Jesus: follow and know…know and follow (Week 3:1)

Topic: Week 3- Jesus as Lord
Theme for 6 Weeks- Who is Jesus and what difference does it make?

Read Colossians 2:6-7; John 17:3

One of my favorite both/and lines, with respect to being Jesus-followers, comes from a 16th century Anabaptist, Hans Denck. “No one can know Christ truly except by following Him daily in life; and no one can follow Him faithfully except those who truly know Him.”

It addresses the “cheap grace” question or that faith in Christ is merely some private piety- just Jesus in my heart. But, neither is this walk with Christ merely obedience to Jesus on our own efforts.

To confess and believe and live this earliest of Christian confessions- Jesus is Lord, is to sometimes just take a step…and then another step, in following Jesus. In the process, we come to know Jesus more fully. And, those steps of following faithfully are also rooted in the power that comes from knowing Him (John 17:3)- through prayer, worship of Jesus, silence, reading Scripture, etc.

There is “…one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Corinthians 8:6). We seek to know him and follow him. We follow him and know him. We know him…

We’re off and running on this ongoing cycle.

Question: Is there balance in my life with the “knowing” and “following” of Jesus as Lord?

Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, I acknowledge you as just that: Lord. My desire is to know and follow you, for I know that this is where there is life and life abundantly. As I have received you as Lord, I want to continue to live my life in you. Show me what this looks like today and this week. Amen.”