Writing in Moody Monthly magazine, Mayo Mathers tells about the first time she saw Keith sitting alone in a pew at the back of the church. He wore a biker’s T-shirt and tattoos decorated each arm. Only 36, he was more faded then his jeans with a worn out, lived-out look in his eyes. He seemed puzzled, as if he wasn’t sure how he ended up in that tiny country church. He was there because someone has invited him. Someone wanted to introduce Keith to Jesus Christ. Someone yearned for him to come to know Christ in a life changing way. Keith certainly needed the Lord. From the first time of his marriage at age 15,
his life had gone steadily and tragically downhill. He’s tired most of what the world had to offer but nothing brought him the happiness, and meaning and peace he craved. Keith was a drug user; an ex-con and he constantly battled alcoholism
Keith returned to church the next week…. and the next… and the next. People lovingly reached out to him, accepted him, and prayed for him. Eventually Keith accepted Christ as personal Savior and Lord. He began his new life in Christ with an astonishing passion, yearning to know Christ better and better. Keith devoured his Bible; fellowship became a priority. He faithfully prayed and worshiped. And he grew and grew in Jesus. Oh, he had his difficulties,
failures, and setbacks; it was not all-smooth sailing; he lost some battles along the way. But, my, did his life ever change.
Keith lived in a tiny camping trailer parked at the back off his parents’property. His main passion was his motorcycle. It was his life, his passion; it
was all he really had. When challenged to give something to God, he sold his motorcycle and gave the money to the Lord. Needless to say, Keith’s hunger to
know Christ and His transforming power had an impact on those around him, both in and out of the church. Touched by his life, the author of the Moody Monthly
article wrote: “After Keith gave his motorcycle to the Lord, I realized that I had forgotten the feeling of such dedication…passion… and hunger for Christ. I
stared at Keith, fascinated by his life. He looked like a new man; now I was he one who looked faded”
KNOWING CHRIST-
Knowing Christ is God’s greatest desire for every one of us, and it is without question, in our very best interests. Down and outers like Keith are
not the only ones who need to know the Lord. People from all walk of life and every strata of society have discovered the wonderful difference that a personal relationship with Christ makes in their lives. Dr. Evertett Koop, former Surgeon General of the U.S. tells people that his greatest desire is to know his savior better. Former President Jimmy Carter’s life centers around his relationship with the Lord. Dr. Francis Collins is a biochemist that as Director of the prestigious Human Genone Project is responsible for overseeing the mapping out of our DNA code. This well respected scientist is a Christian and his relationship with Christ is of utmost importance. Millions of people are making the discovery that there is nothing more important than knowing the
Lord. The apostle Paul also made that discovery and did it ever change his life. He discovered that his brilliance, wealth, prestigious family background,
and accomplishments were nothing compared to knowing the Savior.
TEXT-
Desiring that others make that same discovery, Paul prayed in our morning text that the believers in Ephesus “…. MIGHT KNOW CHRIST BETTER” (vs. 17). Knowing Christ is one of Scripture’s ways of describing saving faith. John 17:3 declares, “NOW THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE: THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM YOU HAVE SENT.” Scripture equates “knowing Christ” with having eternal life. The Greek word that is translated know is ginosko. In the N.T. ginosko frequently indicates a relation between the person knowing and the object known. What is known is of value or importance to the one who knows, and hence the establishment of a relationship. The idea of appreciation, knowledge, and relationship is inherent in the Biblical word “know.” (W.E. Vine) Thus to “know Christ” is to have a personal relationship with Him. “Such
knowledge of Christ is obtained, not by mere intellectual activity, but by operation of the Holy Spirit consequent upon acceptance of Christ.” Those who know Christ, Scripture declares, gain eternal life.
Hence, it is vitally importance that we truly know Christ. It involve much more than just knowing some fact about Him. I know a lot about President George
Bush. I know where he grew up, went to college and how he made his money. But I do not know George Bush. The facts are helpful but they are not enough. Knowing
Christ involves more than a passing acquaintance with some of the facts surrounding his life. Jesus warns “MANY WILL SAY TO ME ON THAT DAY, ‘ LORD,
LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME… DRIVE OUT DEMONS AND DO MIRACLES?’
THEN I WILL TELL THEM, ‘ I NEVER KNEW YOU, DEPART FROM ME.’” (Matthew 7:22)
There is a difference between knowing Christ and knowing about Him. God yearned for us to go beyond head knowledge to an experimental knowledge. He desires that we have a personal relationship with the Lord. “The Jesus who was born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, who lived, died and rose again, still lives. We can, therefore, know Christ personally. Revelation 3:20 speaks of this personal relationship that we can have with Him. Such is our greatest need. We need to
know Him because of who He is and what He has done for us.
