He Knows
John 2:23-25 (ESV)
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Trust no man!
Psalm 146:3-5 (ESV)
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God
Psalm 118:8 (ESV)
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
Jeremiah 17:5-8 (ESV)
Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. 8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
These 3 verses basically tell us that Jesus knows every heart, so He can identify superficial faith.
John 2:23 (ESV)
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.
The people believed in Jesus as a miracle worker or a political/military messiah, but not necessarily as the true Messiah, the Son of God. – We don’t get to decide who Jesus is, HE is divinely defined!
Does your faith rest on what Christ does for you or on who He is?
In other words, many people trusted in Him, but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew that people are not trustworthy. Jesus was realistic about the depth of trust in those who were now following Him. Some would endure; others would fall away. But Jesus did not give up on them; they gave up on Him.
How often do we give up on those around us! Yet Jesus had the patience to wait for the disciples to develop and mature.
We are all under construction. – Breath grace
Are you grace filled with those who are struggling to keep on track spiritually?
Jesus understood the human condition completely; He knew the motives behind people’s actions because He thoroughly knew their heart. He knew how vacillating people were (and are).
Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him (as king). For the LORD sees not as man sees:man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
Acts 1:24 (ESV)
And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen
Jesus knew that the faith of some followers was superficial, fecal and volatile.
It is comforting to know that Jesus sees through our efforts to be more confident or perfect than we really are. In fact, we will not fully appreciate His grace until we recognize that He sees us and knows us exactly as we are, and He loves us anyway. Part of trusting Jesus is acknowledging that He understands us better than we understand ourselves.
Job 34:21 (ESV)
“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
Proverbs 5:21 (ESV)
For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.
John 2:24-25 (ESV)
But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
1. Jesus knew all people
2. He Himself knew what was in man.
3. He needed no one to bear witness about man.
Jesus knows us completely and no one is excluded.
Speaking to His disciples – John 6:64 (ESV)
But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
Jesus was not surprised by Judas’ betrayal or Peter’s denial!
Jesus knows you perfectly and completely! And loves you totally and faithfully!
1 John 4:9 (ESV)
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
Did He know our hearts before He came? YES, and He came anyway to manifest the love of God.
We will get back to that… But I also want to mention that HE KNOWS! He has tasted any and everything we might go through in life. He KNOWS …. He understands and relates – He is our High Priest, intercessor, the one who prays for us. His blood defends us!
Let the Truth that Jesus KNOWS you intimately and thoroughly penetrate your heart.
What does this mean:
· There are no secrets in your life.
o Many times we think no one knows so I’m safe
o Secrets make us sick!
o Confess and repent – healing
· There is not one facet of your life that is foreign to Him.
Many people live with the fear that if they only knew what I’ve done. The truth is if you only knew what He’s done!!!! That is the Trust that sets us free.
Even your spouse or best friend doesn’t know you at all in comparison to Him. In fact, He knows you better than you know yourself.
We actually get to know our true self and potential by walking in the light. We end up having authentic fellowship with Him, others and ourselves.
Good News – you always have someone to go to when we need a perspective on life. It is said that one of the greatest desires of the human soul is to understand ourselves.
1. Our purpose
2. Our motives, etc.
Jesus has answers b/c He KNOWS you! And LOVES you! LIVING LOVED – And He KNOWS! About all that you go through.
Remember when Jesus reconciles Peter in John 21? What responses Peter has:
John 21:14-18 (ESV)
This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
He knows everything about you and He loves you perfectly and unconditionally. This truth if embraced/believed will set you free.
1. From being a people pleaser – caring what other people think about you.
2. From your sick secrets – confess and repent!
3. From feeling unloved and that no one understands – cast your cares…1 Peter 5:7
4. Hagar said – “you are the God who sees me”
5. He knows your unique needs – ask!
6. He has a wonderful plan and purposes – Jer. 33:3
Remember He died to make you His bride – From His perspective this relationship is intimate, permanent, disclosed, transparent.
If you have received Him, you can be confident there will always be One who loves and knows you through and through. And you can share the disciple’s confession:
John 16:30 (ESV)
Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”