Meditation
SHOW US THE FATHER
Text: John 14
19 February 2023
THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus devoted much time to teach the multitudes. But He paid particular attention to His Disciples. One of the doctrines He sought to teach them was about God as their Heavenly Father. But the Disciples struggled with this doctrine.
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. John 14:7-11
- The Lord’s statement
a) “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;”
b) “And from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:7
c) The meaning:
i) The Lord Jesus reflects the Father
ii) If people truly know the Lord Jesus, they would have known God too
- Philip’s question
a) “Lord, show us the Father”
b) “And it is sufficient for us” John 14:8
c) He did not understand what the Lord Jesus meant
- The Lord’s explanation
a) The problem lay with Philip’s unbelief
b) If only he had fully believed what the Lord Jesus had taught, he would have understood better
THE CHALLENGE
The great challenge is to be able to convert knowledge into faith. This is a challenge for the original disciples and for us today!