When I was a teenager, the church I attended with my parents “called” a new pastor. The former pastor had been there for 35 years, which is not bad in and of itself. Longevity is good. However, as you can imagine, he was not much into young people. But our new pastor was since he had 3 (soon to be 4) children of his own. I came alive. He instituted Sunday night youth group. Made Sunday School (remember that?) interesting. And encouraged Scripture memorization. He did it by challenging the youth to a contest on a set Sunday morning. I memorized all the Scriptures. I memorized the books of the Bible so I could “win” the Sword drills (finding-a-Bible-passage-contest). I knew long blocks of Scripture. I knew a lot.
BUT. I. DIDN’T. KNOW. JESUS.
I should clarify. You can see I memorized a lot. But for the longest time, I knew more about Jesus than knowing Him. Many are in that same overflowing boat. Unlike the lifeboats of Titanic that had pitifully less people than they could accommodate, the boat carrying unknowing souls is full to overflowing. What I mean is this:
THERE. ARE. FAR. TOO. MANY. PEOPLE. WHO. KNOW. ABOUT. JESUS. BUT. DON’T. KNOW. HIM.
I am not naive enough to believe you have never heard this before. How many times have you heard a sermon or a lesson on Phil.3: 7-11 (with an emphasis on verse 10)? Hundreds maybe several hundreds? The sad fact is many, even though they hear, don’t absorb. They still look in the mirror and slap themselves on the back for their “religion” or their “fact knowledge.” Bob Goff put it well:
I used to think I could learn about Jesus by studying Him, but now I know Jesus doesn’t want stalkers.
BAM! That is the sound of the 2×4 slamming against my head. All bloggers have stalkers. All FB’ers have stalkers. All Tweeties have stalkers. But Jesus? Sadly, yes. AND HE CAN’T STAND IT!!
Jesus doesn’t just want Bible study. He wants Bible doing.
Jesus doesn’t just want Truth feeders. He wants Truth spreaders.
Jesus doesn’t want people who engage the Truth with their mind. He wants people who LIVE the truth.
So…how do you feel about Jesus? Do you know about Him or do you know Him? Have you found yourself doing any introspection lately about Jesus’ place in your life? I’d like to hear your thoughts.
This is a post in my ongoing series on Love Does by Bob Goff. Tomorrow will be the last. 🙂
So…how do you feel about Jesus? Do you know about Him or do you know Him?
I guess a bit of both. When I struggle knowing Him, far too often I feel a bit better about myself when I strive to know more about Him.
honesty is good Daniel. I would say I am in the same boat. I know what I want, but sometimes fall short.
Amen! I’ve also felt the need to start taking more ACTION related to my walk with Jesus. Perhaps that’s what got me here? Hmmm… If you start acting on the Bible you might end up in some strange places! (good strange, of course)
Your story with Stephanie is an incredible one Peter. i wish I could have you tell my readers your “step of faith.” I look forward to seeing what God can and will do in your lives as a result of your “faith move.” Thanks for coming by for the first time. And we absolutely love our kitchen. 🙂
I know lots of people who know someI facts about about Him. I just want to know Him more everyday.
Bingo!!
Sometimes I feel it depends on which season I am in (which I know is not true but it’s how I feel at times). On those times when I am struggling to make the time (cause I can always find it) I feel like I just know about Him but in those times when I choose to make the time, to study His word, to study HIM and see who He is then I feel like I KNOW Him.
Anyway, those are my thoughts- scary as they might be 😉
Seasons are scary, but not your thoughts. 🙂 Seasons are necessary to help us grow.
I know that He knows me far more than I know Him.
I know that although He will judge me…He also died for me. And that makes all the difference in the world (and in Heaven) 😀
That first line always rings true for me. I am often praying, “Thank for loving me/us more than we deserve.” Even though He knows us better than we know ourselves. Like your pun at the end. 😉
Sadly, even though we didn’t know it, most of us probably started out as stalkers of Christ. The knowledge of Him is what makes up the majority of the legalists that our enemy uses to destroy the integrity of the church.
