service for Rachel seemed like nothing, even though it was many years? Guess why. Because he loved her. Even while your salvation is just a first fruits, we have so much more in front of us, infinitely more than behind us. There is glory that is going to be revealed. Do you want to be part of that?

But for many people, the second revelation of Christ to them will be different to the one two thousand years ago. For this world, the next time they see him, it will be in flaming fire. The next time they see him it will be as King of kings and Lord of lords. But until then, until that time that draws near, until the time of his promise of receiving us unto himself and returning to this world in wrath and rule and judgment… let us once again see Christ, even when he is hidden from this world who rejects him.

When you get saved, Christ is completely different to you before and after. There is no personal revelation without repentance and faith. But we will have the revelation, and may we have it this Christmas, may we get right with God, may we get our sins under the blood, may we truly turn to him in our heart and our spirit. May this time of year be his advent in your life, and may you see him who was last seen two thousand years ago to this lost and dying world. This world cannot show you Christ, they do not know Christ, they cannot see him, they’re blinded by Satan, they are in sin, unbelief and darkness. Jesus Christ is seen only through faith in God’s word, humility and repentance, and through the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit of God.

2 Corinthians 5:16 – Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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