Revealing the Father
Notes
Transcript
John 14:8-21
BI: You know Jesus, he’s God, so what’s most important is that you sharing the Gospel knowing His Spirit is with you.
Introduction
Show me God and I will believe. That will be enough. Has anyone ever said that to you? If only I see God right here and now, I will believe the Gospel. Have you ever thought that? I remember sharing Jesus, sharing the Gospel back in high school to my mates Ling and David. Here we are, on the train to school 7:37am Newport to Flinders Street Station. I remember the carriage was quiet. It’s 7am in the morning. But here I am explaining. We’re going hammer and tongs. It’s getting louder and louder as we speak. I’m a year 9 kid, right. I was passionate. Unashamed. You need Jesus he can forgive your sins. He will give you eternal life. Trust him. What are you guys waiting for? it’s so obvious in my mind. And you know when you say something to someone and they are just not convinced. They roll their eyes. You know they think you’re a bit crazy. What are you talking about? That’s the look I got from my mates Ling and David. David kind of fed off Ling. David was Ling’s cheerleader. Yeah what he said. And Ling was never been short on words. he wasn’t someone who ever held back on what he thought. It’s very Chinese. Bit brash. Speaks his mind. Loves his maths and science. Did well at school. And those exact words came out my mate Ling’s mouth. Brian I’ll believe you if God appeared right now on this train right now, right here. If he would just show himself. We would all believe, wouldn’t we?
Show me God and that will be enough.
Let me ask again. Have you ever thought way? especially when life is hard. You’re suffering. If only God would show up. Show himself to me. Make himself clear. Then I would believe. If only God would show up then my friend, colleague, son, daughter, grandson, grand daughter – they used to come to church – but.. not anymore, if he would just show up, they would believe. Sounds compelling. What do you say to that? What would you say?
In our passage this morning, Philip says the same thing. verse 8
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
1. Jesus is God (14:8-11)
Philip has just picked up on the last thing Jesus said. Jesus has just said in verse 7 if you know me you know my Father.
I am God.
This is huge. what Jesus says is mindboggling. Why? Well in the Old Testament, think about it, no one could see God. And the closest someone God was Moses. And even Moses, the one who rescued God’s people from Egypt, who God spoke to directly, gave him the law, God said you can’t see me. So, remember in Exodus 33:20-23
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
verses up there, God says you can’t see my face and live. I’m too holy. You are sinful. And the closes Moses got was to see his back. Even Moses couldn’t see God in his full glory.
And to back this up, John 1:18 says “No one has ever seen God.” he is too magnificent. He is too holy. too different. He is other. He is Spirit, not physical. He is infinite. Far and above and beyond you and I.
So when Philip says show us the father and that would be enough for us. you would think Jesus would say, no, you’re not greater than Moses. I gave him the law. I dealt directly with him. But Jesus says in verse 9 come there with me
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
He says you have already seen God. you have already seen the Father. How? I am God. Jesus is saying I am God. if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. And he disappointed with Phlip. How can you say show us the Father, Philip? come on haven’t I been with you for 3 whole years and you still do not know me? It’s like knowing Anthony Albanese is 61, born 2 Mar 1963, loves Hawthorn – great team - grew up in a working class suburb of Camperdown in Sydney, has a son Nathan. But you don’t know he is the prime minister. Come on! I am God!
And Jesus does not stop. He asks him verse 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 authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
This is the mindblowing truth about Jesus. This is what makes his claims not arrogant. It’s just true. Jesus is saying I am God. I am divine. He has given hints about it all throughout the Gospel of John. He uses the phrase saying I am. I am in the Father. In the Old Testament this is the name of God. the great I Am.
IN John he says I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the Good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the way the truth and the life.
Here he makes it absolutely clear. He says God the Father lives in me. And I live in my Father. I am God. So much so that if you see Jesus, you have seen God the Father. And when Jesus speaks, you have heard God speak. And when Jesus performs a miracle, you have seen God work.
Now, we can never fully understand how this can be. Why? Because at the same time, the father and the son are separate. They are distinct. Jesus, the Son dies on the cross, not the Father. And its God the Father who sits in glory in the heavens at this point, not Jesus, the Son. They are one. But three. One God, 3 Persons. One God but 3 persons – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We can never fully understand how this can be.
