Interesting scene in John 1:46-48 It is one thing to be an acquaintance with someone but quite another to be intimate with them. It is much more safe and non-threatening to be casual with people. Not much usually happens in these relationships if they can even be termed relationships. but ask a significant question or make a revealing comment and you quickly know if the conversation is over or just beginning.
Nate was real "Can anything good come from Nazareth?' He expressed what many in those days thought. Phillip didn't argue but just said "check it out yourself."
Jesus sees what is going on and said "Here comes a guy who is real-nothing fake here." Was Nate proud in saying "How do you know me?" or did he recognize that Jesus really saw through him? Whatever, Jesus said he saw him under a fig tree. He had not met him but already knew Nathanael. Nathanael knew they had not met and that could only mean one thing for him-this had to be the Son of God.
How close are you to Jesus? Maybe we like the acquaintance idea more than the "he really knows me" thought. One way to tell is what your Christian life is like. I mean if we are in the acquaintance section we show up at the right Christian meetings, with a smile, and make a few innocent comments, being friendly and checking our watch to see how much longer we have to do this. If you are in the other section, you talked with Jesus before the meeting about who he might want you to listen to or speak with and you asked him to help you know how to be sensitive to what you should say.
Jesus hangs out in this section and never really goes to the acquaintance area. He is committed to knowing us and us knowing him-really knowing him! Is that scary or exciting to you?
Real church is made up of those who are real-with each other and with Jesus. Where do you church?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment