To Know Jesus

In this article, I want to write about Jesus. Moreover, a little about His love. Because until we know Jesus through the eyes of love, we will never honestly know Him. Jesus, the embodiment of true love, is not just a man but the very essence of God's love. In scripture, we read, 'Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.' 1 John 4:8-9. God's nature is love, and Jesus is the living manifestation of this divine love. When a person seeks to know God earnestly, that person discovers that God's love for His creation is without question. 'We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him.' It is a love that gives to the fullest and expects nothing in return. All mankind has to do is believe in who He is, to receive, live, and grow in knowing Him. We start with love.

     When the apostle Paul penned his letter to the newly formed church in Philippi, Macedonia (Greece), he shared his thoughts of desiring to know Jesus, writing, "that I might know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death" Philippians 3:10.  Paul, who in his past persecuted those who believed in the teachings of Jesus, had come to believe in Jesus' teachings and now was able to write a letter telling of his desire to know Him. Now, two thousand years later, those words written by Paul are taught as a testimony about the apostle, how he "wanted to know" Jesus, and he was willing to suffer the same death as He, who became Paul's Lord and Savior. In reading these words, it is easy to interpret that Paul was teaching that to fully know Jesus, all who follow Christ must be willing to suffer and die to know Jesus fully. Thus, we believe the "fellowship of His sufferings' is the only way to fully "know Him." Since Paul wrote those words, many have given their lives rather than deny that Jesus is the Creator of all things and came to the earth to show us how far to go, if need be, to demonstrate His love for all. But it is also true that very few believers become martyrs for the gospel's sake. When we examine "the fellowship of His sufferings" further, we learn it is not just the last days of Jesus' life, where He suffered the torture and death He endured at the very end of His life. It is much more. Understanding why Paul wrote "the fellowship of His sufferings" is crucial in our journey to "know Him." It is not just or necessarily about dying a martyr's death; it is about truly knowing Him. Let us delve into the profound meaning hidden within the words, 'and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.'

     In the early days of my Christianity, I read the letter Paul wrote to the church in Phillipi, and his statement resonated with me deeply because those words mirrored my yearning to know God. Many nights, when I was just a boy of eighteen and nineteen, having just been "Born Again." I would walk to the park close to my apartment. Upon arrival, I would lie on the ground, look at the stars, and talk to God. I remember experiencing profound moments and realizing He was genuine. He was my Creator, bringing me comfort and joy. As the days passed, my questions were less about me and more about Him, so I would ask, "Who are you? What are you doing right now?" And I would tell Him, "I want to know you." As I lay there on the grass, I would feel overwhelmed, wanting to know Him. I felt small and insignificant, and He felt so enormous and unattainable. While I prayed for it, I never believed I would ever be able to contain any substantial understanding or knowledge regarding my questions about Him. But I knew He loved me and forgave me for the things that had caused me to live with guilt, shame, and pain.

     As I continued my journey, I began to grasp a profound truth about Jesus through my own 'fellowship of His sufferings.' I realized that Jesus is love, and this love was the driving force behind His entire existence. His suffering was not limited to the cross but was a part of His life among us. He entered this world out of love, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16, and He left because of love, "By this, the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." I John 4: 9-10 When Paul wrote, 'that I may know Him,' he may not have fully comprehended the depth of his words. Similarly, we too can embark on a personal journey of understanding Jesus through our own 'fellowship of His sufferings.'   

     Jesus' sufferings started at His conception, and we read the story in Matthew's chapters one and two. And will not end until the new heavens and earth are established, meaning He suffers in heaven. What is His suffering in heaven? Because He is love, rejection from all those for whom He gave His life. His love for us never ceases. Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." During His entire existence as a man, He was hunted, humiliated, used, slandered, abandoned, beaten, killed...and more. Yet through His whole life, He never did the same. He loved, healed, and taught about a beautiful life after death. He taught and showed us how to care for one another. He taught about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He also talked about forgiveness towards our enemies. But Jesus did not just tell us to live with His teachings; He lived it. We should ask ourselves; do we want to know Him as He truly is? His life is a testament to His love and His suffering, as well as His strength and endurance.

      If we answer yes, we must understand that all mankind is already in fellowship with His suffering. "The fellowship of His suffering" is not a call to martyrdom but a recognition of the shared human experience of suffering. As the saying goes, 'Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.' Let us delve deeper into this concept.

Suffering can develop two different traits in us: bitterness and compassion. One is beneficial to us, and the other is not. Jesus was born and lived without sin His entire life, so we can imagine that as a toddler, child, and teenager, he was different from the others of his age. He never sinned. He was not rebellious, disrespectful, deceitful, or immoral. Imagine what life must have been like for Him. The lousy behavior of His peers did not influence him. He chose not to participate. It is not hard to believe that others of His age called Him names, made fun of Him, bullied Him, and went as far as to push Him down and hit Him when He would not defend Himself. We have seen this type of "fellowship of His sufferings" played out on the playgrounds many times. Good kids who do not want to participate are pressured, bullied, and made fun of because they do not want to do what the others are doing, thus embarrassed because they do not fit in. When experienced and overcome, the young person can feel compassion for those experiencing the same, and they can be a help and comfort. Still, if they dwell on the experience's pain, they can become reclusive and bitter, not helping themselves or anyone else. This is just a small example that reveals to us who Jesus was. Even as a small child, He forgave because He loved those who did those evil things to Him. We can be sure the young Jesus went home to His mother for comfort. He experienced human suffering, just as we all do.

     Rejection hurts. It hurts Jesus today. He is praying for us today. When people feel rejected, they are experiencing fellowship with their Creator, The Son of God, their Savior. However, how we respond to suffering will produce the fruit of life, as Galatians 5:22 reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love..., against such there is no law." or the bitterness of death, Galatians 5:20, "... enmities, strife,...anger,...that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." and more. Either we forgive and love, or we become bitter and hateful. Jesus always loves, always.

     So, if we mean it, when we pray, "I want to know you, God," or "I want to be like you, Jesus," we need to examine our love for Him and others because we will never know Jesus without understanding and living with genuine love for Him and for others. We cannot go through life thinking that love is something we receive; it is not; love is something we give. Paul wrote in I Corinthians Chapter 13 that love is patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, and is not arrogant; it does not act unbecomingly and is unselfish; when you love, you cannot be provoked, and love does not consider a wrong suffered; it never rejoices in unrighteousness, loves truth. Loves bears all things, believes and hopes all things. Love endures and never fails.

      There is so much hated in the world, not just those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, but also those who do. Those who call themselves "Christians" need to allow the sufferings they endure to produce love. Understanding what it means to partake in the "fellowship of His sufferings." God places the path before us and shows us the benefits of walking down it. He will never miraculously impart an ability. The Holy Spirit will guide us and teach us right from wrong but never force us to do what is right, what He leaves to us. Love is a choice we make during suffering. It is the nature of God; when we abide in God, we love because He is love.

     Many are hindered by the pains of their youth or traumatic events in their past that have caused bitterness, hatred, and a desire for vengeance. Now, they suffer the effects in their souls and bodies. Do not seek justice; seek Jesus. He is the only one who is just. He knows the pain and suffering of all people on the earth. Therefore, His judgment is the only true justice there is. I encourage all and remind myself daily to pray for those who have caused us to endure suffering and let go, forgive, and love. Then, we are on the right path that leads us to "know Him."