Knowing Jesus is a Journey: reflections on John 1:43-51

How well do we know Jesus?

Not how well do we know Christianity. Not how well do we know God. Not how well do we live up to our confession of faith. Not how well do we know our Bible. Not how well do we know the teachings of Jesus. But how well do we know Jesus?

It was only after more than 20 years of church life, that I finally came to the realisation - I don’t know quite know who Jesus is. I was surrounded with talk of Jesus. I had a great number of experiences and encounters with Jesus. I had experience with talking about Jesus and teaching about the Christian faith. I had great aspirations to do work for God and for Jesus. I prayed and read my Bible and used the name of Jesus often. But I was lacking in my knowledge of Him, in the way that that the apostles spoke of Him.

Already then, Jesus was many things to me. He was my buddy - a friend I can turn to whenever I’m lonely. He was a Saviour - someone I could call upon for help. He was someone who loved me unconditionally. He was ”wonderful counsellor, might God, prince of peace, everlasting Father”. But I couldn’t say with all my heart and mind and soul and strength, with the apostles - you are the Christ, the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. It was then that a journey of discovery began for me. And now, even after almost 20 years since, the joy has only just begun.

In John 1:43-51, we discover through the experience of Philip and Nathanael that to be a follower of Jesus is to be on a lifelong quest to know Him. When Philip responded to the call of Jesus to follow Him, Philip discovered that he had found the one “whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets” wrote about. Was he right? Yes! But it wasn’t enough.

Nathanael trusted in Philip and decided to join him in following Jesus, he too came to the realisation - “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”. Was he right? Yes! But it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough because Jesus literally invites them to more. The story ends not with the rightful identification of Jesus by Philip and Nathanael, but with the invitation Jesus to them - “Truly truly I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”. To follow Jesus, is an invitation to come and see more and more of Jesus. To know Him, not just a saviour and friend, but as the Christ of Israel. And more. To know Him as the Word of God. To know Him as the Light of the World. And more.

We all began our journey of faith with the discovery of Jesus. Let’s not stop there. Let’s go on to more. Let’s make 2021 a year to grow ever more in the knowledge of Jesus. This is the everlasting joy of our salvation.