Jesus Knows All
John Rigg
“Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?’” John 16:31
I am always amazed at the excitement that is in the atmosphere during the Easter season. Churches all around the world celebrate with varying degrees of worship styles and events. For some, it begins with fasting during Lent while others observe Passion week. However, most churches gather on the solemn day of Good Friday and meet again on Sunday to celebrate God raising Jesus from the dead.
You may already know this, but studies reveal that Easter is the most attended church day of the year. In fact, one church in Texas reports that over a 10-year period, on average, Easter attendance rose 230% above normal. Oddly enough, this is pretty much the norm in many parts of the world.
All this enthusiasm each year is generated as the world remembers Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the sins of mankind and then God raising Him from the grave three days later. With this said, the statistics make sense. The greatest day in human history should be the day most celebrated! However, there is an element to Easter that continues to amaze me all throughout the year. It is that Jesus knows all things. Let me explain.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is communicating to His disciples that He had come from God and that in a little while He would be returning back to the Father (John 16:28). John also records how the disciples responded to this news. John 16:29–30 records, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
Although the disciples believed that Jesus had come from God and in turn, knew all things, Jesus replies with this loving rebuke. John 16:31–32 continues, “Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone.’”
Jesus was revealing to His disciples that their belief was incomplete. His statement was in the form of a question, “Do you now believe?” It was to show them that their faith was not as strong as they may think. Ironically, because Jesus did know all things, He knew that those closest to Him would soon be scattered, leave each other, and leave the Christ they believed in.
This is the part of Easter that continually amazes me. Jesus knew that everyone who claimed to believe in Him would soon leave Him. Yet in the moment of total abandonment, He allowed Himself to be put to death by Roman crucifixion for the sins of others, all in the name of love.
As for you and me today, it is good for us to remember that Jesus knows all things. He knows our faith can sometimes be incomplete and weak. He knows when we sin, when we wander, and when we totally abandon Him altogether. Yet knowing everything about us, He still made the choice to die the death that we deserved (Romans 5:8).
This is the part about Easter that continues to amaze me. I wonder if the rise in church attendance that is experienced around Easter may be the norm if we all took the time to realize that Jesus knows all things.
I pray you are amazed this Easter.
John Rigg
“Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?’” John 16:31
I am always amazed at the excitement that is in the atmosphere during the Easter season. Churches all around the world celebrate with varying degrees of worship styles and events. For some, it begins with fasting during Lent while others observe Passion week. However, most churches gather on the solemn day of Good Friday and meet again on Sunday to celebrate God raising Jesus from the dead.
You may already know this, but studies reveal that Easter is the most attended church day of the year. In fact, one church in Texas reports that over a 10-year period, on average, Easter attendance rose 230% above normal. Oddly enough, this is pretty much the norm in many parts of the world.
All this enthusiasm each year is generated as the world remembers Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the sins of mankind and then God raising Him from the grave three days later. With this said, the statistics make sense. The greatest day in human history should be the day most celebrated! However, there is an element to Easter that continues to amaze me all throughout the year. It is that Jesus knows all things. Let me explain.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is communicating to His disciples that He had come from God and that in a little while He would be returning back to the Father (John 16:28). John also records how the disciples responded to this news. John 16:29–30 records, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”
Although the disciples believed that Jesus had come from God and in turn, knew all things, Jesus replies with this loving rebuke. John 16:31–32 continues, “Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone.’”
Jesus was revealing to His disciples that their belief was incomplete. His statement was in the form of a question, “Do you now believe?” It was to show them that their faith was not as strong as they may think. Ironically, because Jesus did know all things, He knew that those closest to Him would soon be scattered, leave each other, and leave the Christ they believed in.
This is the part of Easter that continually amazes me. Jesus knew that everyone who claimed to believe in Him would soon leave Him. Yet in the moment of total abandonment, He allowed Himself to be put to death by Roman crucifixion for the sins of others, all in the name of love.
As for you and me today, it is good for us to remember that Jesus knows all things. He knows our faith can sometimes be incomplete and weak. He knows when we sin, when we wander, and when we totally abandon Him altogether. Yet knowing everything about us, He still made the choice to die the death that we deserved (Romans 5:8).
This is the part about Easter that continues to amaze me. I wonder if the rise in church attendance that is experienced around Easter may be the norm if we all took the time to realize that Jesus knows all things.
I pray you are amazed this Easter.
Posted in Upper Room
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