Knowing the Master

Knowing the Master

II Cor 5:16 AMP Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no man from a (purely) human point of view (in terms of natural standards of value). (No) even though we did once estimate Jesus from a human point of view and as a man, yet now (yet now we have such knowledge of Him that) we know Him no longer (in terms of the flesh).

Paul didn’t know Jesus as Peter and John knew Him, but Peter and John didn’t know Him as Paul knew Him.

           

Peter and john knew Him because of the three years they walked with Him, but they never really knew Him.

When He hung on the cross, they stood and watched Him.  They saw the blood run down His back and arms.  They saw the crown of thorns driven into his head.  They stood and watched Him die.  They saw Him stripped naked in shame, but they didn’t see the tragedy of Him being made sin.

They were moved by what they saw and the sorrow brought tears and heartache.  They didn’t know about Him being made sin.  They didn’t know nor could they see the spiritual struggle that was going on.  They couldn’t see the demonic activity that was dragging Him to a place of torment in our place.  They only saw where love actually walked and ruled. It is love (God’s love) at work through a man.

We saw Him come out of the trial in the wilderness in victory.  Matt 4:23-25 as the sick and lame came to Him, and He healed the multitudes.  We see Him as He fulfilled Matt 8:17 as He made the mind of men wonder at the sight of healing with just His word and casting out demons by speaking.  We watch Him in the boat on the Sea of Galilee as He stopped the wind and waves by a quite word, “Peace be still”.

He ruled the sea and He ruled the wind, He turned water into wine and He ruled even the fish in Luke 5:4-11.  He ruled every law of nature as a perfect master.  This is only one part of the Jesus who is Lord.  Never did a man speak as this man spoke, nor taught as this man taught.  The things that He taught and spoke, challenge the heart of men yet 2000 years later.

But it does us well to remember that no one was saved under His earthly ministry.  He told Nicodemus that He must be born again, but Nicodemus wasn’t born again (he didn’t even understand what He was talking about).  I can almost see the look on his face as He tried to understand.

When Jesus died on the cross, His disciples thought it was all over.  They only saw Jesus after the flesh and not after the Spirit.  To them, all was lost.  The whole thing was over.  The man they thought was the Messiah was gone (and they thought that they were next).  They retreated back to the city and hid themselves.

Paul, however, never knew the man, Jesus.  His encounter with Jesus was not the man in the flesh that they saw on the cross, but the one that was justified and raised by the Spirit of God.  He saw the risen Christ that had conquered death, hell, and the grave - the one that took our sin and declared us righteous in Him.

I asked our people once what they see when I say “Jesus”.  You don’t see J-E-S-U-S, you have some kind of image in your mind when you hear His name.  Do you (as His disciples did) see just the man on the cross that suffered?  Do you see Him in the garden in agony?  Do you see Him as He walked the shores and healed the sick?  Do you still only know Him after the flesh or do you know Him after the Spirit?  When I say Jesus, do you see Him seated now at the right hand of the Father in all power and principality, the mighty conqueror and invincible Lord?  Do you see yourself still struggling in what He overcame or do you see yourself, as in Him, being more than a conqueror?  Ephesians 2:5-6 reveals to us what happened to Him after the cross and where we are to see Him now, in the victory that He provided Himself. That we not only see Him raised, but see ourselves raised with Him because of the cross.

Where you see Him is where you serve Him.