Knowing Him is like being a rumor mill, talking about someone as if you know them, but truly having never met them.
Good stuff, I felt the 2×4 all the way down here…
I think you are right Floyd. We do tend to start out as stalkers. Moving from stalker to follower is a must. Man, that 2×4 had some action to it! 🙂
Funny – I used to be a “dragnet” christian – just the facts but I really was not Believer. Once I really got to know the God who loves me unconditionally – facts were not what I needed but a relationship was what I craved. Thanks for sharing Bill.
I like that Jim…dragnet Christian. Relationship not facts. Yep.
I’ve been really convicted about this since reading this chapter in the book.
I’ve recently changed how I do things. Meaning, how I read, pray, etc… are all different because I want to know Him, not just know about Him.
Excellent post Bill.
You have experienced what Bob was talking about Michael. That is great!
This reminds me of the guest speaker we had at our church this past Sunday, Micheal Leehan. He said Satan knows the Bible but he doesn’t believe it. He has mental knowledge of God but he doesn’t have God’s word hidden in his heart.
We can be like that too. We can all the scripture memorized and still miss out on the truth found in the word.
Satan deceives himself with his knowledge of God.
I don’t think I’m saying this right- I apologize. it sounded way better and more clear this past Sunday. Hope you get my meaning anyway.
Totally understand what you are saying TC. Not sure where that puts me though. 😛 I think you are right on the money.
Wow, what a quote there, Bill. Some spend their lives stalking Jesus, but He wants so much more for us! I have experienced much, but I am hungry for more. So glad He invites us into His life and love. Thanks.
I thought it was pretty good also jason. I too am glad He invites us in. Thanks for coming by.
Hi Bill,
The Bible says that we see through a glass darkly now, but later we will know as we are known by God. I Cor 13:12
I think that this is what we will need eternity for… to experience and know God more and more. We get a taste of this ‘knowing’ on the earth, to whet our appetites. We can’t reach the bottom of who God is when we plumb the depths. We can’t reach the peak of who God is when we traverse upward. We cannot find the end of God when we travel east or west.
The logos (written word of God) and the rhema (alive Word of God),
[someone correct me if I have stated these incorrectly in this comment],
we need both of these in our lives as believers and followers of Jesus Christ.
It’s really hard to ask someone to spread good news when they don’t really know about the good news themselves. This means that churches have a job to do. They must call people to Christ.
An additional problem is that we have ‘spiritual leaders’ who don’t know Christ either. They have little if any experiences with the living Christ in their own lives.
Jesus seems to be front and center in my life. I’m not perfect as a disciplined follower, but I do experience Him. This is a testimony to me that I am in Christ. My desire for righteousness and godliness is a testimony that Christ is in me. He is making changes for me as my life goes along. He’s equipping me so to speak.
Believers will lose the fight against this world and this culture without the Holy Spirit, and without the knowledge provided about God by the scriptures.
It seems what people are missing is the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Many believers reject the Holy Spirit. Yet these same people may gladly attend a ‘very questionable movie’ and eagerly accept the work of the demonic spirit that is hovering over that place.
Go figure.
Not really sure, Linda, what this has to do with the topic. Help me see.
Hi Bill,
I guess this has to do with the many people in the overflowing boat that you mentioned in your post here who know more about Jesus Christ but not knowing or experiencing him in relationship. In our life experiences.
I was reading your post and wondered “Why is Bill talking about me?”
My friends tease me about having a Hermione Granger syndrome – she’s one of the three main characters in Harry Potter and being the one with the brains, whatever the question was, her hand was always up in the air. Back in Sunday School (over here, the Sunday School is for kids), the comment I’ve heard the most was “Zena, let someone else answer.” *Sigh* And just like you said above, I knew a ton of stuff… but I didn’t know God. It took me 8 years to realize that there is something wrong with the picture.
These days, there are still times when I pay more attention to learning about God rather than getting to know Him, but thankfully He sends people in my life who get me back on track.