I guess they thought that I charged by the minute because the best man handed me $5.00 as they exited the church. The name of the church was “First” Assembly of God. When someone would ask me if this was my first church, I would sometimes ask them, “What does the sign out front say?” Some day I may write a book entitled “Who’s on First” remembering the classic comedy act of Abbott and Costello as an illustration of ministry.

I’ll never forget my first pulpit. It was beautifully varnished, but on the top, in large hand painted black letters, was the scripture, “Sir, we would see Jesus”. I’m not certain if a parting pastor had left those words of wisdom or if a disgruntled church member painted them on the pulpit. I had no difficulty following that directive found in John 12:21. For years Jesus Christ has been the “altogether lovely one” of the Song of Solomon in my life. Max Lucado tells of meeting an old friend in a hotel lobby. He asked his friend what the Lord had been saying to him lately. His friend replied, “God’s been teaching me that it’s not about me – it’s about Him!” That’s a valuable lesson we all need to learn. It’s not about me – it’s about Jesus!

One of my favorite poems is “One Solitary Life”.

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty

He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never traveled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty-three
His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind’s progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life

The singer and actress Della Reese is reported to have said that “Jesus is the way shower.” That’s not true. The Word of God clearly proclaims that Jesus is THE WAY. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6-7). When Jesus made reference to “I AM” he claimed deity. Either Jesus is a liar, deluded, or He is who He claims to be – the Son of God.

Jesus is God, the Eternal, the Infinite, the blessed one. Isaiah prophesied that a virgin born son would be called, ‘Wonderful (or wonder worker), Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 and 7:14).

John the Baptist announced him as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus declared, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). As the Israelites, bitten by snakes, looked at the brazen serpent on a pole and lived, so look to Jesus who was lifted up on the cross – look to Jesus and live.

Jesus is alive, “seated at the Father’s right hand”. He is prophet, priest, and king. Do you see Jesus in all of His glory? Don’t look at people, problems, or man made plans. Look to Jesus. Like the painted pulpit in the first church I pastored, I would that everyone would paint the pulpit of their heart with that scriptural sign – “Sir, we would see Jesus.” It’s all about Him!