25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me”.
Over and over again in Scripture Jesus declared the world neither knew the Father nor Him, the Son. Indeed, our Lord states quite plainly earlier in this same chapter of John that eternal life equated to knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. It is a knowledge manifesting in an intimate and dynamic and continuous relationship – a relationship that is eternal not temporal:
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3 (NIV)
“If you wish to know God, you must know his Word. If you wish to perceive His power,
you must see how He works by his Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.” C.H. Spurgeon
Unlike the world who did not take notice and believe when the Word walked among them, our Lord’s original disciples were persuaded of this Truth and believed that Jesus came from God – sent from the Father into the world. They confirmed their faith through their relationship to and by their knowledge of the one true God and Jesus Christ, His Son. They responded to the message of God in Christ Jesus:
8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. John 17:8 (NIV)
Interestingly, pure and pristine knowledge of our Lord Jesus was the Apostle Paul’s greatest focus and pursuit. Paul forcefully forsook his own human efforts and achievements in order to know the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be filled with His glorious righteousness rather than the rubbish of his own. Nothing else the world glittery dangled in front of him mattered to him any longer – dropping the dross in pursuit of the gold. There is nothing in us to recommend us to God’s favor – all our “righteous” acts are as filthy rags – only the righteousness of Christ within us gives us the favor of God. We are unworthy, but Jesus is worthy. Paul states his passionate plea in Philippians - oh that every follower of the Lord Jesus would have such a pursuit as this!
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Phil 3:7-11 (NIV)
“Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth!” Jim Elliot
Lastly, it should be noted that despite all the original disciple’s infirmities, failings and peccadilloes, they realized the Lord’s divine mission and our Lord gave them a high testimony. This gives me hope! Jesus distinguishes His guys from the unbelieving world. To know and believe in the Lord Jesus in the midst of the infidelity and ignorance of an unbelieving and hostile world will most certainly be crowned with distinguishing glory.
What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God. What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight, and contentment, than anything else? Knowledge of God. What, of all the states God ever sees man in, gives Him most pleasure? Knowledge of Himself. J.I. Packer
“The end of learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love Him and imitate Him.” John Milton
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:12-14 (NIV)