I remember speaking to an Imam. he said, how can you say there is 1 God and 3 persons. It’s illogical. In his mind, this is 3 gods, not 1 god. how can you say there is 1 God but 3 persons?
And I said, yes that’s right. It’s what the Bible teachers. Friends, this is the glorious but mysterious doctrine, teaching of the Trinity.this is so wonderful. We’re talking about God here. How wonderful is that. He has shown us in the Bible he is 1 God in 3 persons. Like, why should our small minds completely understand God. Why should we put God in our own logic box? God stands outside of logic. He is God, not us. It’s arrogant to think we could completely understand God. hear that.
And yet, here is what is absolutely wonderful. Unlike the Muslim who cannot really know God. their God stands far away, God has come near. The Word, the glorious Jesus has come to dwell among us chapter 1:14.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
He says to Philip I am God! It’s absolutely wonderful.
I am God. Believe me.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Believe my words, Jesus says. that’s a command. Jesus speaks the truth. He does not lie. Or else believe on account of what he has done. And he has shown many works in John chapters 1 to 12. Completely public. Utterly unmistakable. He healed a man lame 38 years, he brought the blind to full complete sight, he walked on top of water, he fed food for 5000 from a few fish and a bit of bread, all these works he did, he raised a rotten corpse to life. He is God. believe him or else believe on account of the works he did. Jesus is God.
This is the truth. This is why Jesus is the only way to God. he is God. he has come. And that’s main application of this morning. Jesus wants you to believe him. trust him. he’s God. that he is in the father and the father is in him. A great preacher once said “I could’ve seen God and his works but I was just late, 2000 years late.” John the author, Philip, Thomas, Simon Peter did see God. They were there.
These words are written so that you would believe. that’s the purpose of the book. Jesus is God. it’s all written here for you to read and believe he is the Son of God and by believing you would have life in his name.
2. We will do greater works than Jesus (14:12-14)
Now, if that’s not enough, Jesus doesn’t want Philip to just believe He is God. Jesus has a bigger plan. A bigger vision for his disciples. See what he says next just blows my mind. Because he says. Yes you may doubt me now, yes you need comfort, I’m going away, but actually I have bigger plans for you. i need to go away so that You will do greater works than me. Come to verse 12 it just blows our minds doesn’t it? verse 12
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Now if you are thinking about this at all, you have to say come on this is not true. This is just not true. What do you mean Jesus? how will we do greater works than you? I’ve never seen anyone in this building raise someone from the dead. I’ve never seen anyone turn water into wine at a wedding. I haven’t seen anyone walk on water. Jesus, what are you talking about?
Now, What is Jesus talking about? Well actually, we’ve had a hint all the Gospel of John. And way back in chapter 5. Here Jesus promised his disciples that they would see greater things in the future than what they saw him doing then. He was talking about his resurrection and then after that, the miracle of seeing people receive eternal life. He’s talking about people believing in the Gospel. People moving from darkness to light, death to life, hell to heaven. How does it happen? It is the preaching of the Gospel. This is the greater thing.
The greater thing is the miracle of millions of people coming to know the Gospel in the last 2000 years. People repenting and believing in Jesus.
And it can only happen because he went to the Father.
Because how many people’s sins were paid before he went to the cross? 0. It’s just maths. Easy answer. But the thing is, greater works, the preaching of the Gospel can only happen if Jesus first leaves. Because he goes to defeat sin and death. If he goes, his disciples and every Christian including us can preach this Gospel and we get to see the greatest miracle of all. Seeing people raised to eternal life.
That’s why Yoshna’s testimony was so encouraging. God worked and is working in her life. Seeing God work – you heard it. her aunt gently nudging her to go to a bible believing church. The Spirit convicting her heart that she was a sinner and needed Jesus. God showing her maybe Epping is a church to visit. her hearing the teaching of the Word, preaching of the Gospel in this community, her coming to really know Jesus as lord and saviour. It’s wonderful isn’t it? that’s what we’re on about.
So that’s the question. Do you believe that’s the greater work? That the most important work is to preach the Gospel? See people come to believe in Jesus? Do you believe that when you share the Gospel with your mate, your colleague, your family you are doing a greater thing than when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead? Think about it. Because Lazarus was still going to die. Last week I talked about Cheng Lei, she was freed, she’s back in Australia after 3 years in prison. She’s home in Australia. But she still needs the Gospel. Because in perhaps 20-30 at most 40 years she will die. Jesus says, you are doing a greater thing when you share the Gospel. do you believe it?
