That I May Know Him

TEXT: MATTHEW 16:13-17
“13) When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14) And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15) He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven.”
MEMORY VERSE: PHILLIPIANS 3:10
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.”

INTRODUCTION
“Do I know God? Have we asked ourselves this question before? Jesus asked His disciples this similar question in the passage we read. They were so fast to reply him on what others call Him but when He directed the question to them, they were mute until God enlightened Peter on what to say. It is easy to see others than ourselves.
A minister of the word said, “Some people are SO FAMILIAR WITH GOD AND USED TO HIM, such people end up useless. We need to relate with Him with a sense of awe and take His word so serious all the time”. His words are NEW all the time.
There is difference between knowing ABOUT someone and knowing the person INTIMATELY. It was difficult for the disciples to answer Jesus because the Holy Spirit is yet to come upon them to bear the witness of the true identity of Jesus. Peter’s response was divine (Matthew 16:17). Do we know God?

BODY
Joyce Meyer said and I quote, “Many Christians go to church, do what they think they should be doing to follow all the rules, and live what they think is the Christian life; but inside they are wondering, is this it? Is this all there is?”
Our first experience of knowing God intimately is found through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit, who comes to us through salvation. Some Christians are not SAVED because they are yet to have an encounter with God; they rely on the fact that they are born into a Christian family, function in different capacities in the house of God, and also awaits the coming of the Lord Jesus without His Identity mark upon them. Such people fall for anything.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also SEALED us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

THERE IS NOTHING AS WORSE AS BEING IN A LOW LEVEL STATE OF SPIRITUAL DISSATISFACTION ALL THE TIME. We will never be permanently, consistently satisfied if we seek things to do or own in order to quench the void inside of us instead of seeking inner satisfaction that comes only from the time spent with God after an encounter. The void cannot be filled with activities.

In Ezekiel 47:1-12, we see four (4) levels of commitment to God; Ankle stage, Knee stage, Loins stage, and Swimming stage. Some people only want to get closer enough to God that they are ankle-deep in water; they like to feel their feet on solid ground so that they can be sure they are still in control. Ezekiel 47 is a passage we must study to know our state and level of relationship with God.

CONCLUSION
THOSE WHO SEEK, CRAVE AND LONG TO SEE GOD WILL FIND HIM AND ENJOY HIS EVERLASTING FRUIT OF PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING. (Philippians 4:7)
Let us study Ezekiel 47:1-12 and we continue from there next time. Thank you.