Jesus Earnestly Desires Communion

Saints, 

Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus “earnestly desires” intimacy with you. Think about it. This is a profound thought. The Most High Creator God of the universe who exists outside our physical limitations desires to be close to you. Lets’ think through this a little today.

To begin, we will need to define intimacy. The American College dictionary defines intimacy as “personally close or familiar association.” I think Jesus’ definition, however, is more appropriate for our discussion today. Jesus defines the kind of closeness He desires in His prayer for us found in John 17:20-23 as the same oneness that Jesus Himself has with the Father. As we have looked at before,

John 17:20-23 (ESV)
²⁰ “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
²² The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Okay, wait a minute. How close is that? Is that as close as man and wife? I submit to you that this is even closer than man and wife. Yes, a man and wife can “know” each other physically and for the most part, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Even so, God knows us completely. He knows all.

He loves.

Let’s look at another passage where we see a glimpse into Jesus’ desires. In Luke 22 we find Jesus looking forward to the Passover meal with His apostles.

Luke 22:14-16 (ESV)
¹⁴ And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.
¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
¹⁶ For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus earnestly desired to eat this meal with them. What does this mean? Jesus, as all-knowing God, and fully man desired to eat with men. He not only desired--He earnestly desired. This means Jesus earnestly “set His heart upon” this connection with His apostles.

Do you remember the story of Martha and Mary? Remember that the role of a woman in the culture of Jesus’ day was to serve. Even so, Jesus clearly says that Mary chose the “best” thing by sitting at Jesus feet (not serving) and listening to the savior. (I love how Jesus is constantly re-defining reality. He defines the role of women and therefore culture. He defines eternal life. He defines intimacy.)

Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)
⁴¹ "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,
⁴² but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

So, what is the point? Why does this matter? I submit to you that our intimacy with Jesus is the very essence of life—out of this intimacy flows everything God desires for this world. Out of intimacy with Christ, flows the obedience of the Christ-follower. Out of this intimacy with Christ flows witnessing, prayer, a passion for God’s Word, disciple making, repentance, and holiness. In other words, intimacy with Christ is life. Jesus said this Himself,

John 14:6 (NIV)
⁶ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 

Jesus is life. Knowing Jesus intimately is eternal life, as we see in John 17:3. Again, we find Jesus defining something in John 17—this time He defines eternal life. “What is eternal life?”

John 17:3 (NIV)
³ Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

We agree. Jesus earnestly desires us. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing Him and knowing the heavenly Father. Let’s drive this home a little more by looking at what life is not. Life is not family. Life is not vocation. Life is not Church attendance. Life is not vacation. Life is not fulfilled dreams. Life is knowing Jesus and the heavenly Father, period. Why is it so easy to forget this?

Judith Hougen offers some help here in her book, Transformed Into Fire, p 125.

“…the people of God through the ages have repeatedly said “no” to God’s invitation for intimate communion. Affirming our belovedness means receiving into our meager frames the fiery passion of God. Perhaps we intrinsically understand that becoming God’s beloved will demand everything, will altar everything, and we shrink back from such overwhelming and all-consuming affection.”

Let’s ask the question, “Why does this intimacy with Jesus matter so much?” I agree with Andrew Murray on this point—others will model our walk with Christ. So, if everyone you know completely emulated your walk with Christ, what would their lives look like? What would their prayer lives look like? How much would they share the gospel? How much would they deeply commune with Jesus? How much would they dig into the word of God? How would God be using them to make disciples?  

As Andrew Murray explains this from his book, The True Vine, Meditations on John 16:1-16,

“Fruit reveals the nature of the tree from which it comes. What is the secret of bearing fruit that abides? The answer is simple. It is as our life abides in Christ, as we abide in Him, that the fruit we bear will abide. The more we allow all that is of human will and effort to be cut down short and cleansed away by the divine husbandman, the more intensely our being withdraws itself from the outward that God may work in us by His Spirit. That is, the more wholly we abide in Christ, the more our fruit will abide.” 

So, our intimacy with Jesus is a model for others—amen.

Father, please help us chase after intimacy with you. May we earnestly desire communion with You as You desire this with us. Make us the fruit that will encourage others toward a deeper relationship with You. We ask all of this for Your glory--all of this for Your kingdom to grow.

Compelled to pray and desperate for God, Steve