How well do you know Jesus?

‘Don’t you know me?’ John 14:9 NIV

A fascinating encounter took place between Jesus and Philip. When ‘Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father”…Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?”’ (vv. 8-9 NIV). There’s a lesson here for all of us. You can go to church regularly, serve on the board and sing in the choir, yet not really ‘know’ the Lord. To truly know someone, you must spend time with them, sharing and opening your heart. In other words, the relationship must become your top priority.

What you are reading is called a ‘devotional’ because its aim is to bring you to the place where you’re more devoted to Christ than anything else. Does that mean neglecting other things? No, it’ll actually enhance every other area of your life. The Bible says, ‘He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel’ (Psalm 103:7 NKJV). Israel knew God’s acts because they were observers, whereas Moses knew His ways because he was intimate with Him. Israel saw what God did; Moses was close enough to understand His thinking and why He did what He did.

Three times Jesus asked Peter, ‘Do you love Me?’ (John 21:15 NKJV). The first two times Peter answered, ‘Yes.’ The third time, frustrated by the question, he answered, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You’ (v. 17 NKJV). Note the words, ‘Lord, You know.’ You can fool others, and even yourself, but the Lord knows the quality of your love for Him. Today His desire is to draw you closer to Himself. Are you available?

Relationship with Jesus is different for each of us. However here are a few additional aspects to consider

1. Jesus: The figure of Jesus holds a central place in Christianity as the Son of God and the founder of the religion. According to Christian beliefs, Jesus is considered to be divine and the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide accounts of Jesus’ life, teachings, miracles, and crucifixion, as well as his resurrection.

2. Peter (John 21:15): Peter, also known as Simon Peter, was one of Jesus’ closest disciples and is often considered the leader of the twelve apostles. He had a deep personal relationship with Jesus, witnessing his teachings, miracles, and crucifixion. However, Peter is also famously known for denying Jesus three times before his crucifixion. After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter reaffirmed his love and commitment to Jesus, as described in the passage you mentioned (John 21:15), where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him.

3. Philip: Philip was another one of Jesus’ disciples. He is mentioned in the Gospels, particularly in the Gospel of John, where he plays a role in the feeding of the multitude and the conversation with Jesus before his crucifixion. Philip is known for his skepticism and questioning nature. Despite this, he had the opportunity to witness Jesus’ teachings and miracles firsthand and was chosen as one of the twelve apostles.

4. Moses (Psalm 103): It’s important to note that Psalm 103 is attributed to King David, not Moses. Moses, a significant figure in the Hebrew Bible, predates David by several centuries. Moses is traditionally regarded as the leader who liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. Although Moses did not know Jesus personally since he lived long before Jesus’ earthly existence, some Christian interpretations view Moses as a prophetic figure who foreshadowed Jesus’ coming.

In summary, Peter, Philip, and Moses had different levels of personal interaction with Jesus. Peter had a close and personal relationship with Jesus as one of his disciples, while Philip witnessed Jesus’ teachings and miracles. Moses, although predating Jesus, holds a significant role in Jewish and Christian history, with some interpretations highlighting his prophetic significance in relation to Jesus.