The Father Shown

John 14: 8-14, John 17:20-26

In John 14, Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father then they will be satisfied. Jesus answered somewhat flustered basically saying haven’t you witnessed the Father in me? Jesus explains to him that the Father dwells in him thus all the words and works he does are from the Father. “If you don’t believe me,” he goes on, “believe in the works alone.” He then tells him that those who believe in him, of God in him, will not only do the works that he does but even greater works. He will do whatever you ask in his name. Why? So that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Here Jesus is making it clear to them and others who have witnessed his words and his works have seen that the Father is in him. Further in the passage Jesus will promise to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit to them to bring them to all truth.

As we go on to John 17 we see Jesus praying not only for the earthly disciples, those who have witnessed him but for those who believe through their word. He is praying for all people in the future who did not witness Christ but came to believe in the words of those who did. Those who wrote the Gospels and those who brought God’s word to us.

Again, Christ repeats that the Father and him are one. Jesus asks that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that God sent him. Jesus is in us and the Father is in Christ. Jesus tells how God has loved him before the foundations of the world and how he has made God be known to those who witnessed and will make it known to us who didn’t witness him so that the love God has for the Son may be in them and I in them. As Christ had the Father dwell in him, Jesus asks that he would dwell in us. How? That we may reflect his love and his works pointing to the Father.

We are to show the love of Christ which shows the love of the Father. It is this love that unites all Christians as one. May we immerse ourselves in God’s word so that we will better know how to make Christ shine in our lives by living out his love and works and by leading others to God. Amen.

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