Chapter 3 of Kyle Idleman’s book is another great one. He uses the key texts of Matthew 15:8 and Luke 7 as a great launching pad for this chapter.
Matthew 15:8 says: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me…
Idleman says that this verse shows the difference between “knowledge and intimacy.”
In Luke 7 we have the story of the time Jesus went to eat at Simon’s home. Even though Simon had Jesus in the home, he was extremely rude and neglectful to his guest. He offered Jesus no kiss of greeting, no water to wash his feet and no olive oil to anoint his head. As a Pharisee Simon had spent his life studying the OT Scriptures, but he did not recognize the Promised One that was standing right before him. He knew all about Jesus (the Messiah), but he did not know Jesus!
That is the question we must answer as well. Do we know about Him or do we really know Him? We find later in this chapter a sinful prostitute had more respect for Christ than this highly religious man did.
The author of the book asks a very thought provoking question when he says: “Who are we most like?” Do we just know Him, or have we poured out ourselves at His feet desiring to know Him?
alightinerie 