Princes Among Us: Seeking and Finding More
By Dr. Charles Keen | April 7, 2024, 10 AM
In John 1:35-39, we read: “John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples… followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned… and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi… where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see.” On April 7, 2024, Dr. Charles Keen preached “Princes Among Us,” reflecting on a lifetime of faith sparked in 1958. Three insights emerge: we come to Christ for a reason, we seek more of Him, and He invites us to find it.
Why We Come to Christ
Dr. Keen, a former “bus kid” saved at 18 in a crowd of 6,000, recalls October 1958 in Akron, Ohio. A shy rebel, he knelt—hole in his sock and all—seeking forgiveness and direction, not preaching. Like the old man in the poem who built a bridge for others, Keen found salvation and later helped others cross, pastoring 35 years in Milford. He came because he “knew I better,” needing freedom from sin’s chains. We all come for a reason—salvation’s start, not its end.
Seeking More of Him
The disciples, hearing John call Jesus the “Lamb of God,” asked, “Where dwellest thou?” They sensed more beyond the Jordan’s banks—beyond salvation. Dr. Keen ties this to Romans 5: “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath” (v. 9). Salvation opens the door to purpose—preachers, teachers, godly parents. A boyhood quest for a zipper Bible (earned scrapping parts) grew into a mission to supply Bibles globally. We seek more because He offers it.
Come and See His Presence
Jesus’ reply, “Come and see,” invites intimacy. Dr. Keen suggests finding Him in Scripture (inspiration), creation (Romans 1:18), incarnation (John 14:9), prayer closets, and praise (Psalm 22:3: “Thou… inhabitest the praises of Israel”). When God feels far, praise draws Him near. Keen missed his prayer spot while traveling, urging us to carve out private time. From Savior to Friend, Messiah to Ladder to God’s presence, Jesus reveals Himself to those who ask, “Where dwellest thou?”
