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Leadership Lessons
Knowing Jesus vs. Claiming to Know Him
Knowing Jesus vs. Claiming to Know Him
John 7:25-29
In John 7:25-29, Jesus addresses the crowd, many of whom claim to know God, yet they fail to recognize Him, the very one sent by God. His words, “You claim to know Him, but you do not know Him at all,” cut to the heart of the matter: it’s easy to claim faith, but living out that faith is another story entirely.
This passage challenges us as believers, especially in today’s divided world. The division we experience is not a new phenomenon—it has always been this way. What troubles me is not that the world is divided, but that the Church is also divided. How is it that we, who claim to know Jesus, often find ourselves divided along lines of preference, tradition, and denomination?
The root of this problem is the same one Jesus exposed in John 7: too many of us claim to know Him, but our actions suggest otherwise. We let personal preferences, cultural trends, and even theological nuances become stumbling blocks. Instead of standing united in Christ, we allow differences to tear us apart. If we truly knew Jesus, we would know that His plan was always for us to be one—a unified body working together to help people see Him more clearly.
When I was pastoring, we experienced a powerful move of God in our church. We saw people from different denominations—Reformed, Baptist, Charismatic, even Catholic—coming together. Despite having a specific set of theological guidelines that shaped our doctrine, we refused to let these guidelines divide us. Instead, we committed to one goal: to know and teach the truth. We focused on showing people how to open their Bibles and discover the truth for themselves, not just to follow traditions or personal preferences.
This unity was built around a shared commitment to Jesus, not our labels. Over time, we transformed from a mostly Baptist congregation into a community of believers from diverse backgrounds, all serving and worshiping together. The key was that we all shared the same goal: to know Jesus and to make Him known.
Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in John 7 are a sobering reminder for us today. Are we truly living out the knowledge of Jesus, or are we merely claiming to know Him while building names for ourselves? Are we more concerned with winning arguments than winning souls? If we truly know Him, we will be united by our common mission to share the Gospel, not divided by our personal preferences or traditions.
Let’s remember that actions speak louder than words. The world is watching us, and our unity—or lack of it—will speak volumes about the Jesus we claim to know. May we strive to truly know Him and to function as one, just as He intended.
Reflection Questions:
Are there areas in your life where you claim to know Jesus, but your actions suggest otherwise?
How can you promote unity in your church or community without compromising the truth of the Gospel?
What steps can you take to help others discover the truth of Scripture for themselves rather than relying on tradition or preference?
Donor Development
Knowing Jesus vs. Claiming to Know Him
Knowing Jesus vs. Claiming to Know Him
John 7:25-29
In John 7:25-29, Jesus addresses the crowd, many of whom claim to know God, yet they fail to recognize Him, the very one sent by God. His words, “You claim to know Him, but you do not know Him at all,” cut to the heart of the matter: it’s easy to claim faith, but living out that faith is another story entirely.
This passage challenges us as believers, especially in today’s divided world. The division we experience is not a new phenomenon—it has always been this way. What troubles me is not that the world is divided, but that the Church is also divided. How is it that we, who claim to know Jesus, often find ourselves divided along lines of preference, tradition, and denomination?
The root of this problem is the same one Jesus exposed in John 7: too many of us claim to know Him, but our actions suggest otherwise. We let personal preferences, cultural trends, and even theological nuances become stumbling blocks. Instead of standing united in Christ, we allow differences to tear us apart. If we truly knew Jesus, we would know that His plan was always for us to be one—a unified body working together to help people see Him more clearly.
When I was pastoring, we experienced a powerful move of God in our church. We saw people from different denominations—Reformed, Baptist, Charismatic, even Catholic—coming together. Despite having a specific set of theological guidelines that shaped our doctrine, we refused to let these guidelines divide us. Instead, we committed to one goal: to know and teach the truth. We focused on showing people how to open their Bibles and discover the truth for themselves, not just to follow traditions or personal preferences.
This unity was built around a shared commitment to Jesus, not our labels. Over time, we transformed from a mostly Baptist congregation into a community of believers from diverse backgrounds, all serving and worshiping together. The key was that we all shared the same goal: to know Jesus and to make Him known.
Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in John 7 are a sobering reminder for us today. Are we truly living out the knowledge of Jesus, or are we merely claiming to know Him while building names for ourselves? Are we more concerned with winning arguments than winning souls? If we truly know Him, we will be united by our common mission to share the Gospel, not divided by our personal preferences or traditions.
Let’s remember that actions speak louder than words. The world is watching us, and our unity—or lack of it—will speak volumes about the Jesus we claim to know. May we strive to truly know Him and to function as one, just as He intended.
Reflection Questions:
Are there areas in your life where you claim to know Jesus, but your actions suggest otherwise?
How can you promote unity in your church or community without compromising the truth of the Gospel?
What steps can you take to help others discover the truth of Scripture for themselves rather than relying on tradition or preference?
Devotionals
Knowing Jesus vs. Claiming to Know Him
Knowing Jesus vs. Claiming to Know Him
John 7:25-29
In John 7:25-29, Jesus addresses the crowd, many of whom claim to know God, yet they fail to recognize Him, the very one sent by God. His words, “You claim to know Him, but you do not know Him at all,” cut to the heart of the matter: it’s easy to claim faith, but living out that faith is another story entirely.
This passage challenges us as believers, especially in today’s divided world. The division we experience is not a new phenomenon—it has always been this way. What troubles me is not that the world is divided, but that the Church is also divided. How is it that we, who claim to know Jesus, often find ourselves divided along lines of preference, tradition, and denomination?
The root of this problem is the same one Jesus exposed in John 7: too many of us claim to know Him, but our actions suggest otherwise. We let personal preferences, cultural trends, and even theological nuances become stumbling blocks. Instead of standing united in Christ, we allow differences to tear us apart. If we truly knew Jesus, we would know that His plan was always for us to be one—a unified body working together to help people see Him more clearly.
When I was pastoring, we experienced a powerful move of God in our church. We saw people from different denominations—Reformed, Baptist, Charismatic, even Catholic—coming together. Despite having a specific set of theological guidelines that shaped our doctrine, we refused to let these guidelines divide us. Instead, we committed to one goal: to know and teach the truth. We focused on showing people how to open their Bibles and discover the truth for themselves, not just to follow traditions or personal preferences.
This unity was built around a shared commitment to Jesus, not our labels. Over time, we transformed from a mostly Baptist congregation into a community of believers from diverse backgrounds, all serving and worshiping together. The key was that we all shared the same goal: to know Jesus and to make Him known.
Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in John 7 are a sobering reminder for us today. Are we truly living out the knowledge of Jesus, or are we merely claiming to know Him while building names for ourselves? Are we more concerned with winning arguments than winning souls? If we truly know Him, we will be united by our common mission to share the Gospel, not divided by our personal preferences or traditions.
Let’s remember that actions speak louder than words. The world is watching us, and our unity—or lack of it—will speak volumes about the Jesus we claim to know. May we strive to truly know Him and to function as one, just as He intended.
Reflection Questions:
Are there areas in your life where you claim to know Jesus, but your actions suggest otherwise?
How can you promote unity in your church or community without compromising the truth of the Gospel?
What steps can you take to help others discover the truth of Scripture for themselves rather than relying on tradition or preference?
