God’s Love: Making Jesus Christ Lord–Part 3, Knowing Him

As the manager of “Wooly World” at the Toorak Hotel shopping plaza in Melbourne, Australia, I met a lot of men and women looking for high-end sheepskin garments. The most shocking experience of my sales life happened there in 1982.

When I met my wife Sherry, she had long, beautiful, and very straight blondish-brunette hair that hung down to the bottom of her back. As a newlywed, I loved to look at her constantly and enjoyed brushing her hair on occasion.

On a typical day at Wooly World, I met several customers. We had elegant “evening style” lambskin jackets for women, as well as rougher, McCloud-type coats for men. I was waiting on a couple of people when a young lady walked in. She had short, curly hair–and I told her I would help in a moment.

When I finally got to her and looked into her eyes, my jaw fell. Here was my Sherry, with her gorgeous locks whittled down and permed to a shoulder-length bob. I was devastated at first, but after a while realized that there is much more to my wonderful wife than long hair. Plus, she grew it back again after a while.

The point of the story is that we want to recognize and appreciate those we love. The same is true with knowing our heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. But God is Spirit, and Jesus Christ is in a new spiritual body at God’s right hand. How do we get to “know them” today?

Knowing the Father through the Son

We saw in Part 1 that God gave us His gift of holy spirit as a “helper” that would call us alongside the Father forever. In Part 2, we saw our basic relationships with God our Father, and with our Lord, Jesus Christ. As we walk in love by the spirit God gave us, we make Christ the lord of our lives.

Jesus Christ knew his Father. So can we.

John 7:29:
But I [Jesus Christ] know him [the Father]: for I am from [para, alongside] him, and he hath sent [apostellō]  me.

Jesus Christ knew his Father intimately and remained alongside Him in his daily life. He knew that God had sent him. Jesus Christ is “the apostle” (Hebrews 3:1) who sent other apostles to preach the Kingdom of God.

John 8:55:
Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying [logos, Word from God].

Unlike the evil religious leaders that Jesus was confronting, he really knew the Father. These men were born of the Devil (verse 44) and hated the true God. Jesus Christ proved his love for the Father, because he kept God’s Word and always did His will.

John 14:7,17:
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Jesus’ disciples saw the Father in the life of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was the “helper” who called men alongside his Father. He also foretold of a spirit “of truth” that would allow his followers to know the Father. When they later received the gift of holy spirit on the day of Pentecost, God’s spirit dwelt in them!

I John 2:3,4:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

How can you tell if someone knows the Father? See what they are doing and how they live. Those who keep the truth of God’s Word truly know the Father.

I John 5:20:
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

We know that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, came and gave his life for us. He made known the Father, the true God, Who gives us eternal life through His Son. We keep our Father’s commandments, and He can bless us as we obey the truth.

Knowing the Lord Jesus Christ

The Apostle Paul wanted more than just a “head knowledge” about Jesus Christ. He wanted to know him experientially by way of the power of the holy spirit. He also shared fully in Jesus Christ’s “sufferings” as he cared for the church.

Philippians 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship [full sharing] of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

We can know Jesus Christ as we walk by the spirit with the same power that raised Christ from the dead and set him at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1:19,20). We know that “as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

But are we to share fully in Christ’s “sufferings” as well? The honest truth is that we live in a world where Satan has much control with the “course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2). Yet, with Christ in us, we can overcome in the midst of these daily challenges. What does the Bible say about the suffering we are to endure?

Romans 8:18:
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Whenever our sufferings are mentioned in the New Testament, God always mentions our future glory and blessings. The hope of Christ’s return, when we get a new spiritual body “fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21), gives us the endurance we need today.

Yes, we have challenges today, but they are nothing to be compared to the glorious blessing we will have throughout eternity with our Father, His Son, and other believers. Peter greatly looked forward to the return of Christ and “knowing” him throughout eternity.

I Peter 1:11:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit…which was in them did signify [of Christ ], when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

I Peter 4:13:
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

I Peter 5:1:
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

I Peter 5:9-11:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

God gave us His gift of holy spirit so that we can have “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). That is how we know the Father and His Son!

PREVIOUS: God’s Love: Making Jesus Christ Lord – Part 2, Back to Basics