You are Known

As Christians, we are on the Easter journey.

A journey of growing and maturing in our awareness that we are known and loved by God our Father. And that we are called to live the Risen life of Love in Christ now and forever.

Seeking to know Christ and to enter more into His Risen life is not something we can accomplish on our own. We need a shepherd to lead us and direct us into the truth of how and why we are made.

“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.”

Just as the Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father, we are to come to KNOW Christ, just as He KNOWS us.

In 2009, when Valerie and I were at Holy Trinity Brompton, London, England, the speaker was Charlie Macksey, the guy who painted the picture of the Prodigal Son in our Emmaus Café.

Charlie is funny and real. Being critical of Christianity for most of his life, he came to faith as an adult. The story of the Prodigal Son is a story that has really spoken to his life.

Being “Known” by God

Another point of faith that has really spoken to him, and in our Gospel for today, is the realization of being “Known” by God.

1 Corinthians 13:12

“…then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

That day Charlie spoke about…

• the love that is always there despite ourselves.
• whether we know it, want it or accept it…
• …we are known by God.

He  also spoke about he freedom that comes with this realization.

• The freedom to love others.
• the love and joy that is not dependent on what others think or say about you.
• The freedom to know God’s love and joy regardless of what is going on in our lives.

This is what makes us Easter people.

This is what makes us different than those who have not yet turned to this Risen love of God in Christ. 

And it is Christ alone, the Good Shepherd, who can lead us fully into this realization and loving relationship. 

The Church’s mission

As we come to “know” the Risen Love of Christ in our lives, we as a Church have a responsibility, to make others aware of this Easter Truth and reality.

We are known and loved by the Father.

Let us enter more deeply into the realization of this Risen love of Christ.

And let us continue to be more effective in loving the world around us and drawing others into New and Risen Life.