John 10:14 (NKJV) I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.God uses the metaphor of the shepherd and the sheep throughout the Bible to illustrate how He, as the Good Shepherd, will look after the sheep, understand their condition and the state of their being. On several occasions, God was really upset with the leadership of Israel because they were not responsible shepherds. God had expectations and requirements for those shepherds/leaders. God Himself would go over and above what He requires His shepherds to do, act and behave towards the sheep because He is our Chief Shepherd.
There is a huge difference between knowing God and knowing about God. When we know about God through merely reading or hearing about Him, then it remains as a mental assent. It is secondhand news or knowledge. We will not really know God unless we walk with Him, commune with Him and step out in faith to trust Him.
The fact we have fear in our lives is because we do not really know God. Fear is built on the unknown, the“what ifs” and all the different scenarios. We are fearful that God will abandon or forsake us when we face difficult situations or that He will not protect, provide or watch over us. We might have experienced being abandoned by people who professed to have loved us. Therefore we will have difficulties having faith in a God we cannot see or feel. We can only take His Word for it. However, if we truly know God, we will not be fearful because we know God is love and He never lies. Whatever God has promised in the Word of God is all true therefore, even though circumstances and people change over time, we know that God will keep true to His promises. This gives us the courage or faith to trust God.
Even though we cannot see God, Jesus came to declare God to us. Jesus and the Father are One. Therefore, we know God when we read about the life and ministry of Jesus because we see God at work when we see Jesus. What Jesus said is exactly what God wants said. What Jesus did is exactly how and what God wants done. Jesus came to do the will of the Father.
Getting to know God takes time, just as it takes time for us to get to know someone well. This is the reason the Scripture encourages us “to taste and see” that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) and His mercy endures forever.
God knows you personally. In fact, He knows you better than you think you understand yourself. He knows everything about you from the very beginning because He created you. Despite your failures, He still loves you enough to have died for you on the cross. God is our Good Shepherd. How much do you know God in return?
Sermon Series: Who Is Shepherding You?
神认识你本人，我们也要认识祂
约翰福音10:14我是好牧人;我认识我的羊，我的羊也认识我。
神在圣经中使用牧人和羊的比喻来显明祂自己，作为一个好牧人，会如何照看羊群，顾念它们的处境和光景。有几次，神对以色列的领袖们非常不满，因为他们不是尽责的牧者。神对那些牧养的人/领袖有期望和要求。祂自己所做的，要远高于要祂要求牧者对羊群的所做所为，因为祂是我们的首席牧者。
认识神和知道神之间有巨大的区别。当我们仅仅通过读或听来知道神时，这仍然是一种精神上的认同。这是二手的信息或知识。除非我们与神同行，与祂相交，并跨出信心的一步来信靠祂，否则我们不会真正认识神。
我们生命中有恐惧是因为我们并不真正认识神。恐惧是建立在未知、“万一”和所有不同的情景之上的。我们害怕当我们遇到困难的时候，神会离弃我们，或者祂不会保护我们，供应我们，或看顾我们。我们可能经历过被自称爱我们的人离弃。因此，我们很难相信一位我们看不到或感觉不到的神，我们只能相信听到祂的话。然而，如果我们真的认识神，我们就不会害怕，因为我们知道神是慈爱的，祂从不说谎。神在祂的话语中所应许的都是真的，因此，即使环境和人会随着时间而改变，我们知道神会信守祂的应许。这给了我们信靠神的勇气和信心。
虽然我们看不见神，耶稣来是要向我们宣告神。耶稣和父原为一。因此，当我们读到耶稣的生平和事工时，我们就认识了神，因为当我们看到耶稣时，我们就看到了神的工作。耶稣所说的正是神想要说的，耶稣所做的正是神所希望做的。耶稣来是要遵行父的旨意。
认识神需要时间，就像我们认识一个人需要时间一样。这就是为什么圣经鼓励我们“尝尝主恩的滋味便知道”祂是美善(诗篇34:8)，祂的怜悯永远长存。
神认识你本人。事实上，祂比你认为你所认识的自己更认识你。祂从起初就知道你的一切，因为祂创造了你。尽管你会失败，祂依然爱你到为你死在十字架上。神是我们的好牧人。作为回应，你对神的认识又有多少呢?
讲章系列:谁在牧养你?