That I May Know Him

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We all have our favorite authors or celebrities that we admire.  I know I have favorite authors, actors or personalities that inspire me, and I do enjoy reading the brief biographies printed on the book covers, or found online. 

Still, sometimes, don't you wish you could just sit down, face-to-face and talk with these people?  Wouldn't you like to hear the brilliant thoughts they write or speak directly from their lips in conversation? Wouldn't you like to laugh, wonder, discuss, share in their life - even if it's just for just a moment?  In fact, the more you learn about them, the more you want to know the person who inspires you and who elevates you beyond yourself!

You have heard this common question: If you could meet and talk with any one historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be?

Do you know that the number one answer to this day is, Jesus? For various reasons - not all of them necessarily affectionate - people want to meet Jesus.

For believers though, if we say we want to know Him and draw closer to Him - and we mean it - then perhaps as an example, we need to look at someone who genuinely prayed and lived that request.

Knowing Him 

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” (Phillipians 3:10)

It amazes me every time I read this prayer from the apostle Paul, that this 'seasoned' believer, with the most amazing track record of any man that has ever lived except for Jesus himself, and who happened to write the majority of the New Testament prayed:

               1.    that he would know Jesus;

               2.    that he would know the power of His resurrection;

               3.    that he would know the fellowship of His sufferings; and

               4.    that he would be made conformable unto His death.

May this be our prayer during the Lenten season when followers of Christ contemplate the death, and celebrate the resurrection and life of Jesus.

Please know, this is not a prayer for non-believers, though, if you are a non-believer I hope that you do come to know Him sometime.  Rather, this is an exercise in humility for those of us who have followed Jesus for quite some time, and who want, as Paul did, to have a fuller revelation of the person of Jesus.  

I want to know Him.

Christianity 101 teaches much about the historic Christ. Yet, Paul was after something much more; he didn’t just want a biographical knowledge of Jesus, he wanted to know Him personally.

He didn’t just want to know about the life of Christ, he wanted to know Christ as the Life.

He didn’t just want to know about the event of His resurrection, he wanted to know Christ as the Resurrection.

He didn’t just want to know the words Jesus spoke, he wanted to know Jesus as the Word.

I would venture a guess that Paul would have been beside himself, if during one of his times of fellowship with Jesus, Christ would have said to Paul as He said to Phillip in John 14:9:

"Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't 

know who I am?”

May this be the cry of our hearts as believers: I want to KNOW Him! I don’t just want to know about Him, I want to know Him; His heart, His thoughts, His motives, His personality.  Not just as an historical character, nor as a great story or a legend or a character, but I want to know Him personally - like I know my dearest friend or closest relative. Not just the things He did, but what motivated Him to do them! Sure, we've heard about God’s love, but oh, that we might know the very heart of such love and the One who makes it possible for us to experience such love and mercy and grace and abundance of life!

There is no formula. No "5-steps to Knowing Jesus Better." No methodology to follow. Just spend time with Him. As believers you know how to do that.

Life has been very busy (in a wonderful way), and admittedly over the past year I have too often neglected my personal journey to “know Him” more.  So it is the result of our humanity, that in our spiritual life we often have to grieve the breaks, and failures, and intervals that simply prove to us that there is something lacking that prevents us at times from knowing Him more fully.

My guess is, I am not alone. Dear reader, if you find yourself approaching this Easter season in the same condition as you were last year, or perhaps worse than you were a year ago, then let's declare with Paul:

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. 
I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back! 

(Phillipians 3:12-14, The Message)

May we never, ever be satisfied with thinking that we know him; hoping that we know him; knowing Him as an acquaintance or as an historical figure; or knowing Him through someone else's experience or knowledge. 

Instead, may we have fuller revelation of Him affectionately, experientially and personally!

Next Post: The Power of His Resurrection

Shadow of the Cross Part V: He Is Risen!

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. His countenance was like lightening, and his clothing was white as snow. 

And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

(Matthew 28: 1-6)

Yes, the same angel who on the hills of Bethlehem proclaimed Christ's birth, now rolls away the huge stone from the tomb of Jesus as though it were a mere pebble and the guards hear him proclaim: 

Son of God, come forth;  Thy Father calls Thee. 

They see Jesus come forth from the grave, and hear Him proclaim, 

"I am the resurrection and the life."

Christ came forth from the tomb glorified and the Roman guards saw it.  Their eyes were riveted on the glorified face of Him whom they had so recently mocked and severely beaten.   This was the One for whom they had made a crown of thorns.  This was the One who had been nailed to the cross, at whom the priests and rulers, full of self-satisfaction, had wagged their heads saying, 

"He saved others; Himself He cannot save."   

Oh, how wrong they were!

The decree of heaven had loosed the captive.  Mountains piled upon mountains over His tomb could not have prevented Him from coming forth.

Rejoice! Here is our hope...He is risen! 

This series was based on the Gospels and the Desire of Ages by E. White.

The Shadow of the Cross: Part IV

I Know A Place...

Jesus, having walked in the shadow of the cross, was about to present Himself as the sacrificial lamb, the sin offering for the world - for you and for me. This final offering would bring an end to the need for the Passover Feast and the many other ceremonies that for 4,000 years had pointed to His death. In its place, Jesus instituted a new service that was to be the memorial of His great sacrifice. This was to be observed by His followers in all lands and through all ages.