THE PERSON OF CHRIST-
The opening three verses of the Gospel of John reveal three truths about Christ.
PRE-EXISTENT-
It opens with these words: “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD (meaning Christ)…” there never was a time when Christ did not exist because the word “was” is
in the Greek imperfect tense, which means “was continuing.” Jesus Christ is preexistent. He existed with God the Father before He came to earth in the form of a man. John’s Gospel continues, “AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD….” That literally means, “The Word was continually toward God.” “The Father and the Son were
continually face to face. The preposition ‘with’ bears the idea of nearness, along with a sense of movement toward God.” (16/1046/Hughes) That is to say,
that Christ has always existed. His life did not begin when he became a man nor did it end when He was crucified.
GOD-
Not only was Christ with God, John’s Gospel goes on to declare that the “WORD WAS GOD.” “The exact meaning is that the Word was God in essence and character. Christ was God in every way, though He was a separate person from God the Father. The phrase perfectly preserves Jesus’ separate identity, while also stating that He is God. This simple sentence of verse 1 of the gospel of John is the most compact and pulsating theological statement in all of scripture. Jesus was always existing from all eternity as God, in perfect
fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit,” (Hughes). Even though He voluntary limited Himself when He became a man, He was God come in the flesh.
CREATOR
Finally, the greatness of Christ is seen in the fact that He is the Creator of the universe. John’s Gospel begins by asserting, “THROUGH CHRIST ALL THINGS
WERE MADE; WITHOUT HIM NOTHING WAS MADE THAT HAS BEEN MADE.” This is the consistent claim of the N.T. writers. Colossians 1:16 and 17 says, “…. ALL
THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM AND FOR HIM. HE IS BEFORE ALL THNGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER.” Hebrews 1:2-3 adds: “… IN THESE LAST DAYS GOD HAS
SPOKEN TO US BY HIS SON, WHOM HE APPOINTED HEIR OF ALLTHINGS, AND THROUGH WHOM HE MADE THE UNIVERSE. THE SON IS THE RADIANCE OF GOD’S GLORY AND HONOR AND
POWER, FOR YOU CREATED ALL THINGS AND BY YOUR WILL THEY WERE CREATED AND HAVE THEIR BEING.” There are about 100 billion stars in the average galaxy and there are at least 100 million galaxies known in space. Einstein believed that we have scanned only one billionth of theoretical space. And Jesus created it all!” (Hughes) Furthermore, He created us. He is responsible for the miracle of DNA and all of the wonders of the human brain. He is responsible for the
atom, the miracle of DNA and a thousand other unimaginable physical and material marvels.
THE WORK OF CHRIST-
We also need to know Christ because of what He has done for us. Because of His victory over sin and death through the cross, He can dramatically affect
us for the better in this life as well as the next.
NEW LIFE-
First of all He can make a profound difference in your early pilgrimage. He offers us new life. Alfred Lord Tennyson penned these immortal words; Oh, for a man to rise in me, that the man that I am might cease to be. Is not that the heart-cry of mankind? We yearn to have victory over our sinful desires and evil tendencies. We want to rise above our pettiness, selfishness, and jealousies. We yearn to move beyond our anger, bitterness and resentments. We desire to change. We want to be different. Through Christ we can change for the better. When Jesus looks at a person He “does not only see what that person is; He sees what that person can become. Jesus looked at Peter and saw in him not only a rough, impulsive Galilean fisherman but also what he could become. Seeing us not only as we are but as we can be, Jesus says, ‘Come to me… I will change you… I will make you a new creation.” Through Christ we can live our lives on a higher plane. We can live holy, wholesome lives. (1 Corinthians 5:17) “IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, “ declares the Word of God, “HE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD HAS GONE AND THE NEW HAS COME.” When we truly know the Lord, when we have a relationship with Him, our lives change for the better as He works in our lives.
Blake Wesley, “Big Red”, was a first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. He had lots of money and all the toys and luxuries a Canadian boy ever dreamed of. On top of it all, he had a lovely wife and two adoring sons. Like other pro athletes Blake found that painkillers allowed him to play while injured. His addiction to the limelight of sports stardom pulled him into other addictions. To make a long story short, Blake Wesley lost everything. He lost his wife, his sons, his career, his money and his self-respect.One night he found himself in the darkness of a seedy hotel room, feeling lonely and angry. It was during this time that Blake remembered the Lord. He felt an overwhelming presence fill the room and he was driven to his knees. The awful weight of failures, foolish choices and sins crushed down on his shoulders. There in that run-down hotel room, kneeling by the bed, he yielded to the Savior. With God’s help he wanted to start over and honestly pursue a relationship with Christ. He wanted to become the man, husband and father God intended him to be. He groped for the phone and dialed a number in Oregon where his wife and boys were staying. “Beth” he said, “I want to come home.” That was the beginning of a journey to wholeness and new life in Christ.
