My eyes have seen your salvation

The motto of today's Street Parade in Zurich is: "Dance for freedom" (dance for freedom). On the activity's website we read: “The Street Parade is a dance demonstration for love, peace, freedom and tolerance. With the motto of the Street Parade "Dance for Freedom", the organizers are focusing on freedom".

The desire for love, peace and freedom has always been a concern of humanity. Unfortunately, however, we live in a world that is exactly the opposite: hate, war, captivity and intolerance. The organizers of the Street Parade pose Focus on freedom. But what did they not recognize? What's the point you're apparently blind to? True freedom requires Jesus and it is Jesus who has to be the focus! Then there is love, peace, freedom and tolerance. Then you can celebrate and dance! Unfortunately, this wonderful knowledge is still not accessible to many today.

“But if our gospel is indeed veiled, then it is to those who are being hidden, who are perishing, to the unbelievers, whose minds the god of this world has blinded, so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” , which has shone in our hearts to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Korinther 4,3-6).

Jesus is a light that unbelievers cannot see.

Simeon was a righteous and God-fearing man in Jerusalem, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. (Lukas 2,25)He had promised him that he would see the Lord's anointed one before his death. When the parents brought the child Jesus to the temple and he took him in his arms, he praised God and said:

“Now, Lord, you are releasing your servant in peace according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all nations: a light for revelation to the nations, and for the glory of your people Israel.” (Lukas 2,29-32).

Jesus Christ came like a light to illuminate this world.

"Out of darkness, light will shine!" , which has shone in our hearts to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Korinther 4,6).

The view of Jesus Christ was an experience of life for Simeon, the crucial point before he could say goodbye to this life. Siblings, have our eyes recognized God's salvation in all its glory? It is important never to forget how much God has blessed us by opening our eyes to salvation:

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness and died.” This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. (Johannes 6,44-51).

Jesus Christ is the living bread, the salvation of God. Do we still remember the time when God opened our eyes to this knowledge? Paul will never forget the moment of his enlightenment, we read about it when he was on his way to Damascus:

“As he traveled, he came near Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven shone around him, and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ He replied, ‘Who are you, Lord?’” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were traveling with him on the road stood speechless, for they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing. And they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. And for three days he could not see, nor did he eat or drink. (Apostelgeschichte 9,3-9).

The revelation of salvation was so dazzling for Paul that he could not see for 3 days!

How much has his light hit us and how much has our life changed since our eyes have recognized his salvation? Was it a real rebirth for us as well as for us? Let's listen to the conversation with Nicodemus:

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can perform these signs that you do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.’”Joh 3,6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised that I said to you, “You must be born again.” (Johannes 3, 1-7).

Man needs a new "birth" to recognize the kingdom of God. Human eyes are blind to the salvation of God. However, the organizers of the Street Parade in Zurich are not aware of the general spiritual blindness. You have set yourself a spiritual goal that cannot be achieved without Jesus. Man cannot by himself find God's glory or know it in its entirety. It is God who reveals himself to us:

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and you "Determine that you go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you." (Johannes 15,16).

Siblings, we have the great privilege that our eyes have seen God's salvation: "Jesus Christ our Redeemer ".

This is the most important experience we can have in our entire life. There were no other goals in life for Simeon after he saw the Savior. His goal in life was achieved. Does the recognition of God's salvation also have the same value for us? Today I would like to encourage all of us never to take our eyes off God's salvation and always to keep our (spiritual) gaze on Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, set your minds on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Kolosser 3,1-4).

Paul exhorts not to look at what is on earth but at Christ. Nothing on this earth should distract us from God's salvation. Everything that is good for us comes from above and not from this earth:

“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers! Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of change.” (Jakobus 1,16-17).

Our eyes have recognized the salvation of God and we should no longer remove our gaze from this salvation, always look upwards. But what does all of this mean in our daily lives? We are all always in difficult situations, trials, illnesses, etc. How is it possible to look at Jesus even with such large distractions? Paul gives us the answer:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philipper 4,4-7).

Here God promises us a divine peace and tranquility "that surpasses all understanding." So we are to bring our concerns and needs before the throne of God. However, have you noticed how our prayers are being answered?! Does it mean: "and God will solve all our concerns and problems and get rid of them"? No, there is no promise here that God will solve or remove all of our problems. The promise is: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all minds, will keep your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus".

If we look up, bring our concerns before God's throne, God promises us a supernatural peace and deep spiritual joy, in all circumstances. This is when we really rely on him and lie in his hands.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Johannes 16,33).

Watch out: we don't just go on vacation and trust that God will take on all of our responsibilities. There are Christians who make exactly these mistakes. They confuse trust in God with irresponsibility. However, it is interesting to see how God shows great mercy in such cases. Better to trust God than to take our lives into our own hands.

In any case, we must remain responsible, but we no longer rely on our own strength but on God. On a spiritual level, we must recognize that Jesus Christ is our salvation and our only hope, and we should stop trying to produce spiritual fruit with our own strength. The Street Parade will not succeed in this either. Psalm 37 let's read:

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and be faithful; delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act; he will make your righteousness shine forth like the sun, and your justice like the noonday.” (Psalm 37,3-6).

Jesus Christ is our salvation; he makes us righteous. We must entrust our lives to him unconditionally. However, we must not become complacent, but rather "do good" and "be faithful." When our gaze is fixed on Jesus, our salvation, then we are in safe hands. Let us read again in Psalm 37:

“The Lord makes a man’s steps firm, and he delights in his way; though he stumble, he will not be laid low, for the Lord upholds his hand. I was young and I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants beg for bread; every day he is generous and lends, and his descendants "for a blessing" (Psalm 37,23-26).

If we submit our ways to God, he will never leave us.

"I will not leave you orphaned; I will come to you. One more little..." And the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and reveal myself to him. (Johannes 14,18-21).

Even when Jesus ascended to the throne of God, he said that his disciples continued to see him! Wherever we are and in whatever situation we may be in, Jesus Christ, our salvation, is always visible and our eyes should always be on him. His request is:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthäus 11,28-30).

His promise is:

“Even though I am not with you, you will have peace. My peace I give you; a peace that no one in the world can give you. Therefore do not worry or fear!” (Johannes 14,27).

Today Zurich dances for peace and freedom. Let us also celebrate because our eyes have recognized the salvation of God and we pray that more and more fellow human beings can see and recognize what was revealed to us so wonderfully: "The wonderful salvation of God in Jesus Christ!"

by Daniel Bösch