KNOWING JESUS
“I don’t even know him!” —Luke 22:57
Ever deny you had a relationship with someone even though you did? Teens sometimes do this to their parents when in public by not acknowledging them because they are embarrassed of them. Friends sometimes do this to other friends for the same reason when they are around the “popular” people.
Peter, in the context of the verse above, did this to Jesus to “save his own skin.” Not long before he had just told Jesus that not only would he not deny him, but that he was willing to die with Jesus (Mark 14:31). Then when Jesus was arrested Peter followed to see what would happen. When he was confronted with knowing Jesus on three separate occasions, he denied he knew him. Peter was not the man he thought he was. Later, after Jesus rose from the dead, Peter acknowledged his love for Jesus (John 21:15-17).
It is one thing for a man to say to Jesus, “I don’t know him!”— But to hear Jesus say to a man, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ —well, that is final and forever! Having a relationship with Jesus is vital, eternally vital! Acts 17:30-31 we are told that God “commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” People want proof! Well, the proof is that Jesus rose from the dead!
Repentance is a turning from my own ways to follow God’s ways. It is a change of mind about what sin is and about what God desires. God “commands all people everywhere to repent.” This is not an option! Judgment is coming after we die. Jesus took the penalty for our sins to save us. If we do not trust Him as Savior then we will face Him as Judge and “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
We, who know Jesus, rejoice! It is such a joy to know Him, serve Him and one day we will be with Him forever in that perfect place. If you do not know Him I would encourage you to repent and call on His Name so your sins can be forgiven and so you can enter into a relationship with Jesus.
Dear Father, thank You for loving me. Help those who have not trusted Jesus to do so that they can be forgiven and know Your love as well!