Of the plethora of nuances brought about by modernism, there is a constant insatiable appetite for people to know and be known. The irony is not lost when we hear pseudo-celebrities ask for privacy as they post hundreds of selfies. A cartoonist sparked a firestorm of laughter when he depicted British royals traveling the United States on what he called, “The World Wide Privacy Tour.”
Everyone seems to want recognition. The cellphone is a personal camera which makes everything on display. It’s both a sad cultural commentary and a depiction of humanism. The fame of people, men and women, all vying for a place in the minds of others. The songwriter penned the sentiment of millions, “I want to be famous.”
It is my belief that if a well-known politician, musician, athlete, or actor walked into our church, cellphones would be flashing. People want to capture the image of the famous. It would be the talk of the town if some person of notoriety came by, even to wave in our direction. Pick your most intriguing celebrity or favored athlete, e.g., Michael Jordan or Tom Hanks or one of the nine Supreme Court justices. Can you imagine how quickly the news would travel? People would be saying, “You won’t believe who was at church this morning.” Our community would be filled with wonder, “How and why did they attend New Life Fellowship in Terre Haute, Indiana?”
Jesus was in the Temple and looked at the expansive, beautiful edifice which surrounded them. The known world came to see its beauty and pomp. The Temple was the centerpiece of the nation, but Jesus said, Mat 12:6 “That in this place is one greater than the temple.” Jesus was speaking of Himself.
Jesus went throughout the region and proclaimed Himself: He said, “the men of Nineveh repented when Jonah preached, Luke 11:32 “…and now one greater than Jonah is here.”
He said, “The queen of Sheba, went to see the wonder and wisdom of Solomon, Luke 11:31 “…and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.”
If the collective famous of the world came to this house today, none would be greater than Who is here: Jesus! Our Wonderful, Marvelous Savior has come to us today and all we have to do is recognize Him. The world strives to be known, but our duty is to make Him known. We celebrate Him and rejoice over Him. None is greater than Jesus! Come, let us adore Him, extol Him, worship Him!
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole