Knowing Jesus: More Than a Name

Reflections from Sunday’s message by Bill Chapman | Myrtle House Community Church

This week, we were challenged to move beyond just knowing about Jesus and instead step into truly knowing Him — understanding His ways, His heart, and His character.

Bill Chapman led us deep into Scripture, starting with Jesus’ powerful words in John 14:1-4:

“Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”

But here’s the catch: to ask in His name is to know His nature. We can’t ask in His name without knowing who He is. And to know Him is to know the Father.

One of the most powerful revelations shared was about Jesus’ favorite title for Himself: “The Son of Man.”
He refers to Himself this way 81 times in the Gospels — but why?

It takes us back to Daniel 7:13-14, where the Son of Man is given authority and power by God. It reveals a truth that is both mysterious and intimate: Jesus is fully God and fully man. He stepped into humanity so we could truly know Him, relate to Him, and follow Him.

“To reflect Jesus, we must know Him – not just know about Him.”

We explored what it means to know God's ways and not just His acts. Moses cried out for this in Exodus 33. And it was Moses — not the crowds — who God chose to reveal His character to. Why? Because Moses longed for relationship, not just results.

Too often, we settle for thankfulness — thanking God for what He’s done — but don’t move into praise — praising Him for who He is.

“We enter His gates with thanksgiving, but His courts with praise.” – Psalm 100:4
To go deeper, we must cultivate a life of praise rooted in relationship.

Here are some truths to hold onto this week:

• Psalm 34:8 – “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
  Taste speaks of experience. See speaks of revelation. God wants you to experience Him and understand Him.

• Ephesians 5:1-2 – “Follow the example of Christ.”
  If we are to walk as Jesus walked, we need to know His ways, not just His miracles.

• Psalm 103:7 – “He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.”
  There is a difference between knowing what God does and knowing who God is.

Jesus — the Son of Man — longs to be known. He is not distant. He is God with us, walking among us, revealing the heart of the Father.

So, here’s the challenge for the week ahead:

👉 Don’t settle for surface-level faith.
👉 Don’t just admire the stories — pursue the Storyteller.
👉 Press in. Praise deeper. Spend time in His presence.

As we hunger and thirst for Him, we will begin to reflect His love, His power, and His grace in a way the world can see and be drawn to.

Let your life be a reflection of the one you know, not just the one you've heard about.

"O taste and see that the Lord is good!" – Psalm 34:8