Seeing Jesus as the End

I can’t believe we are almost at the conclusion of our study on We Would See Jesus. For those of you who have been following along, I would love to hear how God is opening your eyes to see Jesus in a new and fresh way each day. It has truly been life changing for me to see God as my purpose, to see Him in the face of His Son Jesus Christ, to see Jesus as all I need, as the truth, the door – all the while, running to Calvary and seeing Him as the way, and the END. My heart is full today as I write this post. There is such rich truth in seeing Jesus as the END.

When we imagine our life with Christ, oftentimes we are tempted to imagine certain “endgames” or “outcomes” of what our life will be as a result of following Christ. This can be a trap and cause wrong motives for following Him. Sometimes we compare ourselves to great Christians who traveled the way of brokenness and repentance resulting in an amazing influence and ministry. We are tempted to believe that if we follow Christ on the same path that we too will enjoy those good things. We suddenly find ourselves “availing ourselves to Jesus and His blood as the way, but to ends other than Himself.” Jesus becomes, in a sense, “a means to an end” rather than “the end.”  What we need to realize is that “in finding Him, men have not only found the way but the end too. We do not have to go beyond Him to something else to satisfy our needs. He is the end of all that we need, and the simple, easily accessible way to that end.” 

We must want Jesus for no other outcome than Him!  One of my favorite quotes from the chapter is this:

“So it is that He allows us to be frustrated and disappointed  in our strivings after this or that end until at last He comes to us and says, ‘My child, I never promised you that if you would surrender, repent and get right with Me, you would have an eased situation, great power, success in your service, or even revival. What I do promise you is that, if you will walk with Me and allow Me to show you sin as soon as it comes in, and cleanse you from it, you will have not these things – but Me. Make Me your desired end and you will surely have that end, and you shall be satisfied, lacking nothing that is in the will of God for you.'”

The beautiful truth to seeing Jesus as the end is found in Romans 8:32 which says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (NASB). We not only get Jesus, but all of His amazing grace is available to us! Roy talks about the danger of seeking things beyond Jesus like joy, peace, victory and power. This is also a trap because in seeking these things, we miss the fact that Jesus IS all of these things to us.

“The glorious truth is that He is Himself not only the way to blessing but the needed blessing itself; not only the way to power but our power; not only the way to victory but our victory; not only the way to sanctification but our sanctification; not only the way to healing but our healing; not only the way to revival but our revival; and so on for everything else. He is Himself made to us what we need. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, as Paul says, and we are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).”

Jesus Christ is not only the end in the sense we have been discussing. He is also “the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4 NASB). Roy says, “J.B. Phillips, in his well-known colloquial translation of the Epistles, quotes it, ‘Christ is the end of the struggle for righteousness-by-the-law to everyone that believes.'” He goes on to say, “Christ had borne on the cross for them the curse of the Divine law which they had so often broken, and now His blood was reckoned to them as their perfect rightness with God even while they were still sinners, provided they repented and put their faith in Christ.” 

I pray that God will help you see Jesus as the end! One day He will be the end of our pain, suffering, and struggle when we see Him face to face! But we can enjoy Him as “the end” this very day when we surrender ourselves fully at Calvary. He is the answer to every single thing we are going through right now. He wants to be the end of our strife and struggle in the flesh if we would but let Him! HE is our peace! HE is our victory! I encourage you today to fix your eyes on Jesus, the author (beginning) and the finisher (the end) of your faith! (see Hebrews 12:2). I believe the time is drawing near when we will see Him face to face. Don’t miss out on the abundant life of grace He offers you today!

Chapter 8: Homework Reflections

Day 1: The Way, the Truth & the Life

1. Read John 14:1-6 and explain how you see Jesus as not only “the way,” but “the end” in this passage.
2. Last week we looked at John 6:16-21. Take some time to read that passage again and note how you see Jesus as the “end.”
3. How does knowing Jesus is the Way and the Destination encourage your heart today?

Day 2: Right & Wrong Motives

1. Read Luke 17:11-21. What were the 9 lepers ultimately seeking? What do you learn about their motives? How was the one leper different?
2. John 6:2 and write down what you notice about the motives of those who were following Jesus.
3. Now jump down to John 6:60-69. This passage always breaks my heart. What happened in these verses and why did many desert Jesus? What was Peter’s response? Have you ever noticed this type of motive in your own heart? Pray and ask God to search your heart.

Day 3 Our Sufficiency In Christ

1. Read Ephesians chapter 1. In your journal, note every occurrence of the phrase “In Christ” or “In Him.”
2. According to Colossians 1:19, what else is in Christ?
3. Now read Colossians 1:28. How are we complete?

Day 4: A Willing Heart

1. Read 1 Kings 3:5-13 and write out what Solomon asked for and God’s response.
2. Roy mentions in the chapter that when Solomon asked for wisdom, he was asking for “a hearing heart – a disposition of brokenness which is willing to listen to God, to be told what to do.”
3. How do you see that as the type of heart attitude that seeks Jesus as “the end” rather than a “means to an end?”

Day 5: Christ is the End of the Law

1. Read Romans 10:3-4. In verse 3, what did the people not know and what were they seeking to do?
2. How does verse 4 speak to Jesus being the end? What is He specifically the end of in this verse?
3. What does He promise to everyone who believes? I love these verses because Jesus is ultimately the end of our striving when we stop seeking to establish a righteousness of our own.

As you reflect on God’s Word this week, prayerfully answer the following questions.

• Are you seeking Jesus as a means to an end? If so, how?
• Are you seeking Jesus for something beyond Him, like peace, joy, victory, or power? Jesus wants to be all those things and more to you! Go to Him in full surrender admitting what you’re not and accepting all that He is.
• Have you allowed Jesus to be the end of your striving?

Revelation 22:12-14: “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.”

All italicized quotes that are not Scripture quotes, or cited by an author, are direct quotes from the book, We Would See Jesus, by Roy Hession.