Knowing GodSample

Day 3: Knowing Jesus 

Yesterday we took a look at God’s character through the description of him given by the biblical authors who experienced him in the Old Testament. Today, we’ll look closely at the revelation of Jesus as the character of God manifested in the flesh as our only means of truly knowing God. 

Imagine for a moment that you have just completed construction on your new home. One of the final steps you might consider is putting a fence around your new property. Let's assume you do want to let folks in to experience your home or your presence, so you put a gate in the fence. Once you've completed the gate, you have created a way to keep your property distinct from your neighbor's, and also a way to let in what you approve and keep out what you don't approve. In this same way, Jesus is the gateway to knowing God. If we want to know God, we have to know Jesus. 

What does it mean to know Jesus? When Jesus encountered his disciples, he called them to do life with him and learn from him. In other words, he invited them to know him and thereby know God. The new testament offers us multiple accounts of Jesus calling people into relationship with him—some responded affirmatively (Matt. 4:19-20). Others denied him (Matt. 10:21-22). To know Jesus, we have to first believe in him and choose to follow him.

Once we decide to follow Jesus, we need to make a continued commitment to trusting in him by doing what he says. There are those in the bible who did decide to believe in him and follow him, while others followed him only a little while. To grow in our knowledge of Jesus, we have to continue sharing experiences with him that reinforce our belief and trust.

The early disciples spent time with Jesus in the flesh to reinforce their belief and grow in their knowledge of him. For modern Christians, he has left us his word. We must fix our hearts on accepting Jesus as the only way to know God and commit to following him. When we make this first commitment, we'll find that we have every resource available to know God in Christ.

Meditate on the following scripture: John 14:6-7 (5 minutes)

Reflect on the following: (10 minutes)

1. Have you established Jesus in your heart as the only way to truly know God?

2. Have you committed yourself to follow him and doing what he says, in order to learn from him?

Pray: God, I recognize Jesus as the only way for me to know you, and I ask that you establish him in my heart. Where I may be uncertain of Jesus and who he is, I pray you would open my heart and my mind to receive him through your word.