Read John 14:9-14. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Reflections on the Word.
If we were to describe our relationship with the Heavenly Father, how would you describe it? What words would we use to depict the intimacy between the Father and ourselves? In addition to those questions, “Is it possible for others “see” God in us?” Take a moment to consider these questions.
I believe it is possible for others to see the Heavenly Father in us. Jesus’ reply to Thomas is worth taking a closer look at. Jesus says, “10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.”
Have you and I ever stopped and pondered these words? The words of Jesus are the words of the Father. The works of Jesus are the works of the Father. There isn’t any gap or space between the words and works of Jesus and those of the Father. However, Jesus takes it one step further. He says that I am IN the Father and the Father is IN ME.
We pause and wonder, “In what sense is Jesus in the Father and the Father is in Him?” Are Jesus’ words to be taken literally or metaphorically? If the character and nature of the Godhead dwell in Jesus, then Jesus’ statement that if you see Me, you have seen the Father is literally applicable. The disciples have seen the character and nature, the evidence of Father through the work of Christ.
As Christians, we say that Jesus dwells in us and we are in Jesus. What does it mean to us to say that Christ is in me and I am in Christ? Is there a parallel analogy with Jesus’ relationship with the Father and our relationship with Jesus?
As Christians, shouldn’t our family and friends see Jesus in us just as the disciples saw the Father in Jesus? They should. People should see the character and nature, the evidence of Christ, through our words and deeds. But if our world doesn’t see Jesus or God the Father, it is not because They are not present in us, but because our sins and “flesh” (following through with our plans, in our power, and according to our timeline) have cast a cloud over the glory of God in us.
Matthew 5 says this, “16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” In other words, by our words and deeds, people should be able to God in our lives. Let’s ask ourselves, “Who do our family and friends see when they look at us?” Can they see any glimpse of Jesus in us or are they just seeing us?
-Kingston