I Know My Sheep and My Sheep Know Me

I want to take a closer look at one of  the promises I quoted in my last post.

I am the Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. (Jn 10:14-15)

The inspiration behind this blog comes from a very challenging verse in Matthew chapter 7.

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who isin heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?”  Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me you eveildoers.” (Mt 7:21-23)

I see a connection between these two verses.  Both verses talk about being known by Jesus. In John 10, Jesus tells us that He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him.  In Matthew, Jesus says He doesn’t know these religious people who have done great things in His name.  Doing religious works in the name of Jesus is not the same as knowing Him and being known by Him.

We can perform many great and seemingly meaningful works in the name of Jesus and be refused entrance into the kingdom of heaven!  The standard Jesus uses for someone entering the kingdom of heaven has nothing to do works.  We get into heaven because we know Jesus and He knows us. So, what exactly does it mean then to know Jesus?

Let’s go back to the above passage in John.  Jesus tells us that as the Good Shepherd, He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. He goes on to say this relationship is similar to how Jesus knows the Father, and the Father knows Jesus!  OK, so when our relationship with Jesus is as intimate as the relationship Jesus has with His Father, then Jesus will agree that He knows us.  Simple to say, but is it even possible to know Jesus with that kind of intimacy?

By our own efforts, it is impossible to know God intimately.  But the beautiful thing is that He wants to be known by us!

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. (Jer 29:13-14a)

Seeking with all our heart, sounds like what Jesus described as the first and greatest commandment: “Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Mt 22:37-38)  God wants us to know Him, but it requires great effort on our parts.  It takes ALL our heart, ALL our soul, and ALL our mind. Please note it does not say with ALL perfection.

The Apostle John, who recorded Jesus’ words about being the Good Shepherd, also tells us how we can be certain that we know Jesus.

We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands.  The man who says. “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar and the truth is not in him.  But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.  This is how we know we are in him:  Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (1Jn 2:3-6)

I love the continuity of the Scriptures!  John tells us that obedience to God is the key to knowing that we know Him.  Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 7, quoted earlier in this post!  We know Jesus when we obey Him and when our life looks like His.

Do you even know what commands Jesus wants you to obey? Are you just following the traditions of your church or the words of your pastor without ever reading God’s Word for yourself?  Seeking God with all your heart requires effort.  Get to KNOW Jesus through His Word.  Then let Him get to know YOU as you talk to Him in prayer about what you have read.

The promise is that Jesus lays down His life for His sheep –

sheep that He knows intimately, and sheep that know Him personally.