They saw no one except Jesus? What more do we need?

In the transfiguration text from the gospel of Matthew, verse 17:8 really hit me: And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

Peter, James and John had been chosen by Jesus to go up the mountain, and they were the witnesses of Jesus' glory and the presence of Elijah and Moses.  They were struck with such awe, they fell to the ground.  And when Jesus came to tell them to get up, Jesus touched them--and we are told when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

Were they disappointed? Would I be disappointed?  Would we?

The question comes to mind--what more do we need than Jesus, alone?!

My sermon a couple weeks ago talked about what Jesus calls the church to be--the body of Christ in the world.  We think we need a band, or a large youth group, or this or that.  Some might suggest a gimmick, a marketing strategy--with the goal to get "butts in the pews."  We see what other places are doing, how they look "successful."  I am reminded daily that Jesus calls us to be faithful.

I am struck by the revival at Asbury University where a few students stayed after a regular worship service to pray, and they were continually praying and worshipping--apparently without any sort of band or generally agreed upon contemporary features. They didn't rush off to the next event on the schedule, or say they were too busy. I believe they were moved and saw Jesus and responded! 

I believe people are searching for depth and meaning in life, and what more do people need to see than Jesus?  What more do we need?

I don't know where to go with this--but I think I am cautious about looking for the next thing that we do to bring people to the pews.  Instead, I believe my call, and the call of our congregation is to introduce people to Jesus, through our worship, through scripture, through prayer, through service, through how we cherish our relationships with people and with God. 

Our humanity draws us to look for the faults in ourselves and in others, God calls us in grace to look at ourselves and each other as creatures created in the image of God, created good, and loved unconditionally.  How might we look up wherever we are and see only Jesus, and let that be enough?