He calls his own . . . by name . . . —John 10:3
We had a great Sunday at Amana today, a day filled with hope as Dr. Dave Regan discussed, “What happens when you die.” But that great hope is based on our relationship with Jesus. Do we know Him? Does He know me? There are occasions which challenge a relationship: Disinformation, Doubt and Denial. Any of these will cause us to question our relationship with Him.
When I have sadly misunderstood Him? (see John 20:11-18 ). There are times when the Jesus of scripture just doesn’t seem to be the Jesus we believe that we know. When Mary went to the tomb on Easter morning it was empty. When Jesus appeared to her, she didn’t recognize Him. A Risen Lord is not what she expected. There are times when the Jesus we experience is not the Jesus we expect. We misunderstand who He is. Mary’s doctrine was challenged. She had to trust in her experience. Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2 ); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. “. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. . . . Jesus said to her, ’Mary!’ ” ( John 20:14, 16 ). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ’Rabboni!’ ” ( John 20:16 ).
When we are challenged by the Jesus that is presented to us, we are wise to rely on our experience with the Jesus we know, the Jesus who save us, who healed us, who set us on solid ground. To that Jesus, we say, “Master.”
When I have stubbornly doubted? Sometimes, the Jesus of others’ experience is more than the Jesus we know. Thomas was not going to believe until His experience is personal. (see John 20:24-29 ). Have I been doubting something about Jesus— maybe an experience to which others testify, but which I have not yet experienced? The other disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” ( John 20:25 ). But Thomas doubted, saying, “Unless I see . . . I will not believe” ( John 20:25 ). Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious. “Thomas . . . said to Him, ’My Lord and my God!’ ” ( John 20:28 ). It is our role to believe not just the Jesus we have experienced, but the Jesus whose possibilities for us abound. We won’t know the reality of life everlasting with Jesus until it happens to us, but our hope depends on our not doubting it now, before it is real in our lives.
When I have selfishly denied Him? The greatest challenge to our relationship is when we deny Him. we have probably all experienced circumstances in which we are embarrassed by a relationship or, far worse, others are embarrassed by their relationship with us. What incredible damage to the relationship follows. Particularly when the denial is of the One who gave all. Frankly, we have all denied Him at some time. We have sat silently in conversations where He is named and doubted. We have not stepped forward when His reality is questioned by others. (see John 21:15-17 ). Peter denied Jesus Christ with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75 ), and yet after His resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter alone. Jesus restored Peter in private, and then He restored him publicly before the others. And Peter said to Him, “Lord . . . You know that I love You” ( John 21:17 ). Our only hope after denial is confession and a plea for mercy, which He promises to honor. We can have restoration, just as Peter did.
Disinformation, doubt and denial, none can destroy our relationship if we have a personal history with Jesus Christ? The one true sign of discipleship is intimate oneness with Him— a knowledge of Jesus that nothing can shake.
The reality of our relationship is the basis of our blessings.
Nick
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