Week 6: Chapter 5 — Knowledge About Him or Knowing Him (Informed but Disconnected)

1.In Matthew 7:21–23, people call Jesus "Lord" and point to their impressive religious résumé — prophecy, exorcism, miracles — and Jesus says, "I never knew you." What is so shocking about that exchange? What does it suggest about the difference between religious activity and real relationship?

2.Idleman asks whether we know a lot about Jesus (theological facts, Bible stories, doctrines) while actually knowing him very little in a personal, relational sense. How would you honestly assess your own balance between information about Jesus and intimacy with Jesus?

3.He uses the analogy of being a "stalker" — someone who knows enormous amounts of information about a celebrity or public figure but has no real relationship with them. What does that uncomfortable image expose about how we can engage with the Bible, church, and theology as mere data collection?