Knowing what we know

In the last few weeks (and actually for a few more as we explore the Book of John and Discover more about Jesus) there is one important word that keeps popping up in our texts.

The word is “Know.”

Jesus knows what is in a man(John 2:25) , Nicodemus and his followers know that Jesus comes from God (John 3:2), Jesus tells him they can’t know the kingdom of God unless it has been revealed to them(John 3:3), the people of Sychar in Samaria come to know that Jesus is the rescuer (John 4:42).  To the reader who is paying close attention, there seems to be an emphasis on this concept of knowledge.

But there is something else.  The Greek understanding of this concept is a bit different than ours.  Their understanding of knowledge included experience.  The man who falls off a bridge knows that it will hurt.  The one who hasn’t believes it will hurt.  In order to know, you must experience.

I am afraid that sometimes we learn facts and assume that we know something.  Many of us say we know things like “Jesus is the savior” and “Jesus died on a cross for my sins.”  Sometimes we trade this understanding of facts for the much better and more powerful knowledge that John talks about.

The people in Samaria believed what the woman said, but when they met Jesus they came to KNOW that he was the one who rescues us all.  How much time have you spent knowing Jesus?  Have you spent time praying about your sins and thanking him for restoring you?  Like the woman at the well, have you experienced the grace and mercy of having all your sins exposed and feeling Jesus say “here, have some real living water, which is much better than all your empty longings?”

Discovering Jesus is more than knowing some true things.  We need to begin to experience the real grace and freedom he offers and living in light of that.  Then we can say we “know” he is the one who rescues us.