The name of Jesus is so familiar to some of you that when you hear it, it is like hearing your own name. To some, His name brings confusion and questions. Maybe someone has told you a little about Him, but you are not quite sure how Jesus relates to your life, Who He is, and why He is so important.

If I was walking down the street and “Jane Doe” walked by me, I would walk right on. I don’t know a Jane Doe. (Does anyone know Jane Doe?) She and I wouldn’t speak, nor would we stop.

If Cal walked by me, I would immediately recognize him. I would stop, hug him, kiss him, talk to him, as if I had known him for years, because I have. He is special to me. On a crowded street I would always recognize Cal, even on a crowded.. I love him. There is no way I would walk by him. I am interested in him. We would definitely talk. We have a history together and there would be a lot to say. Had it been 16 years earlier (right after we met), I would absolutely be ready to talk, laugh, or whatever, because we were just getting to know each other. We were falling in love. The point of this whole picture is that you spend time with people that you know, even on a busy street.

Jesus

What if Jesus walked past? Think of downtown Chicago or New York where there are a lot of people bustling around. You are walking and Jesus Christ walks past you. But you have never met Him before so when He holds out His hand to you, it is as if you are stunned and you turn away, ignore Him, or keep walking. We’ve all been approached by people we don’t know who want to give us something, talk to us, or get something from us. We all teach our children the dangers of strangers, and have been aware ourselves of the danger. Sometimes it is easier to walk a little faster and avoid the whole thing. If we are afraid, we may even run.

Remember when Jesus was a stranger to us? Don’t forget it when you tell someone else about Him. On the other hand, maybe some of you have a friend who knows Jesus. You see them walking toward you. You stop to talk to your friend and she introduces you to Jesus, the most important person you will ever meet. You acknowledge Him because your friend knows Him. You don’t want to be rude so you talk a while and suddenly you have developed a personal relationship with this friend named Jesus. You get to know Him better and better, maybe even better than your friend.

You Know Him

Now you are walking again, and you look up and there He is! You have been spending a lot of time together and you are completely in love with Jesus Christ. You love Him so dearly that you run to Him. You throw your arms around Him like a little child and He tells you how much He loves you. Then He says, “Here, let me remind you.” He opens His hands. You look into his palms and see where the nails were. Tears flood to your eyes. You look back into the eyes of your Savior and Lord and say, “Thank you.”

It is God’s desire that you have an eternal relationship with Him. “...He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” 1 Peter 3:9. Jesus Christ is a loving Savior who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim 2:4). The Truth is Jesus is “the way the Truth and the life” (John 14:6). He wants you to know Him. There many ways to live, but Jesus is THE WAY to the Father. THE TRUTH is that Jesus is the Son of God, sent as a sacrifice so that we would have eternal life (John 3:16). And Jesus is THE LIFE, making us alive spiritually (John 3:3).

If you do know Jesus maybe you need to remember what a loving Savior He is. You may be distracted by so many things, you can’t run up to Him on that busy street because you are so preoccupied. Don’t miss the Savior any more. Remember His love, His sacrifice, His resurrection and His coming again. Be ready to introduce the most important person in your life to other people you meet along the way. Someone told you. Be a “someone” who tells another.

Phillipians 2:5-11

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus Christ

• He is enduringly strong.
• He is entirely sincere.
• He is eternally steadfast.
• He is immortally gracious.
• He is imperially powerful.
• He is impartially merciful.
• He is the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizons of the globe.
• He is God’s Son.
• He is the sinner’s Savior.
• He is the captive’s Ransom.
• He is the Breath of Life.
• He is the centerpiece of civilization.
• He stands in the solitude of Himself.
• He is august and He is unique.
• He is unparalleled and He is unprecedented.
• He is undisputed and He is undefiled.
• He is unsurpassed and He is unshakable.
• He is the lofty idea in philosophy.
• He is the highest personality in psychology.
• He is the supreme subject in literature.
• He is the unavoidable problem in higher criticism.
• He is the fundamental doctrine of theology.
• He is the Cornerstone, the Capstone, and the stumbling Stone of all religion.
• He is the miracle of ages.

Anne Graham Lotz

Digging Deeper:

When was the last time you introduced Jesus to someone? Why did you?

Who is Jesus to you?

How can you get to know Him better? Church? Talking with a Christian wife on your team? A neighbor you know is a Christian? Reading the Bible? E-mail Christi or UPI??

Whatever it is, don’t put off getting to know someone as supernatural and phenomenal as Jesus Christ. He will change your life.

SCRIPTURE TO SEARCH:

BORN AGAIN—John 3:1-15

For a better understanding of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord:

• Romans 3:23
• Romans 6:23
• John 3:3
• John 14:6
• Romans 10:9-10
• Revelation 3:20

Remember who He is:

• John 15 He is the VINE. John 6:35 Bread of life.
• John 6:14 fed 5.000. John 10:7-18 Good Shepherd
• John 4:13-14—you will never thirst again…
• John 12:46 Light John 17:33 gives peace

He wants you to follow Him:

• John 21:19, 22; Matthew 16:24

A life knowing Christ is abundant and wonderful: