Wonderment: Do You Know Him?

There’s a theme that runs through the book of Luke: Wonderment! Amazement! This is the final post studying the wonder and amazement surrounding Jesus in Luke. Click here to read Part 4.

Luke 24:32, 44-45, 53

They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?’

Now He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then He opened their minds to understand the scripture. 

And they (now understanding Jesus throughout all of scripture), after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God. 

 

Patterns

Do you see a pattern for joy and wonderment here? 

  • Jesus teaches the scriptures (we now have the complete Bible). 
  • The disciples understand the scriptures and they see Jesus in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. (we now have the full Old Testament and New Testament). 
  • Now that they see and understand, they are filled with joy, praise and worship. 

 

When it comes to pursuing Jesus, are you only pursuing a sugar high? Let me give you an example for you to consider.  

Have you been to a worship service or worship concert that enlightened your heart and caused your soul to soar? I absolutely have and I love it. Corporate worship with brothers and sisters in Christ is a great blessing. It is a preview of our future in heaven. 

The slippery slope is when we seek a ‘high’ from the experience of worship. The ‘meat and potatoes’ of our wonderment is the knowledge of Jesus throughout scripture – like Jesus said, from the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled, Luke 24.44. 

Worship is most exhilarating as a means of expressing our knowledge of Him. True wonderment begins with the mind: to know Him with real knowledge and discernment.  

Wonderment begins in the mind and then expresses itself with our heart and emotions through worship and PRAISE.  

Please do not take what I’m saying as being critical of worship services and concerts. I am not being critical. I am simply saying that we should apply our minds deeply to a knowledge of Jesus throughout all of scripture and worship will be even sweeter and sweeter. 

If you are interested to read further on this topic, I came across a book titled, Christ from Beginning to End: How the full story of scripture reveals the full glory of Christ, by Trent Hunter & Stephen Wellum. They will provide insight into the wonder of Jesus with the following: 

1. Jesus is the Last Adam 

2. Noah: a Foretaste of judgement and salvation through Christ 

3. Jesus is testified to by ‘the law and the prophets 

4. Isaac: Jesus is the ‘seed’ of Abraham and true substitute 

5. Jesus is greater than the Law-covenant 

6. Jesus is a greater future King David 

7. A vivid portrait of our suffering servant 

 

Listen to this short clip of SM Lockridge and be amazed. I shared it a couple of years ago but am sharing it again today to provide a thrill of wonderment.

Shadrach Meshach Lockridge (1913-2000) was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in San Diego, CA for forty years. He had an extensive ministry reaching hundreds of thousands. He is best-known for his message, “Do you know Him? That’s my King.”