May 22. Jesus knows His sheep. My sheep hear my voice and I know them, John 10.27.

Jesus knows those who are His. What is this knowledge? John 10.3 is a close parallel to John 10.27.

It says, the sheep hear His voice and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. So when Jesus

says, I know them, this means at least that He knows them by name, that is, He knows them

individually and intimately. They're not anonymous, lost in the flock. John 10.14 and 15

provides another insight. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me just as the father

knows me and I know the Father. There is a real similarity between the way Jesus knows His Father

in heaven and the way He knows His sheep. Jesus sees Himself in the Father and He sees Himself

in His disciples. To some degree, Jesus recognizes His own character in His disciples. He sees His

own brand mark on His sheep. This endears them to Him. He is like a husband waiting for His wife

at the airport watching as each person disembarks from the plane. When she appears, he knows her.

He recognizes her features. He sees in her eyes a happy reflection of His own love.

He delights in her. She is the only one he embraces. The Apostle Paul puts it like this,

God's firm foundation stands bearing this seal. The Lord knows those who are His second Timothy 219.

He is hard to overemphasize what a tremendous privilege it is to be known personally,

intimately, lovingly by the Son of God. It is a precious gift to all His sheep and it

contains within it profound personal fellowship and affection and the promise of eternal life.