I know as a staff team, we have said maybe that’s where we need to repent. Even we can lose focus. This is the greater work – preaching the Gospel, people receiving eternal life. do you need to repent too?
And that’s where the promise of prayer comes in. Jesus says in verse 13, next bit,
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
These words can make you think God is some kind of pinata God. If you hit him hard enough and in the right spot, with a big enough stick, and say ‘in Jesus Name’ at the end, then you get your lollies. You get your wishes and your dreams. This is called reading out of context. It’s just wrong. It’s dangerous. You could think whatever I pray it will be done as long as I say it sincerely in the name of Jesus. That’s not what Jesus is saying.
In context, he is saying that he will promise that he will help us do these greater things. it’s about praying that God the Father is glorified, receives his due praise and honor through through the Son. people hearing the Gospel and are saved. It means asking for what Jesus wants and promises. And this makes sense. Why? It’s the best thing to want what Jesus wants. He’s the Lord. He’s the saviour.
In our sin, at times we can be torn and want worldly things rather than what Jesus wants. But a follower of Jesus wants what Jesus’ will to be done. That’s what you want. Jesus says, if you desire greater things, then pray. Because I will be with my father to answer those prayers.
3. You have God’s Spirit (14:15-21)
Friends, Jesus is God, he wants us to do the greater work of preaching the Gospel. But it’s not easy. So pray. and more that we’re not alone in this work. He’s given us the spirit.
Come to verse 15
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
See it’s only if Jesus goes away, he can then send the Spirit. In Chapter 16:7 he says unless I go the Spirit cannot come. Now why is this is wonderful. why is it better to have Spirit than have Jesus in the flesh? Why? Well He is our Helper. We need to remember Jesus is comforting his disciples. They are heart broken that he is leaving. And what’s the key word in verse 16 to encourage them? It’s another. You’re losing me. But you get another one. Because he’s saying, I’m going but God will send to you another one like me. That’s what he is saying. You don’t have me in the flesh. But you will have another helper. The Spirit is the invisible presence of Jesus with us. Jesus says He is my replacement. Now, i think the word in our Bible ‘Helper’ does not fully capture what the Spirit does. He’s not just there to help us but of course he does. There’s actually no English word that can capture the entire word meaning. It means something like one who will support you, help, back you up, argue for you, defend you all rolled into one. It’s a legal term. It’s the one who speaks on your defence. The one who speaks on your behalf. The Spirit helps us understand and remember that God loves us. He reminds us that whatever we have done Christ death paid for our sins. He reminds us God has a room for us in his house. The Spirit convicts us of the truth of the Gospel. He encourages us to persevere. He points us to Jesus.
And He is not just there beside you he is in your verse 17 second half
John 14:17 (ESV)
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
God is closer to you now that when Jesus walked the earth. That’s how privilege we are. He lives in us. He lives with us. It’s wonderful.
Friends, Jesus won’t leave us. Ever. In fact he is with us and in us by his Spirit. And Jesus comforts his disciples verse 18
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
What comfort we have. We have God’s Spirit in with us and in us. And Jesus coming back to take us home. Jesus has given us life. He lives. And we live have eternal life because of Him.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is God. and he wants us to do the most important work of preaching the Gospel. so pray knowing he is with us by his Spirit.
4. Conclusion
You know the elders and I are really thankful for all that God has done at Epping. He’s grown it. you know we had 130 people last week. Praise God. it’s been hard over the past few years. I got to say. But you know, as I read John 14 this week, I was in awe that we know God. Brothers and sisters, we know God. Jesus is God. he has revealed himself to us in in his Word. He has saved us from sin. Wow. This is mindblowing.
And we have mission to make disciples, preach the Gospel. That’s the greater work. So if this is what God’s Word is saying, we need to pray and ask God to help us. We need to pray and repent because of us do not see this as the greater work. We can get discouraged like I did when Ling rejected me. Pray we would keep trusting God to keep doing the work of sharing the Gospel. We need to pray and ask God to give us wisdom in knowing how we can we do this together as a church family, see the Gospel go out. We want to be obedient to our Lord. This is the greater work, the preaching of the Gospel to the lost.
But we can do all these things, knowing God is with us by his Spirit. He’s there, teaching, growing, point us to Christ in his word as we make our way home.
Let’s pray together.