Some years ago I was surprised to see the song “Just Wanna See His Face,” which The Blind Boys of Alabama included on their Grammy winning gospel recording Spirit of the Century (2001), was credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

The Blind Boys changed some lyrics so their version is a song of thanks and anticipation.

On the other hand, Jagger and Richards’ lyrics on their 1972 Exile on Main St. album make the song one of longing in a time of trouble and loneliness.

Recorded at a time when the band had been exploring American roots music styles, including black gospel, the Rolling Stones sing, “Sometimes you ain’t got nobody

and you want somebody to love

Then you don’t want to walk and talk about Jesus

You just want to see his face

You don’t want to walk and talk about Jesus

You just want to see his face …”

Whatever the song may have meant to Jagger and Richards, in these lyrics there is a call for us to be genuine disciples if we profess to believe in Jesus.

The Bible says we have been given this very ministry — to reveal the face of Jesus the messiah, the image of his father.

“In these last days [God] has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word,” (Hebrews 1:2-3).

The man Jesus, the Son of God, revealed the father perfectly; thus, he was the Light of the world while he was on earth. (John 8:12; 9:5)

Now Jesus reigns from God’s throne in the heavens and has left us, God’s adopted children, to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16) to the glory of our father.

In 2 Corinthians 3-4, the apostle Paul described our ministry in two ways. First, we are letters of Christ who, by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, communicate God’s new covenant though our lives and words.

Second, God has shone his light into the hearts of his new covenant children so through us, the glory revealed in the face of Jesus will be seen in this world where the minds of unbelievers have been blinded by the devil “to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of Christ who is the image of God” (4:4-6).

“All of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Jesus said whatever is in our hearts will be heard in our words and seen in our actions. (Matthew 15:18-19)

So what about us? Are we only talking about Jesus? Or, are we cooperating with the Spirit’s work and being transformed in our hearts, in the core of our being, so our words, attitudes and actions reveal Jesus to the glory of God?

Broken people in this broken world desperately need to know who God is and what he is like. May the Light of Jesus’s face shine brightly through God’s people.

Steve Humble has been an elder at Winchester Covenant Church since its beginning in 1991. He can be reached at (859) 771-7138 or by email at steve.humble@twc.com.