The ordinance of the Lord's Supper. 

Communion.

The breaking of the bread and the drinking of the wine.

"My body which is broken for you.

My blood which is spilled for you.

Do this in remembrance of me…"

In the shadow of the cross, Jesus remained a servant of servants. He came to minister to others, not be ministered to. He taught by example the humble attitude in service we are to give to one another by  washing the feet of His disciples - even His betrayer -  on the very night of His betrayal.  He demonstrated ultimate selflessness on the cross where He gave His life for the redemption, forgiveness and freedom of humanity from the power of hell.

So now, we may come to the table to meet with Christ.

We remember how great His love is for us - so great that He gave His life.

We remember His sacrifice and death - and they become the center of our hope and faith.

We remember.

And we no longer stand in the shadow of the cross - instead we stand in its saving light! 

Hey! I know a place... a wonderful place!  

Will you come with me today?

The Shadow of the Cross - Part III

If You Had Known...

As the celebratory procession approached the city of Jerusalem, the gospels say that Jesus looked upon Jerusalem and wept.  The Jewish nation was a symbol of the people of all ages who scorn the pleadings of God’s infinite love.  The tears of Christ as He wept over Jerusalem were for the sins of all time. His words, through tears, rang true for Jerusalem as much as they ring true today for those who reject God’s gift of love:

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!"  

...

"... you did not know the time of your visitation”  (Luke 19:42 & 44)
 

The multitude of people gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast believed that Jesus would soon sit on the throne as King of Israel.  However,  the shadow of the cross was looming larger - though none could see it but Jesus. In that shadow, He saw not just the agony He would suffer, but more joyously, the completed work of human redemption and the love of God manifested to the universe.  

This was to be accomplished by the voluntary sacrifice of His own life, in order to impart abundant life to humanity.

As Jesus walked in the shadow of the cross the week before His crucifixion, He did what He had always done: He expounded on the scriptures, taught living lessons with parables, gave words of instruction and warning, and spent personal time with his disciples.  He cleansed the temple again, as well as rebuked the priests and scholars who were as pretentious and barren in their ministries as the barren fig tree which He cursed on the way. 

Jesus' whole life example and lesson could be summed up as this: 

the law of self-sacrifice is, ironically, the law of self-preservation; and 

the message of the cross would simply be:

TO GIVE - IS TO LIVE!

The Shadow of the Cross - Part II

Palm Sunday - The Triumphal Entry of Jesus

Never before in His earthly life had Jesus permitted such a demonstration of admiration as He did during His entry into Jerusalem for the Passover. Until now, Jesus had always traveled on foot, and His disciples probably wondered why He now chose to ride. But they were full of hope that he was about to enter the capital, proclaim Himself King and assert His royal power.

Jesus followed the Jewish custom for royal entry.  The animal on which He rode was ridden by kings of Israel and prophecy had foretold that the Messiah should come to His kingdom. No sooner was he seated upon the colt than a loud shout of triumph filled the air. The multitude hailed Him as their Messiah and King.

"Hosanna! Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" 

They didn't have costly gifts to present Him during His entry,  so they laid their outer garments along with olive and palm branches on the path.

The multitude rejoiced that their hour of emancipation from Roman oppression was at hand.

Jesus knew what they did not -

His royal entry into Jerusalem would bring Him to the cross...

The Shadow of the Cross - Part I

What happened during the week prior to Christ’s crucifixion on the Cross? 

Have you ever pondered that question? His own disciples had no idea at the time.  They were excited when Jesus entered Jerusalem because they were certain he was there to assert His power and take His position on the throne of David.  Their King was entering the city to release them from the oppressive Roman rule, and restore Israel to its former glory!

However, Jesus knew when He entered Jerusalem on what we now celebrate as Palm Sunday, He was there to fulfill his paschal duties – He was about to become the sacrificial lamb of Passover, as the sin offering for the world.

He knew he was about to suffer the most egregious, undignified, painful torture and death – the humiliating death of a common criminal.  Adding insult to injury – the legal proceeding which would condemn him to that terrible death would be one of the most ill-legal, botched trials in history. The voluntary execution of God by design.

The shadow of the cross.  

What a tragic triumph it would be.

Let's begin our contemplation toward Resurrection/Easter Sunday together, and perhaps...well perhaps we just might arrive there with a little different perspective than the usual...

THREE NAILS
An Original Poem and Picture by... Me!
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The nails that caused God’s blood to flow

From Jesus’ hands and feet,

That poured atoning power for us -

REDEMPTIVE LOVE COMPLETE!

 (I wonder, how those nails did look,

So big and thick and strong?

They must have been to hold the King

Upon the cross so long!)

Did He know even as a child

The nails He used to build,

Would some day pin Him to a tree –

REDEMPTIVE LOVE FULFILLED!
  
(I wonder, how those nails did look,

So big and thick and strong?

They must have been to hold the King

Upon the cross so long!)

And to this day His hands still bear

The scars caused by those nails,

And yet He holds them out to us-

REDEMPTIVE LOVE PREVAILS!