TODAY’S SCRIPTURE Romans 3:21-26
My name is Philip Jenkins (you’ll see why I point that out in a second). I consider it a huge blessing to able to say that I grew up in a home where both of my parents were faithful to God (and therefore, were obviously faithful to one another), that I grew up in the church, and that His Word was something we tried to live by.
However, I’ll never forget the day back in college when I ran across John 14:9. Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?”
It felt like Jesus Himself was calling me out. I suppose that in a way He is and in a way He isn’t.
Here’s John 14:8-11 in its context (although, really you ought to go back further than verse 8 and beyond verse 11!).
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”
How is it that an apostle could miss the fact that Jesus Himself is the very image of the Father? I suppose it could be similar to someone has been with Jesus, but doesn’t really know Him. The Pharisees have been with Him, but they would not know Him.
We can have all of the head knowledge and have 14 Bible Bowl rings (although I’m pretty sure that’s not a thing), but it doesn’t matter how many years we’ve “been around” Jesus. We must know Him.
Today, I will…evaluate my spiritual well being: Right now, am I simply around Jesus or am I getting to know Jesus?