What A Privilege It Is To Know Him
Read Mark 8 verses 1 through 37 and you’ll read of Jesus feeding 4,000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish (1-10), warning of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod (11-21), healing a blind man (22-26), hearing Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ” (27-30), the prediction of His death and Resurrection (31-33), and the importance of denying self and following Christ (34-37). After all this His closing remark, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
When I read the words of the apostle Paul often written while imprisoned, I am overwhelmed by his confidence, his conviction and more, he delivers a clear message that for him, “It is a Privilege to know Jesus”. Scripture like, “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12). Note, Paul said, “I know whom”, not what “I have believed.” Any doubt that for Paul it was a privilege to know Jesus is dispelled in his writings: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…” (Romans 1:16), and “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).
To follow this in our lives, to have understanding of what a privilege it is to know of Jesus, our Father God, as His dear children who should lift up our hearts in praise, and adoration of Him. Considering the character alone of our Father moves us to begin to understand His love for us is beyond imagination. Consider God is “Self-existent”: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You [a]had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2), and “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” What a privilege it is to know Him. Consider God is Eternal, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28), with an, “eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:11). What a privilege it is to know Him.
To know Him is a privilege also because our God is Omniscient, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13), “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9), “For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4), and “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). Knowing this about Him helps me know what a privilege it is just to know Him.
Our great God is also Omnipotent “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?” (Daniel 4:35), “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power…” (Hebrews 1:3), and “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Revelation 19:6). The Lord God Omnipotent cares for me? What a privilege it is to know Him.
Bildad asked “How much less man, who is a maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?” (Job 25:6), I am lower than a worm yet my God is Holy and He still focuses all His attentions on me? “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15–16), “…And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy,[f] holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”” (Revelation 4:8). That makes it all the more a privilege to know Him.
He is Faithful and Righteous, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9). “…God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…” (1 Corinthians 10:13), and He is just, “So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “The LORD is righteous”” (2 Chronicles 12:6), “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). So Righteous is our God, even to my unrighteousness. What a privilege it is to know Him.
Even more combine the fact of His righteousness with His being Merciful toward me? “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4–7). What a privilege it is just to know him.
Understand that God’s love for you is absolute love “for God is love” (1 John 4:8). This is one of the great themes of the New Testament “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:5). Read also, [John 10:28–29; Romans 8:31–39, 8 & 9, 1 Peter 1:3–5; 1 John 4:7–21). God’s love gave His Son to die on that cross for you and for me while we were still in our sins (Romans 5:8). God omnipotent does not want a single person to be lost (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4), and that makes it a privilege to know Him.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” John 1:12
God’s faithfulness also makes knowing Him all the more a privilege. He promised “5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been [a]grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:5–7)
What a privilege it is to know Him. John wrote, “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).
If you don’t know Him, if you have not yet obeyed the gospel of Christ, do it today, and know what a privilege it is to be a part of the family of God.
In Love
David Scarpino
“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You [f]defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. 12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:11-12)
Local Evangelist – Dave Scarpino
Welcome One and All!
Our faithful Creator is worthy to be praised in this assembly. All praise to Him who reigns above in majesty supreme! He gave His Son to die, for all mankind, that He might redeem all. Our blessed Redeemer suffered and died for our sins and is now risen and sitting at the right hand of God as Head of the church. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, knowing that He is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:8-9) “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
Times of Our Services
- Sunday Morning Bible Study 9:00 AM
- Sunday Morning Worship 9:50 AM
- Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 PM
- Wednesday Evening Bible Study 7:30 PM
What Must I Do to Be Saved?
- Hear the gospel—————————————————- John 6:45; Romans 10:17
- Believe the gospel————————————————- John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6
- Repent of sins—————————————————– Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30
- Confess Christ—————————————————– Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:10
- Be baptized——————————————————– Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38
- Remain faithful unto and until death————————– Revelation 2:10; Matthew 10:22
|
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him” (1 John 3:1) |