Seeing and Savouring Jesus

Seeing and Savouring Jesus

Scripture Focus: 1 John 1:1–3 | Matthew 11:28–30 | Ephesians 1:17–18 | 2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:6

We begin a new summer series — Seeing and Savouring Jesus — exploring the character, nature, and heart of Christ in the Gospels. To savour means to taste and enjoy completely, to soak in a moment with pleasure and delight. That is the invitation Jesus extends to each of us.

1. What Does It Mean to See and Savor Jesus?

  • To savour is to go deeper — Jesus cannot be superficial in our lives
  • Jesus is multifaceted: Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Messiah, Son of Man, Lamb of God, Lion of Judah — each name reveals a different dimension of who he is
  • His character includes compassion, strength, peace, conviction, and composure — even under intense pressure
  • His closest followers spent 3.5 years with him and still didn’t fully grasp him — we are always on a journey of discovery

2. Hearing, Seeing, and Touching Jesus

  • 1 John 1:1–3 — “What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim to you”
  • It is possible to hear without listening, to see without looking, to experience without truly being touched
  • Paul prays in Ephesians 1:17–18 that we receive wisdom and revelation to know Jesus better — that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened
  • When our hearts are captured by something, our attention follows — God desires that attention to be directed toward him
  • The more we explore Jesus, the more we see his worth

3. Jesus — The Radiance of God’s Glory

  • He is “the radiance of the glory of God, the exact representation of his being” — when we see Jesus, we see God
  • 2 Corinthians 4:6 — “The God who said ‘let light shine out of darkness’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Christ”
  • The Greek word teleios (from which “telescope” comes) describes spiritual maturity as a journey — we see where we are going and grow toward it, transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor. 3:18)
  • The church needs to return to its simplicity: loving Jesus, being transformed by him, and reflecting his character to the world

4. Finding Rest in Jesus

  • Matthew 11:28–30 — “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
  • Rest is not found in circumstances or vacations — it is found in Jesus first
  • We can be in the most beautiful setting and still carry our burdens — Jesus must be our first place to turn
  • Could it be that we remain weary because we haven’t truly touched and savoured Jesus?

5. The Goal: A Community That Reflects Jesus

  • True Christianity is not religion — it is relationship with Jesus, a way of living
  • The world has few critics of Jesus, but many critics of the church — the more we reflect his character, the more people will be drawn to him
  • The world is hungry for authenticity, meaning, and real role models — Jesus is that difference
  • Our goal this summer: to hear him, see him, feel him, and touch him more profoundly — and to become a community that reflects his face to one another and to the world

Communion

Communion is itself an act of savouring Jesus — pausing, soaking in, and appreciating what he has done. As we take it together, we reflect on his sacrifice, his love, his body and blood given for us, and the salvation found through him alone.