The Light Week 3 - The Triumph of The Light Day Four: Jesus Made the Father Known Shelley Frew, author This week we’ve discussed God’s gracious gifts that are available to us in Jesus Christ during the Christmas season and all year long. We saw that first, he graciously provided the Law of Moses until the time when Christ came. At that point, Jesus “displaces the Law of Moses as the focus of divine revelation and the way to life” with God.[1] Today, we will see that Jesus perfectly reflected and lived out the character of the Father. John opens his prologue with strong statements about the relationship between the Word and God and ends it the same way. He develops these ideas throughout the rest of the book, helping us see the amazing reality of the trinity — God in three persons. Jesus was God and also the Son. He is the “image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15). Like Father, Like Son Two Old Testament patriarchs were known for their intimacy with God: Abraham and Moses. Abraham was known as “the friend of God” (James 2:23). Moses was said to have met with God “face to face” (Exodus 33:11). As a result of their intimate times together, Moses’ face glowed. And while Moses was allowed to see a portion of God’s glory as the Lord shielded him in the cleft of a rock (Exodus 33:20-21), God told him that no one can see his face and live. That begs the question: then how did Moses meet God “face to face”? It appears that the saying “face to face” is a figure of speech. The pillar of cloud that would descend upon Moses’ tent when the two of them met, enabled Moses to meet with God’s presence intimately and safely.[2] God, being pure spirit, is invisible to the human eye. The Bible uses human terms to describe God when a description would defy human language and understanding. It is true that he can take on human form if he chooses to, and he chose to become man in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was fully man but also fully God, so he has the same essence as the father. He also lived out the love, grace, glory and fullness of the father.[3] Let’s go to God’s Word with the purpose of learning more about Jesus and the Father’s relationship. Our focus is specifically verse 18 within the context of this week’s paragraph: John 1:14–18 (NET) 14Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 15John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ ” 16For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 17For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. What does the passage say about the relationship between Jesus and the Father (verse 18)? Why can Jesus “make known” and display who God is (verse 18)? Jesus’s Parting Words to His Disciples The Gospel of John shows Jesus taking great care of those he loved. He was very other-focused, even at the end of his life when he knew he was going to the cross to die in order to pay off the sin-debt of humanity. After their last supper, the Passover meal together in the upper room, Jesus encourages his disciples. Judas has gone out to betray him, although the other eleven disciples think he’s gone on a ministry related errand. The wheel is set in motion for Christ’s arrest; however, the other disciples have yet to comprehend what will unfold in the coming hours. But Jesus knows full well. At this time when any other human might be mentally consumed with what lay ahead, Jesus is found sharing strategic last thoughts and instructions with his disciples. If you were in his shoes, leaving your loved ones, what words might you want to impart? Probably, you’d leave those words you’d want seared into their minds and hearts. This is where we enter the scene: John 14:1–7 (NET) 1“Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. 3And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. 4And you know the way where I am going.” 5Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you have known me, you will know my Father too. And from now on you do know him and have seen him.” How does one get to the Father? What does Jesus tell the disciples about their knowing the Father? What is your perception of God the Father? Do you see him through the same lens that you see Jesus? Why or why not? Jesus fully reveals the Father to us. And when we accept God’s salvation through Jesus, we also enter into a “face to face” relationship with God without the barrier of sin. Like any relationship, intimacy takes time. The amazing thing about being indwelled by God is that we are always with God so we can take advantage of any moment with which to further develop our relationship. It can be as simple as turning our thoughts towards him during our daily commute, while washing dishes, or getting ready for the day. While time in God’s Word is important, we can increase our closeness to God at any time during the day with prayer, song, or acting on a Scripture or church sermon application. We all have only 24 hours in a day, but by thinking of God more frequently, asking for his guidance, and giving him the worries that can consume our thought life, we will find our love for God increase as a result. How can this truth enable you to more fully engage with God each day? Consider these practical suggestions: Listen to praise music during your commute or while running errands Memorize scripture while you are getting ready in the morning Take a prayer walk Pray during daily tasks Picture Jesus next to you while you work during the day Set your phone alarm for 1–2 times during the day to stop you and remind you to pray at times you are ordinarily consumed with other things Set aside 3-5 minutes to sit in silence outside to enjoy God’s creation Make the effort to smile and greet everyone you encounter today and pray for that person briefly https://youtube/watch?v=cCnrX1w5luM
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 17:03:45 +0000
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