Circles of Intimacy

by Pastor Mitch Horton | April 1999

We are presently as close to God as we really choose to be. He has no special children. He loves all of us equally. He shows no favortism to anyone. Yet around Jesus' life there were varying "circles of intimacy".

As he ministered from city to city, crowds of people followed Him. The crowds were filled with skeptics, those looking to see a miracle performed, and those who were genuniely interested in observing His life and in listening to His anointed, life changing teaching. The crowds that followed him were drawn by the excitement of the moment or perhaps by an insistent friend, or by hearing about a miracle that He performed on a neighbor or relative. The crowds were not committed to him. Their reasons for being there were purely self-pleasing.

From the "crowd" there emerged a group of seventy people who were sent by Him in groups of two and were given authority to minister in His name (Luke 10:1). THis group of seventy people represents another "circle of intimacy" around Jesus. They were more committed than the crowd. They had obviously shown both devotion and commitment to Jesus. And they were allowed to use the authority of His name to minister to others (Luke 10:17).

From this seventy there emerged the twelve disciples (Matt. 10:1). THey had yet a deeper level of intimacy with Jesus. They were priviledged to see and hear things that the crowds and the seventy were not able to experience. They were with Him when he delivered what we know as the "sermon on the mount'(Matt. 5-7). He often withdrew from the multitudes of people and taught them things that no one else had the privilege of hearing.

From the twelve there was yet another "circle of intimacy" surrounding Jesus. Peter, James, and John experienced things that none of the crowds, the seventy, or even the twelve were able to experience. They were with Jesus when He raised Jairus daughter from the dead (Luke 8:51). They were with Him on the mount of transfiguration, when He changed His countenance to glistening white as His preincarnate glory descended upon Him in a moment of time (Matt. 17:1). They heard Him as He shared what would happen in the world at His second coming (Mark 13:3). It was because of their closeness to Him the Peter, James, and John wre the only ones to experience many things about Jesus' life and ministry.

In the book of John, the "disciple whom Jesus loved" is pictured with his head resting on Jesus' shoulder (John 13:23)> Why was he called the disciple "whom Jesus loved"? Did Jesus favor Him over the other disciples? Did Jesus show partiality when He shared experiences with the three of which no one else partook? Were the twelve shown special favor by Jesus? I believe these various "circles of intimacy" were as a result of each individual making a choice to willingly draw closer in fellowship to Him.

Where are you in the circle? Are you a part of the "crowd", only coming to church, or reading the Word, or praying on occasion. Or are you a part of the "seventy", having made a commitment to Jesus, yet knowing that you could draw closer? Would you find yourself today among the "twelve", walking in intimacy with the Master, yet still feeling His pull within you to draw closer? Does your walk with Jesus place you with the "three", that is, you find yourself experiencing His prescence and a love for His Word that others may not understand and may even label as peculiar or even fanatical? The place that John found as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" is available to us all. Are you willing to deny yourself some of the common pleasures of life and leisure to find that place of unique intimacy and closeness with your Lord?

Now is the for us all to grow in our degree of intimacy with the Lord Jesus. James practically states in James 4:8,"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." He is always desirous of a more intimate fellowship with us. Bur that intimacy is dependent on us, not on Him. He is in a constant state of aggression towards us! HE sent Jesus to the cross to provide the way for our fellowship with him to be restored (John 3:16; 14:6). He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He now stands at the spiritual door of our heart life and asks for a deeper level of fellowship and intimacy from us (Rev. 3:20). Jesus commended Mary for her unselfish personal acts of devotion towards Him as she sat at His feet to hear his His Word. At the same time He encouraged MArtha not to allow her busy service for Him to crowd out and take place of just spending timewith Him (Luke 10:38-42).

Right now and in the future, we are as close to the Lord as we really choose to be. We make time for the things that are really important to us!. I encourage you to begin today to set aside the first portion of your day as a "tithe" of your time to the Lord. Spend time in the Word and in prayer. Make a decision to become faithful in attending services. Habits are children of our choices. What we do daily determines what we will become in the future! If you will make Him your priority today, a future of closeness and intimacy with Him will be yours to enjoy!

The multitude, the seventy, the twelve the three, or the one. In which group are you found? The choice is yours!