ETERNAL LIFE-
Secondly, Christ can make a difference in your eternity. Jesus said, “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOSOEVER
BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” Heaven is a gift that is imparted to us when we believe or trust in Christ and trust Him as our
Savior and Lord. The gift of eternal life is offered to anyone irrespective of their past. (John 6:37) Jesus said, ‘WHOSOEVERE COMES TO ME I WILL NEVER TURN
AWAY.” Turning to Christ in repentance and faith is the key. Jesus said “EXCEPT YOU BECOME CONVERTED YOU SHALL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” (Matthew 18:3)
The basic idea of the Greek word translated “converted” is “to turn.” Conversion has two aspects, namely turning away from displeasing God to pleasing Him. Convicted of sin we turn from it and we turn to the ways of the Lord. In John 14 Jesus said, “I AM GOING TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU… SO THAT
WHER I AM THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO.” Having paid the just penalty of your sin, the Lord Jesus can promise you eternal life.Author Max Lucado tells of the time he was invited by golfer Scott Simpson to attend the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Country Club. Lucado said he wasn’t content to see the course and walk the grounds. He wanted to see the locker room where the clubs of Ben Hogan are displayed. But a guard stopped him at the entrance and wouldn’t let him in. Lucado says, “I showed him my pass, but he shook his head I told him I knew Simpson, but that didn’t matter.” “Only caddies and players,” he explained. Lucado goes on to say, “The guard knew I wasn’t a player or a caddie. Caddies are required to wear white overalls. “My clothing was a dead giveaway. So I left, knowing I had made it all the way to the door but was denied entrance.” God has one requirement for entrance into heaven: that we be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. When someone prays, “Take away my sinful rags and clothe me in your grace, “Jesus in an act visible only to the eyes of heaven removes the stained robe, and replaces it with the robe of his righteousness. What did Jesus do for you and me? He put on our coat of sin and wore it to the cross. As he died, his blood flowed over our sins and they were cleansed. Because of this, we have no fear of being turned away at the door of heaven. Those who know Christ find themselves clothed in the righteousness of Christ and thus able to enter heaven.
GROWING IN CHRIST-
Because of who Christ is, Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers was that they “… MIGHT KNOW CHRIST BETTER”. His desire was that they would know
Christ better and better. The regular Greek word for personal knowledge is gnosis, but in this passage the word is intensified with the preposition epi.
Paul is praying for an epignosis which is a ‘real, deep, full knowledge, ‘ a thorough, life-changing knowledge of Christ.” (52/865/Hughes) Paul wanted his
beloved Ephesian believers to grow in Christ, to go deeper and deeper in their knowledge of Him and submission to Him. If anyone knew Christ in a powerful, life-changing way it was Paul. Nevertheless a better, deeper, and fuller knowledge of Christ was his great desire. In Philippians 3:10 he said, “I WANT
TO KNOW CHRIST AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH…” This is also God’s desire
for you and me.We need to be continually growing in Christ, maturing in our faith. There is a
great need for believers to possess a vibrant, vital relationship with Christ. Spiritual depth and a life-changing relationship with Christ are the result of
time spent with the Lord. Relationships are built by spending time together. Communication is essential. Disciplined times of talking to the Lord in prayer
and listening to Him through the reading of His word are crucial if we would grow and mature in Christ. Worship and fellowship cannot be ignored if we would
sense Christ’s presence and life-changing power. There are no short cuts to growing deeper in Christ. Well worth the effort and discipline.
CONCLUSION-
In writing the article about Keith…Mayo Mathers wrote, “Keith’s hunger to know Christ and the transforming power of His life had an impact on those around him, both in and out of the church. After Keith gave his motorcycle to the Lord… realized that I had forgotten the feeling of such dedication…passion…
hunger for Christ. Perhaps that is also true of you this morning. But you would like that to change. A vital, vibrant, powerful, life-changing relationship
with the Lord comes to those who make knowing Him a priority in their lives. We get to know Him better by talking to Him through prayer, reading, and studying
His Word, worshipping Him and fellowship with His people. Don’t allow anything to keep you from the disciplines.
