“Jesus told him (Thomas) ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. If you had really known Me, you would know who My Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!’” (John 14:6-7 NLT)
The above verses were spoken by Jesus in the upper room on the night He was to be betrayed. It’s almost like He’s trying to give the disciples a crash course on all He’s been teaching them the last three years. In the next verse Philip asks Jesus: “’Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father!’”
Is it too much of a stretch for Jesus to ask me or you –“Have I been with you all this time…and yet you still don’t know who I am?”
The goal of Jesus’ life and ministry was to put His heavenly Father on display. The God of creation who was before all things resided in the Person of His only Son, the Lord Jesus, for the express intention of making Himself known. So that the invisible God could now, in and through Jesus, become visible.
That’s the ministry in which we’re still invested if we’re following the Jesus of the Bible. How did Jesus do anything that He did while living on this earth? Through the power of His Father! How does He expect any of us to do anything WE do on this earth? Through the power of His Father! The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three in ONE!
To be filled with God the Holy Spirit is to be filled with God the FATHER and God the SON! Why is that so vital to understand? Because we’re living FAR, FAR BELOW OUR MEANS AS CHILDREN OF THE LIVING GOD! NOTHING is impossible to those who believe. Let me prove it to you.
Now, let’s get back to the sinking boat for a minute. Why was Jesus asking the disciples about their faith? He asked them: “Where is your faith?” What was the question behind the question? What was Jesus really asking them…and us? Because He had given them the same authority that His Father had given Him. Why didn’t THEY calm the wind and rain? It’s not a stretch for me to believe Jesus set up the whole scenario to give them opportunity to discover that for themselves.
Do you remember what the 72 disciples Jesus had sent out said when they returned? Luke 10:17 records: “When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to Him, ‘Lord, even the demons obey us when we use Your name!” Listen to the commission that Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:18: “Jesus came and told His disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go…!’”
The same Spirit that indwelt Jesus as a human being fills and empowers us. So? That means the same authority that was given Him is given to us. Does that mean we should start performing miracles and go out and make a name for ourselves? Satan would love that, but no, our commission is not to make a name for ourselves but to use the authority Jesus has given us to make His Name known among everyone in our spheres of influence.
Sinclair B. Ferguson said: “God the Father is absolutely, completely, and totally to us what he reveals himself to be to us in Christ.”
What does that mean to us today? How can knowing that change the whole trajectory of our lives? I think we’re on to something. Let’s take a closer look at this tomorrow.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 