Following On
Gtcotr/ws011905
Key Scripture: 1 John 2:3 ¶ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
Life offers each of us so many wonderful opportunities. Few people take real advantage of them.
Recently I decided to take advantage of one, and as a result:
Over the past nearly two weeks I have been traveling once again in and around the nation of Israel, meeting with some VIPs.
This was my 5th trip to the Holy Land.
Even though this was not primarily a religiously oriented trip, nonetheless in between other scheduled appointments:
Once again I visited:
* the town of Bethlehem and I saw where Jesus was born.
* the Temple Mount and I saw where Jesus was presented to the priests according to the law, as a first born Son
* the town of Nazareth and I saw where Jesus was raised to manhood by His mother Mary and her husband Joseph
* the city of Cana and I saw where Jesus performed His first miracle of turning water into wine
* the Jordan River and I saw where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist
* the Judean desert and I saw where Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights and was tempted of the devil who could not win
* Capernaum and I saw where Jesus called His disciples to be with Him and to send them out to preach
* the Sea of Galilee and I saw where Jesus walked on the waters, calmed the storms and commanded fishes into the nets
* the Mount of Be-Attitudes and I saw where Jesus preached to the multitudes and fed the five thousand
* the towns of Caesarea Philippi and I saw where Jesus told His disciples Who He really was
* the Mount of Transfiguration and I saw where Jesus was glorified as He met and talked with Moses and Elijah
* the ruins of the city of Bethsaida and I saw where Jesus performed many of His miracles and healings
* the coast of Magdala and I saw where Jesus cast seven devils out of one woman named Mary
* the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem and I saw where Jesus healed a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years
* the city of Bethany and I saw where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and later made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem to the sound of children crying Hosanna to the King of Israel
* the upper room and I saw where Jesus ate the last supper with His disciples
* the Garden of Gethsemane and I saw where Jesus prayed in agony until He sweat great drops of blood
* the place of Jesus’ trial in Jerusalem and I saw where He was denied by Peter, beaten by the Roman soldiers and was condemned to die on a wooden cross
* the place called the place of the skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha, Mount Calvary, and I saw where Jesus was crucified for my sins and the sins of the whole world
* the Tomb and I saw where they laid the dead body of my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ - but death could not hold Him!
* the Garden and I saw where Jesus spoke with Mary after His resurrection from the dead on the third day
* the Galilee and I saw where Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection
* the Mount of Olives and I saw where Jesus ascended into heaven with the promise to come again in like manner
On this trip, no one I saw or spoke to, whether Jew, Christian or Arab contended that these things did not happen just the way they are written in the bible.
Different from so many people I meet in America, all of those who I spoke with who live in the Holy Land of Israel know quite a lot about this man called Jesus.
Many of them, like me, have visited these sites & heard these stories.
However, it is clear that a person can see and hear, even believe and repeat things about Jesus without it ever affecting them personally here on earth or eternally in the afterlife.
In order for Jesus to save our souls, change our lives and secure us eternally, we Christians believe that:
We must know Him and not just know about Him.
I. That I May Know Him (Not Just Know About Him)
A. Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
B. How Did Paul Get To Know Christ? (He became serious in his pursuit and made it a priority of life)
C. Philippians 3
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 ¶ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
Basically the Apostle Paul says that he did this so that “I might know Him” (verse 10)
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
II. Following On To Know
Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD …
The prophet of old hungered for the people to know the God of their fathers in an intimate and personal way.
Can we know if we know Him or not? Yes, the bible says we can.
III. How Can We Know That We Know Him?
1 John 2
3 ¶ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
A. What are His commandments? Matthew 22 sums them up:
1. Love God more than we do ourselves.
2. Love others as much as we do ourselves.
B. On these two foundations hang all of the Law and the Prophets.
C. Christianity is a belief that demands action.
IV. Conclusion:
Jesus wants all of us to follow on to know Him
He wants us to make knowing Him a priority in our lives
Not just knowing about Him, but knowing Him
A. There is one of three possible places to stand in this pursuit
1. Investigator
* One who hears or studies to know about Jesus
* to know who He was and what He said and what He did
2. Spectator
* One who is closer to Him, within arms reach or ear shot
* to hear what He says and see what He does
3. Participator
* One who gets involved in what Jesus is doing
* to abide in Him and walk just as He walked
B. Wherever we are, we must Follow On!
