I Know I Am… Famous

I want to start this brand new series by asking you a simple question: who is the your most favorite famous person? Tell your neighbor right now. Go.   My most famous person is a guy named Teddy Roosevelt. Better known as President Theodore Roosevelt. One time golden glove boxer. One time military commander. One time big game hunter. One time historian. Two time president! He would have been a three time president if he didn’t die while running for president. But that’s a different story altogether. He is my most favorite famous person because growing up I wanted to be like him. Not only because he was once a president, but because he said things like:

• As much has been given us, much will be expected of us.
• Speak softly and carry a big stick.
• We wish peace, but we wish the peace of justice, the peace of righteousness. We wish it because we think it is right and not because we are afraid.

He was a man of action. He was what Justin Bieber will never be—a world changer! He was radical. That’s so totally cool and it’s apparent that depending on who you picked, you know a lot about or care a lot about that famous person. That got me thinking: what would it be like if I were famous? What would it feel like? This morning, I’m going to tell you that you should all know that you are famous. In fact, you should say this with me, “I know I am famous.”   So everybody knows that there is something wrong with me. I’ve never shared this with anybody. The reason I haven’t ever shared this with anybody is because it’s kind of sad. When I was growing up, I didn’t have grandparents, aunts or uncles. The reason I didn’t have grandparents, aunts or uncles was simple: my family was Christian and the rest of my extended family wasn’t. Secondly, my extended family thought we were too poor, so they didn’t want catch the disease of being poor and they disowned us. I won’t tell anybody this, or admit it, but that’s the primary reason I was driven to become somebody—to become famous and important. I said, “wow, this Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t even supposed to be alive, but he became an incredible person. I can do that too.” So my entire life, I spent it being a man that needed nobody to know him, that needed nobody to care for him.   When my “friends” who were more popular than me started to abandon me for the more “popular” kids, I was cool, because I was okay with nobody to care about or know about me. I decided in my head that I don’t need them. “I made it this far.” I would tell myself. If somebody betrays me, I’m okay with it, because I knew it was going to happen—I never expected anything from them anyways.   Deep down inside though, I knew what I wanted most was to be famous, so that people would care for me and love me and if they didn’t, then at least they may know me. I’m sure if you’ve thought about it for any amount of time, you may have the same sentiments. We all need to feel known. Just being well-known or popular won’t fill your need to be known. Only God’s love for you can fill that hole. I didn’t know that when I was growing up. I wish I had. Let’s go to John 1.

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” ⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. ⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” ⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” ⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” ⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” (John 1:43-51)

There are some important things we need to learn from this story. First is that God knows everything about you. He has known all about you since before you were born. He set you apart to serve Him in a special way. Let’s flip to Jeremiah 1. I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart…Jeremiah 1:5. When I’m feeling like I’m abandoned and alone, I repeat this verse out loud. You should too. The Creator of the whole universe knows your name! You can never get more famous than that.   Not only does God know you, He made a way for us to know Him. He sent Jesus to show us what He’s like and to show us how to live like friends with God. That’s what this story John is telling us. Just look at 48, “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.   God is everything we need. You are known by God and you can know Him. Jesus said this about how well he knows us and how well we know him: there’s more to come. Do you believe this is true for you? God wrote this whole big book to tell you how much you mean to Him. It says He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows your name. He knows what you’re afraid of. He knows what makes you laugh. He even knows what your heart needs the very most.   No matter how many people know us, we will never get more famous than we already are right now. We are famous because God—the One who made everything in the universe including you—knows who you are. Believing that truth will fill the need in your heart. Here’s another verse for you to think about all week.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Psalm 139:1-6

God is thinking about you right now. He will think about you as many times as the grains of sand. We can’t really understand this. But we must choose to believe it. “I know I am famous, because God knows me!” What can we do this week to remind us of this truth every day? Once you trust that God knows you, you’ll want to get to know Him. How can we get to know God?