Maranatha Tabernacle Church of God
Sunday June 20th 2010
Fathers Know Him
John the Apostle, also known as John the Divine and John the Son of Zebedee, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the writer of first, second and third John as well as the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John and the Book of Revelation. John came from a family of fishermen. He was part of the inner circle or core group of three disciples, who witnessed certain key events in Jesus' ministry. He was called "the disciple whom Jesus loved. John was very loyal to Jesus. He alone among the Twelve is believed to have stood by Jesus at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. John was a significant leader in the early church, but he drops out of the biblical record after Paul mentions him as a "pillar" of the Jerusalem church in Galatians 2. Tradition holds that he went to Ephesus with the Mary, Jesus’ mother, and founded several churches in Asia Minor. While there he was persecuted for his faith and condemned to die by being boiled in oil. They put him in a large caldron filled with oil and put a fire under it and his evil torturers watched as they waited to hear him scream out and die slowly in deep agony, but he just would not boil. So they then took him out of the pot and banished him to a prison colony on the island of Patmos and in AD 95 while on that island Jesus appeared to him and he wrote the book of Revelation. John is said to have died later and was buried in Ephesus. His life was a powerful and holy life. He was so close to Jesus that he developed a deep love for the Lord and sought to know Jesus more. In our text for today found in 1John 2:14 he said “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.…” The Greek word for known in this text means to keep on knowing. In other words it is not saying that the fathers once knew the Lord (the One who is from the beginning), nor is it saying that fathers then fully know the Lord, instead it is saying that they should keep on knowing about the Lord.
Hear Paul the Apostle as he cries out with deep desire in Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
There are many meanings associated with the Greek words for know for example acquaintance
"to be taking in knowledge ,
recognize,
understand
realize
become aware.
what is "known" is of value or importance
"knowing" suggests approval and bears the meaning "to be approved"; appreciation
connection or union, as between man and woman
to have seen
perceive
to know from observation,
perceive the significance,
fully perceive,
notice attentively,
discern,
recognize
to have special appreciation;
"to discover, ascertain, determine,"
be privy to,"
CERTIFY,
DECLARE
"a knowledge" which perfectly unites the subject with the object
It is a fact that anyone who gets to know Jesus will want to know Him more, because of what He has done for them. Ask the leper of Mark 1 and he would say “I was unclean but Jesus made me clean. I need to know Him more.”
Ask the paralyzed man of Mark 2 and he would say, “Jesus told me to take up my bed and walk. I need to know Him more.”
Ask Blind Bartimaeus and he would say, “I once was blind but now I see. I need to know Him more.”
Ask the Centurion of Matthew 8 and he would tell you, “Jesus spoke the word and my servant was healed. I need to know Him more.”
Ask the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5 and she would say, “there is more medicine in the hem of His garment than in all the pharmacies of the world. I need to know Him more.”
Ask the woman at the well in John chapter 4 and she would say “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? I need to know Him more.”
I could tell you what I know about Him, I could preach all day of His goodness to me but you have to know Him for yourself!
John said I write to you fathers that you because you have not stopped but you continue knowing more about Him, that you may know Him.
You see I want to know Him more because He is GOD!
Some people accuse us of taking a man and making Him a God, but God became a man. I have trouble with people who want to call Jesus a great teacher, a prophet, or a great moral historical figure to be emulated. He is God. Hear what He said to the Samaritan woman when she said Messiah is coming, He said “you are talking to Him.” Jesus Christ is God.
The prophet Isaiah proclaimed it when he said “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”(9:6)
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (7:14)
John described Him as the Logos or the living Word. In John chapter 1 he wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Jesus Himself said He was God in John 10:30-33 “I and my Father are one. 31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”
Paul explained it in 1Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
The writer to the Hebrews speaking of Jesus wrote that the Father God once said to the Son “…Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” (Hebrews 1:8).
Then John the beloved wrote in 1John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of
God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
Hear the very words of Jesus to John the Revelator in Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I need to know Him more."
THE Greek word for ALMIGHTY in this verse is pantokrator and it is used of God only. It means ruler of all, having all the strength, the omnipotent One.
Jesus Christ is PANTOKRATOR! And fathers you need to keep on knowing Him…
Hear me:
Jesus is the Greatest Man in History
Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
He had no degrees, yet they called Him Teacher.
He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
He had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He fought no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
HE WAS BORN WITHOUT NORMAL CONCEPTION
HE TURNED WATER TO WINE
HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF GRAVITY WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN
HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH TWO FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD;
HE CURED THE SICK
HE OPENED THE EYES OF THE BLIND WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS,
HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING;
HE IS CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE;
HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM;
FATHERS KEEP ON KNOWING HIM…
Jesus said: “I am” the Messiah
“I am” the Bread of Life
“I am” the Light of the World
“I am” the Door
“I am” the Good Shepherd
“I am” the Resurrection
“I am” the Way,
“I am” the Truth,
“I am” the Life
“I am” the True Vine
Fathers Keep on knowing Him
He is the great subject of the gospel,
He is the foundation of our faith
He is object of our hope,
He is the bond and cement that unite us with God.
He should be well known;
He is the Word,
He is the Life,
He is the light of men
He is the Word of God
He is the living Word
He is the vital Word
He is the Word of life
He is the Manifested life
He is the resurrected life
He is the abundant life
He is the true life
He is the eternal life
Dr. Lockridge says :
Jesus is the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages.
He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory.
David said the heavens declare His glory, and the firmament shows His handiwork.
He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere.
He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful.
He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful.
He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Savior.
He's the centerpiece of civilization.
He stands alone in Himself.
He's honest. He's unique.
He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented.
He's supreme. He's pre-eminent.
He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy.
He's the miracle of the age.
Good, He is more than good, better, He is better than better He is the best.
Great He is greater than great. Greater He is greater than greater. He is the greatest.
He is accessible to the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves. He guides and abides.
He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers.
He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors.
He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble.
He blesses the young. He regards the aged.
He serves the unfortunate. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek.
He is the Fountain of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom.
He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace.
He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness.
He's the gateway of glory.
He is the freeway of favor.
He is the parkway of power.
He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors.
He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures.
He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors.
He's the Prince of the princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords.
His office is manifold. His promise is sure.
His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless.
His mercy is everlasting. His love is amazing.
His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient.
His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
He's indescribable. He's incomprehensible.
He's invincible. He's irresistible.
He is unbeatable. He is unstoppable.
The heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explaining Him.
… The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they … couldn't stop Him.
The Scribes couldn’t rewrite Him and the Sadducees couldn’t read Him.
Pilot couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him.
He always has been and He always will be.
He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor.
There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him.
You can't get Him out of your mind.
You can't get Him off of your hands.
You can’t handle Him,
You can’t mishandle Him and you can’t manhandle Him.
You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him.
You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign.
You can’t freeze Him because He is a consuming fire
You can’t burn Him because He will walk around in the fire.
You can’t blow Him away because He speaks to the wind.
You can’t drown Him because He walks on the water.
You can’t bury Him because on the third day He will rise again.
So it’s best to know Him, because when you know Him:
You will stop sinning,
When you know him, you keep his commandments.
When you know Him the truth is in you
When you know Him the love of God works in you
When you know Him you love people
When you know Him you will walk like Him
When you know Him you will talk like Him
When you know Him you will think like Him
When you know Him you do the will of God
When you know Him the word of God of remains in you
When you know Him you will continue in Him
When you know Him you will be righteous
When you really know Him fathers, your children will want to know Him.
When you know Him your wife will want to know Him.
When you know Him people on your job will want to know Him.
John said I write to you fathers because you know Him….
