Do You Know Him?

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

Being with Jesus had turned Peter and John into something that was marvelous!  Unlike spending time with other people, spending time with Jesus was so transformational that even their enemies marveled.  The cost of every relationship is the time invested in it.  To know someone is to have spent time with them.  Of course when I ask the question, “Do you know Him”, the answer is subjective.  It is relative.  People can say that they know me, and they might but Teresa knows me in a more complete way than anyone else.  We can all know Jesus but there is a level of knowing that moves beyond the social into the supernatural.  It is like knowing no other!  The Apostle Paul said, “that I might know Him and the power of His resurrection.”

Not everyone who is named as a Christian knows Him.  I have been asked to perform many wedding ceremonies in my life.  I stand up front leading the service of participants who all have differing levels of relationship with the families of the bride and groom.  The congregants are there to celebrate the marriage.   There are bridesmaids and groomsmen closer to the ceremony itself.  Then there is the maid of honor and best man who serve the bride and groom during the ceremony and celebration that follows.  As a minister, I lead the couple in their vows to God and to one another.  When the ceremony and celebration ends, only the bride is allowed to enter the bridal chamber with the groom, her new husband.  The period of engagement, the season of promise, is over and now it is intimacy, consummation that makes a relationship a marriage.  Without intimate consummation, there is no legal marriage.  The two must become one.

“And he said unto me, Write, ‘Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” Revelation 19:9.  Yes, there is an event ahead of us in time called the marriage supper of the Lamb.  At the end of this age, there will be a gathering when the King of Glory, Jesus, will come as a humble but victorious Lamb to take His bride, the Church by the hand and escort her into His Father’s house.  Preparations have been made.  The Church, the bride, will be gathered to meet her husband, her Messiah.  It will be a time of consummation that for us at this time is unfathomable.     Yet it will occur.  We shall then know Him like we have never known Him.  But are we to wait until then to know Him?  Are we to just remain in an outward friendship, a casual acquaintance with Jesus until then?  No!  We must know Him now!  For those who think that this life only holds a place of relationship with Jesus that is merely ceremonial or ritualistic, they are missing the very life flow of the Holy Spirit.  Paul promises that the Holy Spirit brings us as believers into a place of intimacy that edifies us in the here and now.  Actually, intimacy with Jesus is critical to enduring the days ahead.  Religious services and activities won’t suffice to get us to a place of overcoming in this life.  Looking for others to talk to Jesus for us is empty.  There is a place of strength, increasing strength in His Presence!  There is also fruit that comes from intimacy with Jesus.  Genesis tells us, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived…”he “knew” her.  This kind of intimate knowing, like the bride and groom in the secret private marriage chamber, produces fruit.  If our lives do not produce real Jesus like fruit, we must question our intimacy with Him.  That should not bring fear or anxiety.  It should bring a greater desire to draw near to Him, and His word has promised that He will draw near to us.  He is no respecter of persons.  Don’t be afraid to invite Jesus into your life with greater intimacy and obedience to his will than ever before.  Do you know Him? Only you can answer that question.  He is waiting on your invitation.