Seeing Jesus

24Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20: 24 - 29 NKJV

I can certainly understand the doubt of the apostle Thomas.  For there has been many a time when I myself have doubted that I had seen the Lord Jesus in others and in the world around me.  Undoubedly, if Jesus is indeed in us {Galations 2:20}, then we should be able to see His presence and influence in the lives of those who have "Not seen and yet have believed."  So the question went this afternoon, how is it that we will see Christ Jesus in the lives of those who follow Him, and perhaps even in the lives of those who don't?  How is it that we will see Jesus in others?  How is it that we see Christ Jesus in those who we do not get along with?  In those who we so often disagree with?  The sad truth, friends, is that many of those people we come into contact with out there may indeed already be followers of Jesus.  Unfortunately, being a follower of Jesus is not guaranteed to promote good behavior in Gods children.  So, what is that barometer which we can use to determine that we are indeed seeing Jesus in those around us?  Well, perhaps in order to see Jesus in others, we must first know Him ourselves?  Sounds pretty simple doesn't it?  We all too often notice characteristics in others which we have seen in others of the same family or teaching.  So, in order for us to see Jesus in others, what must we first know about Him?  Many was the time when Jesus Himself would see those around Him and immediately have compassion for them, why is that?  Was Jesus perhaps seeing them as they really were and not as the world viewed them?

 12No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 4: 12 - 16 NKJV

So why is it that Jesus had compassion on those around Him?  Well Jesus, like God, is love.  In fact, if Jesus is the very likeness of God, can we not assume that He would indeed have every likeness of Him?  Indeed, if God is love, then so is Christ Jesus who is in us.  For if we have love for one another, God indeed is in us.  As the scripture tells us, Gods love is perfected in us.  We can now see why Jesus had compassion for those around Him.  As the very likeness of God in the flesh, the love of God was manifested through Him unto those around Him.  Indeed, those who saw Jesus were seeing God Himself.  Even as He died on the cross, the love of the Father was manifested through Him, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  I mentioned how it is that we can see Christ Jesus in those around us.  It's a difficult proposition to exhibit the love of God to those who have wronged us in some way.  Yet, this is what we are called to do.  Recall the words of the apostle John, "If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us."  If we love those around us, is His love not perfected through us?  Indeed, a christians greatest challange seems to be loving the unloveable.  Yet, this is just what Christ Jesus did wherever He went.  If indeed Christ is in us, then others will see Him through our love for others.