Are You Passionately Introducing Jesus

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Philippians 3:10, ” That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. “

Background

We’ve all attended a banquet, or even our own worship service, when there was going to be a guest speaker. And leading up to the point when the guest takes the podium, someone will invariably be called upon to introduce the speaker. And during the introduction, the listeners in the audience are usually able to determine almost immediately whether the one introducing the speaker truly knows him or not. If he is using note cards to describe him, then that is a good initial indicator, although some dear friends of mine have accomplished so much that I would want to write it all down to make sure I didn’t omit something. But even more telling than note cards is the way in which the one doing the introduction expresses and shares the purpose and passion of the speaker. If there is a sincere closeness and fondness between the two, then the audience will sense that almost immediately through the comfortable ways in which the one talks about what matters most to his friend.

Application

And it is no different in our relationship with Jesus. When we talk about Him, the listener can tell fairly quickly whether we know Him, or merely know things about Him. Our closeness to Christ also comes out in how often we speak of Him. When you talk with your friends, aren’t there so many conversations that include a reference to a particular person who is special in your life? Doesn’t your spouse or your child or your best friend get mentioned on a somewhat regular basis? If you’re not talking much about Jesus, and if you sound like casual acquaintances when you do, then perhaps you aren’t familiar enough with the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming to His death, and the power of His resurrection. For these things were the passion of Christ and the purpose of His life. Knowing Him means to empty yourself of yourself and to take on everything about Him. The death, the sufferings, the power. If you will know Him, then that is the Jesus that you must know. And your speech will bear witness to that.

Charge

As we seek Him today, get to know Jesus more by pursuing a relationship with Him in the things that matter most to Him. Give Him the time for you two to get closer.