Do you recognize Christ when He is in your midst? John 1-2

John 1:30-33 (NASBStr)

This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘ After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me. ’ I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John testified saying, “ I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. ’

Twice in this brief excerpt of John 1 we see John the Baptist admitting that when Jesus was in His midst, "he did not recognize Him."    In contrast to John the Baptist, note what happens with Jesus and His mother at the wedding at Cannan:

John 2:3-5 (NASBStr)

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus *said to her, “ Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Mary, Jesus' mother, knew something and recognized something that John the Baptist did not.   Mary, having lived with Jesus, saw God's hand on her son, knew about His ministry via the prophecy told to her before His birth, and was waiting for Him to reveal Himself to mankind.   John the Baptist knew Jesus, the Messiah, was coming but He only recognized His actions, not the Person of Christ.  When Jesus began to do miracles and say things John the Baptist recognized them from the Old Testament (Isaiah, primarily) and concluded He must be the Christ.  When the Spirit of God, in the form of a dove, landed and lingered on Jesus at the baptism by John, than John knew He was the Messiah.  But, he did not recognize Him (also a fulfillment of Isaiah).   Here we have to Spirit filled and Spirit directed individuals with two different views of Jesus.  John knew about Him; Mary knew Him.   John could only express himself in faith toward what he knew would soon happen; Mary had a deep relationship with Christ - she was His mother.    Both of these two were believers, but both had a complete different view of Christ.   It is possible for believers today to have different levels of knowledge about Christ.  Some don't recognize their life circumstances being directed by God.  Others see each step they take as a direct move by God and His actions in their lives.   Neither is better or worse than the other, but simply show the differences we can have in our knowledge of Christ and about Christ.   We are all being changed from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:16).   We each may be In Christ, but we each may be at different degrees of the knowledge of Christ.  As we continue to grow by faith we learn more and more about our Savior and His ability to do miracles in our lives .... like changing water into wine at a wedding.