Knowing You, Jesus, there is no greater thing!

Is your Christianity a collection of beliefs, a list of ethical principles, and some social habits? If asked what it means to be "Christian" some might say, "I believe Jesus is the Savior, the Son of God. I was baptized, joined the church, stopped using profane words. I attend church regularly, take Communion, and I have a Bible which I read occasionally." So, what's wrong with that? Nothing, except it misses some of the best parts of being a Christian.

Being a Christian is different from acting like a Christian. It is quite possible to do many 'Christian' things, even say 'Christian' words and not really BE a Christian. Consider these sobering words from Jesus: [Matthew 7:22-23 - The Message] "I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’" "You missed the boat!" That is a tragic phrase that will be heard by those who refuse the True Life of the Spirit, preferring to trust that they can make themselves good enough for God by doing good and humanitarian things throughout their lives.

A person is a Christian because she has received the life of the Spirit through Jesus Christ and who is now loving God, her Creator and Father with a love is not just a sentiment; a devotion demonstrated in life choices of obedience. (That's not an attempt to be exhaustively definitive!) Jesus gives us a metaphor to help us understand the profound truth of knowing God in a transformational way. [John 15:4-7 NLT] Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! "Remain in me..." stay connected. Christians know a Person and His Presence in their lives changes them, gives them a substance of being that defies explanation.

While 'knowing' Jesus is a common part of the evangelical phrase book, I fear many really don't know Him at all. They only know about Him, confusing an active life of church service for the real life of the Spirit. We humans are almost incurably religious. If someone has an amazing and wonderful experience of God's Presence and/or Power, what do we do? We build a shrine, create a ritual, and try to replicate the experience. What should we do? Celebrate with them, entering into their wonder and joy, and then find out what God wants to do that is amazing and wonderful in our own life! Yes, there are a few common worship rituals that Jesus instituted to pull us together in our shared Christianity. Communion, Baptism, and joining in corporate worship must not be discarded as we launch into some personal 'Spirit' quest! He commanded that we do these things to celebrate the Truths that make us one Body.

But my point today is that each of us is privileged to really KNOW God and that is the wonder, and mystery, of being a Christian. Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a few moments, and then ask God, the Spirit, to keep you connected to the Vine today, from Whom flows the true spiritual life.

Eph 3:14-19 NIV For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Did you take note of that last phrase? What comes from a deeply intimate 'knowing' of God? A life filled with God! We will live rightly, we will do good deeds - when we know Him._________________

Knowing You
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,There is no greater thing.You're my all, You're the best,You're my joy, my righteousness,And I love You, Lord.

All I once held dear, Built my life upon,All this world reveres, And wars to own,All I once thought gain I have counted loss;Spent and worthless now, Compared to this.

Now my heart's desire Is to know You more,To be found in You, And known as Yours,To possess by faith what I could not earn;All surpassing gift of righteousness.

Oh to know the power of Your risen life,And to know You in Your sufferings,To become like You in Your death, my Lord;So with You to live, and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,There is no greater thing.You're my all, You're the best,You're my joy, my righteousness,And I love You, Lord.

Author: Kendrick, GrahamCopyright: 1993 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)