How can we seek Jesus today, knowing "you will not find Me"? Setting the Scene John 7:34 records Jesus saying, “You will look for Me, but you will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” He repeats the warning in John 8:21. The Lord speaks to unbelieving listeners who refuse to accept His identity and mission. Their hardened hearts—not His distance—keep them from finding Him (cf. John 5:39-40). Why They Could Not Find Him • Rejection of His deity (John 7:25-27) • Unwillingness to repent (John 3:19-20) • Reliance on lineage and ritual instead of faith (John 8:33-37) • Imminent departure through death, resurrection, and ascension (John 13:33) What Has Changed—and What Hasn’t • Jesus is still bodily absent (Acts 1:9-11). • He is now ever-present through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18). • Access to Him remains exclusively by faith and repentance (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:30-31). How We Can Seek—and Find—Jesus Today 1. Turn from Sin and Believe • “Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19). • “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). 2. Open His Word Daily • Scripture reveals Him (Luke 24:27). • “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Colossians 3:16). 3. Pray with Expectation • He promises, “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do” (John 14:13-14). • The Spirit intercedes when words fail (Romans 8:26-27). 4. Walk by the Spirit • “Keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). • The Spirit’s fruit displays Christ’s life in us (Galatians 5:22-23). 5. Gather with His People • He is present “where two or three are gathered in My name” (Matthew 18:20). • Mutual encouragement guards against drifting (Hebrews 10:24-25). 6. Obey His Commands • “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23). • Obedience brings deeper revelation (John 7:17). 7. Serve in His Mission • “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). • Sharing the gospel aligns our hearts with His (Matthew 28:18-20). Warnings for Today • Cultural Christianity without repentance still misses Him (Matthew 7:21-23). • Delayed decisions harden hearts (Hebrews 3:12-15). • Seeking mystical experiences while neglecting Scripture leads astray (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Assurance for the Seeker • “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). • “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). • Everyone granted faith and repentance will indeed find Him—and never be cast out (John 6:37). |
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