Who do you know and who knows you?

If you were planning a party whom would you invite? Would you have difficulty working out whom to ask? Or would you have trouble knowing when to stop? Relaxing and having fun with friends is one of the great joys of life. But what if you didn’t know anyone, or nobody knew you? Going to a party is not much fun if you are stranger and everyone ignores you. A friend invited me to a party once where everyone except me spoke Dutch. Halfway through the night my friend said, “The lady sitting next to you thinks that you are ignoring her. She has been trying to talk to you all night and you don’t answer her questions!” (My friend hadn’t let her know that I wasn’t Dutch) I wasn’t ignoring her, I just didn’t realise she was talking to me. It can be like that in getting to know God.

The coming of Jesus into the world took people by surprise. They didn’t always realise God was trying to communicate with them. Even for his parents, Mary and Joseph, it was hard to understand all that was happening to them and around them in the birth of Jesus. As he grew up he continued to both puzzle and amaze people. His closest disciples found themselves asking, “Who is this?” when he cast out demons and stilled raging storms. But gradually, Jesus revealed his identity. Some people were offended as he made the claim, “I am God’s Son”. (John 10:36) They considered it to be insulting to God and wanted to kill him. Others watched what he did and saw proof of his claim in the miracles he performed and the things that he taught.

The process of getting to know Jesus unfolded over time for most of his followers. They saw hints and clues but didn’t immediately know how to put them together. It wasn’t until after his death and return to life that it became clear. One pair of followers had their hearts “warmed” as he walked with them and explained the Scriptures to them. (Luke 24:32) This mixture of direct encounter and explanation of biblical teaching is a common way in which people meet Jesus.

Jesus made it clear that God wants us to know him. We may take it for granted that we can “know God”, but this was a surprise to Jesus’ followers. They saw God as holy, distant and frightening. Only the priest could offer prayers and sacrifices to God. But Jesus taught that ordinary people could know and relate to God. He described himself like this,

“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep”. (John 10:14-15)

He says not only that he knows his “sheep” (followers) but that they know him as well. Do you know Jesus? If you were throwing a party would Jesus be on the invitation list?