John 13:23 – “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.”
Jesus is the very center of the Bible. There is no Bible without Jesus, no Christianity without Jesus, no salvation without Jesus, and no heaven without Jesus.
Last week we considered how Christ is altogether lovely—not partly lovely, but completely and infinitely lovely. When the beauty of Christ is truly seen, the soul cannot remain distant from Him. It is drawn to Him. It desires to lean upon His bosom.
To lean on Jesus’ bosom speaks of intimate love, deep fellowship, and affectionate communion with Him. The natural man cannot understand this. The world sees no beauty in Christ because it does not understand the greatness of the salvation He came to accomplish.
Read Revelation chapter 5.
The Apostle John, now an old man, was given a vision of heaven. He saw God seated upon His throne, holding in His right hand a scroll written on both sides and sealed with seven seals. This scroll represented the eternal decrees of God—His perfect plan and purpose for all creation.
Then a mighty angel proclaimed with a loud voice:
“Who is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals?” (Revelation 5:2)
It was a challenge issued to all creation.
Yet no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was found worthy.
Not the wisest philosophers.
Not the greatest scientists.
Not
kings, presidents, or rulers.
Not Buddha.
Not Mohammed.
Not
Joseph Smith.
Not the popes.
Not the saints.
Not even
Mary.
Not the prophets.
Not the apostles.
Not even the
angels of heaven.
The world may call many people worthy, but in the sight of God none were worthy to open the scroll.
When John saw that no one could be found, he wept greatly.
But one of the elders said:
“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5)
Jesus Christ alone is worthy.
He conquered sin.
He conquered death.
He conquered
Satan.
He fulfilled every demand of God's holy law.
John looked and saw a Lamb standing as though it had been slain. The Lion of Judah had conquered as the sacrificial Lamb.
It was Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Therefore heaven erupts in worship:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)
The same John who received this glorious revelation was the disciple who leaned upon Jesus' bosom.
The bosom represents the center of one's affections, deepest love, and closest fellowship.
John leaned on Jesus’ bosom because he loved Him deeply.
Yet even greater is the eternal love between the Father and the Son.
John 1:18 – “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.”
Before the world existed, the Son dwelt in the bosom of the Father, enjoying perfect love and fellowship within the Godhead.
When Jesus was twelve years old, Joseph and Mary traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. On their return journey, they discovered that Jesus was missing.
They searched anxiously for three days.
Finally they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening, asking questions, and astonishing them with His wisdom.
Mary said:
“Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” (Luke 2:48)
Jesus answered:
“Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?” (Luke 2:49)
They had been looking in the wrong places.
Jesus had come from the Father's bosom, and His delight was always to be in fellowship with His Father.
Far from disobeying His earthly parents, He was perfectly fulfilling the greatest commandment:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)
His heart was fixed upon His heavenly Father.
If Joseph and Mary had considered where Jesus most loved to be, they would have gone straight to the temple.
The Son delighted in the Father's presence.
Throughout the New Testament we see people irresistibly drawn to Christ.
When Mary learned she would give birth to the Messiah, she cried out:
“My soul magnifies the Lord.” (Luke 1:46)
The wise men traveled great distances simply to worship Him.
Simeon, having waited many years for the Messiah, held the infant Jesus and declared:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace... for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” (Luke 2:29-30)
Even at His birth, hearts were being drawn to lean upon His bosom.
Why?
Because Christ is beautiful beyond description.
When He lifts even a corner of the veil hiding His glory, the soul is captivated.
As the hymn writer expressed:
Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly;
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.
Hebrews 1:3 – “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.”
Jesus is the very glory of God revealed.
On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John received a glimpse of that glory.
“His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:2)
Peter was overwhelmed and exclaimed:
“Lord, it is good for us to be here.” (Matthew 17:4)
One glimpse of Christ's glory made him want to remain there forever.
Mary, the sister of Martha, understood something precious.
While Martha busied herself with many concerns, Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to His words.
Her soul hungered for spiritual nourishment.
She wanted fellowship with Christ above everything else.
Likewise, the disciples on the road to Emmaus urged Jesus:
“Stay with us.” (Luke 24:29)
After He revealed Himself and disappeared, they said:
“Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)
That burning heart is what happens when a believer communes with Christ.
The soul finds satisfaction nowhere else.
Jesus is called the Word.
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
God speaks to us through His Word, the Holy Scriptures.
The Bible is not merely a collection of religious writings. It is God's revelation centered upon Christ.
From Genesis to Revelation, Christ is the grand theme.
He is the Seed of the woman.
The Passover Lamb.
The
greater Moses.
The true David.
The suffering Servant.
The
risen King.
No wonder believers delight in reading Scripture. There they meet their Savior.
An old story tells of a young preacher who asked an elderly minister what he thought of his sermon.
The older man replied:
“It was a poor sermon.”
The young preacher was shocked.
“Were my explanations not good?”
“Yes.”
“Were my arguments not sound?”
“Yes.”
“Then why was it poor?”
The old minister answered:
“Because there was no Christ in it.”
A sermon may be eloquent, intellectual, and persuasive, but if Christ is absent, it is empty.
Many churches today are filled with programs, activities, and entertainment, yet Christ is scarcely preached.
But true Christianity is Christ-centered.
Without Him, there is no life.
Mary Magdalene wept when she could not find her Lord.
When Jesus appeared and called her by name,
“Mary.” (John 20:16)
she immediately recognized His voice and desired to cling to Him.
What about us?
Do we miss Christ when we neglect prayer?
Do we hunger for His Word?
Can we go days without opening our Bible and feel no loss?
A healthy Christian heart longs for fellowship with Christ.
If there is no desire for Him, it is worth asking whether we truly know Him.
Many profess Christianity while leaning on the bosom of the world rather than on the bosom of Christ.
Why do some believers seem to love Christ more deeply than others?
Often it is because they have come to see the greatness of their sin and the greatness of His forgiveness.
Jesus said:
“He who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:47)
The sinful woman who anointed Jesus' feet with tears and costly ointment loved Him deeply because she understood how much she had been forgiven.
Those who think themselves righteous often feel little need for Christ.
But those who see themselves as sinners cling tightly to Him.
Whether respectable or scandalous in the eyes of society, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
When we understand that truth, Christ becomes precious.
Many people want heaven, but they do not want Christ.
Such a heaven does not exist.
The glory of heaven is not merely the absence of pain or sorrow.
The glory of heaven is Christ Himself.
He is the light of heaven.
The joy of heaven.
The
treasure of heaven.
As believers, we can say:
“If I were in heaven without Christ, it would not be heaven to me. And if Christ were with me in suffering, I would possess the greatest comfort.”
This world is passing away.
Its beauty fades.
Its pleasures vanish.
Its glory is temporary.
But Christ remains forever.
Therefore let us set our hearts upon Him.
One day the redeemed from every nation will stand before the throne and before the Lamb.
“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10)
There will be no sorrow.
No sickness.
No death.
No
fear.
No tears.
The Lamb Himself will shepherd His people.
“For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)
Therefore, believer, lean upon the bosom of Christ.
Love Him above the world.
Seek Him in His Word.
Delight
in His presence.
Meditate often on heaven where He reigns.
For the Christian's greatest joy now and forever is not merely the blessings of Christ—but Christ Himself. Amen.