Facing all the Facts

S - "After Jesus had finished speaking, he looked up toward heaven and said: Father, the time has come for you to bring honor to your Son, in order that he may bring honor to you. And you gave him power over all people, so he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” John 17 TS

O - Jesus gives eternal life and the definition of it.  Eternal life is not received by believing facts about someone. It is not obtained by committing to live by concepts or principles. It is not gained or maintained by observances, rituals or disciplines.  In the mind, words and life of Jesus eternal is a relationship; received and maintained by knowing someone NOT by knowing things about that someone. Simply put, you know if you know someone and you know if you don't actually/literally know them.    

A - Religion is satisfied for people to believe its presentation of the facts about Jesus.  It creates adherents, devotees and enthusiasts.  It develops gatherings, rituals, programs and organizational structure based on the information it presents. It calls people to believe in Jesus the way 328 million Americans believe in George Washington. Heaven has no such desire.  In the entertainment industry, there are fans, groupies, who scour and consume all available information on their heartthrob.  They frequent the places they hear they will be and follow them from city to city.  They can join a fan club and meet with those who represent the one they are enamored with or hear stories from those who know the person.  They can do all these things and more … and never actually meet or even have one brief conversation with the person they know so much about and give so much time and energy to. Heaven isn't recruiting fans, boosters or adherents. It is inviting the world (7.7 billion) into a relationship with a person. Knowing him and knowing about are NOT the same thing! It is in knowing him (not knowing about him) that eternal life is present.  As he told the sisters of Lazarus "I am the resurrection and the life." According to Jesus, knowing the facts will never be enough.

P - Lord who is eternal life,

Thank you for letting me meet and know you … and for wanting this to be true for all people. I do love you back!

In Jesus,

Steve