Know Me, Know The Father

Now tonight we will get to our next section and it will start with a brief statement then a bold statement and a strong teaching they needed to hear for what they were going to soon endure.

Our Passage

John 14:7 NASB95

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

John 14:8 NASB95

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

John 14:9 NASB95

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

John 14:10 NASB95

10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

John 14:11 NASB95

11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

John 14:12–13 NASB95

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Jesus makes a “very” bold statement (v.7) what is it?

What is Philip’s demand (v.8)?

Jesus gives a gentle rebuke in (v.9), what is the rebuke, in your own words?

Jesus answers the demand (v.8) in (v.10) how does he answer, by whose initiative?

Believe Me, Believe the Father in Me, but what else does He say to believe in, (v.11)?

By believing, what will be the results (v.12)?

What is the purpose of the greater works (v.13)?

Know Me, Know the Father

John 14:7–8 NRSV

7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

Jesus is the Way to Father (Jn14:6)

We do not have to wait until heaven to get to know the Father, we can know Him today and this passage tonight shows us that is what Jesus is trying to teach them.

“Know” is used 141 times in John’s Gospel, here is interesting fact, ready for it.

Knowing has four different meanings or levels

One: Knowing a fact

Two: Understanding a truth

behind a fact

Three: To believe in a person and become related to the person behind the truth that gave the fact

Four: to have a deeper relationship with a person, a deeper communion with the person

Jesus is calling them to the Fourth level and they have been with Him and they know him, and have seen the Father for they have seen Him. have a deep relationship with Him.

They were going to understand more and more about the Father now, especially since Jesus was about to leave them (remember they were going to need more comfort for their troubled hearts.

Ah, today, we have not seen Him, but we believe, consider (1Pt1:8)

1 Peter 1:8 NASB95

8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

In the gospel of John you cannot separate the word and the works for they both come from the Father and reveal the Father

In (14:11) you already believe, so keep on believing, You believe in the Father, you believe in Me, So believe the Father is in Me and I in the Father so you have seen The Father in Me, keep on believing.

Luke 10:21 NASB95

21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

Let me state it this way, to see the love of Jesus in action is to see the love of the Father in action.

Jesus called for two foundational truths to place our trust in Him

Believe in him because of His character and His words

Believe in Him because of His works that He miraculously did

Jesus was going on to speak about the benefits of the one who believes in Him, believes in the Father. For they were going to need to believe and to keep believing after he returns to the Father and take comfort in their troubled hearts.

Comfort in the continued work

John 14:12–13 NLT

12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

The troubled hearts were given comfort, an assurance of a return, a reunion

The troubled hearts were given an assurance of the oneness of the Son and the Father

The troubled hearts and now given the assurance of the works and the greater works to be done (see 2Cor5:20; Mt28:20).

This was not the end of the work, they were not being fired and returning to their old lives, they were being promoted a new lives. His ambassadors.

2 Corinthians 5:20 NASB95

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

They were responsible for carrying the Good News, for making disciples.

The continued work, the greater work comes because He goes to the Father, and He will intercede for us by going to the cross and send the Holy Spirit to intercede for us through prayer in Jesus name. So let’s talk about prayer in Jesus name now.

John chapter 14 comes on the heal of chapter-13 where the disciples are coming from much worry and Jesus is trying to calm a troubled heart now He comes to prayer and the prayer to calm a troubled heart that was an assurance about prayer that was going to be needed when he does return to the Father as he stated he would.

Prerequisites:

The apostles must pray in faith (He wanted them to fully grasp the importance of that by the double announcement)

The greater works spoken to the Apostles were the miracles (not in quality) but in (quantity) of Jesus for the servant is not greater than the teacher (Jn13:16)

Greater works is there were to be 12 of them and 1 of Him so they could spread the Good News faster than Him. Peter preached and 3,000 were saved in one day.

It is not the believer who is doing the greater works is it He who is in Him that does the greater works (Php2:13)

Philippians 2:13 NASB95

13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Hold on, I have not forgotten we are talking about prayer.

Asking for anything in Jesus name, sounds great but it is asking in harmony with His character, His nature, His will, and for His glory not yours.

What kind of prayer in Jesus name will be answered, let the scripture answer itself (Jn14:13-14)

John 14:13–14 NLT

13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

It is so that it brings glory to the father and the Son. Often times we ask to is brings things to us! it must be for the Father and the Son not for us. Not selfish but self-less!