He Knew the Name, But Not the Man

When I come in from running my dogs or hunting, I have a pattern I follow nearly every time. I get out of the truck, go straight to the kennels, clean everything up, put food in their bowls, and then come back to the dog box and turn the dogs loose.

Now they know exactly what is waiting for them.

They come flying out of that dog box headed toward those kennels like they haven’t eaten since they came off the Ark . But there is one little catch. They don’t just get to pile into whichever kennel they want. I make them wait, and then I call them one at a time by name.

When they hear their name, they know it is their turn.

They know their names, and I know them. I know which one is going to listen, which one is going to push the limits, and which one is probably going to act like he suddenly forgot every bit of training he has ever had because there is a bowl of dog food twenty feet away.

Names matter.

That reminds me of a story a buddy of mine tells about a group of guys who used to make an annual fishing trip up to Lake Moomaw in Bath County. Several boats would go, and they would camp and fish together for a few days.

Now, every group of men has at least one fellow who knows a little more than everybody else. At least according to him.

This particular fellow apparently had connections.

As they were getting ready for the trip one year, he told everybody that he had been talking to his buddy Todd, who was a game warden up around Lake Moomaw.

According to him, Todd had the inside information.

“Todd says make sure you bring pumpkin with purple flake worms. That’s what they’re hitting.”

As the trip got closer, more intelligence reports started coming in from Todd. What colors to use. What bait was working. Where the fish were biting.

By the time they left, the guys felt like they had the CIA of bass fishing working for them. Insider trading basically.

There was only one problem.

The fish apparently hadn’t gotten Todd’s memo.

They fished the first couple of days without much luck. By about the third day, they were struggling pretty badly. Around lunchtime, several of the boats met up on the lake and tied together so everybody could eat and visit for a while.

About that time, a game warden pulled up.

He started checking licenses and making sure everything was in order.

Well, Mr. Insider Information saw his opportunity.

He started talking to the game warden and explaining how he knew Todd, the game warden who worked the area. He talked about his buddy Todd and all the information Todd had been giving him before the trip.

The rest of the guys were sitting there eating their sandwiches and listening.

Finally, the game warden looked at him and asked, “What did you say your name was?”

The fellow told him.

The game warden looked at him and said,

“Well, I’m Todd...and I don’t know you.”

Sandwiches were spit out nearly lost over the side of the boat.

There are moments in life when you would like the earth to open up and swallow you. If the earth won’t cooperate, Lake Moomaw is probably deep enough.

He knew Todd’s name.

He knew Todd’s occupation.

He knew enough about Todd to talk like he knew him.

But he didn’t know the man.

A lot of people know the name Jesus.

They know He was born in Bethlehem. They know about the cross. They know about Easter and the resurrection. They may know John 3:16 by heart. They may have attended church their entire lives. They know the songs, the language, when to stand, when to sit, and possibly even which Baptist pew belongs to which family even though nobody's name is actually written on it.

But there is an eternal difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus.

Jesus gave one of the most sobering warnings in all of Scripture:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven...”

Matthew 7:21

He goes on to describe people who will point to the things they did in His name. They knew His name. They used His name. They even did religious works in His name.

But then come some of the most frightening words in the Bible:

“I never knew you.”

Matthew 7:23

Notice Jesus doesn't say, “You didn't know enough about Me.”

He says, “I never knew you.”

That's relationship.

You can know Bible facts and not know Christ.

You can sit in church and not know Christ.

You can sing Christian songs, give money, serve on committees, teach classes, get baptized, and know enough church language to fool everybody around you.

You may even know the name.

But the real question is: Do you know the Man?

Jesus said in John 10:14: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.”

I love that picture. It reminds me of those dogs waiting at the kennel. I don't yell, “Hey, whichever brown dog wants some food, come on!” I call a name. I know them, and they know my voice.

Jesus said of His sheep: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

That's Christianity.

Not simply knowing information about Jesus, but belonging to Him.

Not simply knowing what He taught, but following Him.

Not simply calling Him Savior, but surrendering to Him as Lord.

Romans 10:9 says: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Salvation isn't about collecting enough information to pass a Bible exam. It is trusting Christ personally, turning from sin, and placing your life in His hands.

When that happens, something changes.

The Jesus you once only heard about becomes the Savior you walk with.

His Word becomes personal.

Prayer becomes personal.

Conviction becomes personal.

Grace becomes personal.

And the longer you walk with Him, the more you want to know Him.

Paul had known Christ for years when he wrote:

“That I may know him...” Philippians 3:10 That's the heart of a believer. “I want to know Him more.”

There is nothing wrong with knowing facts about Jesus. We ought to study Scripture and learn everything we can about Him. But those facts are supposed to lead us to faith, worship, obedience, and relationship.

Because eternity isn't determined by whether you recognize His name.

The question is whether you belong to Him.

One day every one of us will stand before Christ. On that day, church attendance, family tradition, denominational labels, and how much religious language we knew won't be what matters.

What matters is Christ.

So maybe the question worth asking today isn't:

“Do you know who Jesus is?”

Most folks around here would say yes.

Maybe the better question is:

“Do you know Jesus?”

Because you sure don't want to spend your whole life talking about your good buddy Todd...

only to finally meet Him and hear,

“I don't know you.”

Know the name.

But more importantly, know the Man.