Seeing the Father

Seeing the Father

This week we continue traversing this path with Jesus as he leads us deeper into the first century events that made this goal a reality. As we stated previously, the relationship that Jesus brought us into with the Father was a "face to face" relationship.

He stresses this further in John 14:8-10 and it reads as follows: "Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?' Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"

Earlier in the narrative Jesus tested the faith of Philip in asking him where he was to buy bread for so many people on that occasion, the faith of Philip proved too small and limited. Again, Philip seems to be found on the losing end of the stick.

His view is, if I'm really going to "know" God, then it seems like a reasonable request to "see" God. In essence, Philip is seeking for a 'theophany; a visible manifestation of the Father's glory.

The response of Jesus is very instructive. He says, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?"

"Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"

The answer of Jesus is clear--If I do the "works" of the Father, then you see the visible manifestation of the Father.

The question for us is, "How far can we take this principle and teaching today?" Can we, in principle, say the same thing? Does this apply only to Jesus or in some sense can and does it still apply to us today?

When we love another, do they not see God in motion? When we lift up the oppressed of our world, are we not living out the life and will of the Father?

Just as Jesus showed us the Father on a soteriological plane, that is, in the area of procuring our salvation, can we not also demonstrate the Father to the world through the life-giving ministries of which we are now ambassadors?

When we band together to love and protect the environment, are we not putting flesh on the God who created it? When we call for social justice, are we not putting flesh to God and his presence among us? Or was this statement something reserved only for Jesus because he was, in some deep mysterious sense, 'more divine than we'? That is the question.

To find the answer, I think we need only read what Jesus says next.

"The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves."

Do you see the principle? The "works" of Jesus served to confirm his "words."

This is why in Matthew 12:38ff when the Jews ask Jesus for a sign, he tells them that no sign will be given them except the sign of Jonah. The resurrection of Jesus was a work or sign that testified of the words of Jesus proclaiming that the desire of God was to once again dwell with mankind.

We don't have to be resurrected from an earthly tomb to testify of the same. Do we?

The world cannot exist apart from hope. And the hope proclaimed by the orthodoxy of our day is a delayed and deferred hope. And as we all know the wisdom writer calls this the type of hope that produces sick hearts and leaves us with a gaping hole in both our theology and the way we live it.

This hole, this heart-felt need, this despair is spoken of by the poets of our day. The group the "Eagles" have a song entitled, "Hole in the World." They sing, "there's a hole in the world tonight, there's a cloud of fear and sorrow; there's a whole in the world tonight, don't let there be a hole in the world tomorrow.

This is testimony of how much God needs to be made evident to all of the Phillips of our day. This is testimony of how urgent it is that we in the fulfilled movement take seriously our call to live as "God to the world." The hope we have is not deferred but is present, potent and powerful.

When we embrace the fullness of the divine among us, all of the sudden we leave the confines of sterile theologies that speak of covenantal transformation and launch out into transforming the world personally, organizationally and societally.

What areas are you working toward transformation in? How do they testify of "God among us?" Let's continue to walk together and contemplate these issues.

This webcast is the 23rd program in a series on "The Gospel of John." Listeners are encourage to read along in the Gospel as a way to delve deeper into this study. The "Presence Today" show premiered a year ago and has become the leading webcast of the fulfilled world. Shows are archived, so viewers can watch them anytime. See full story and instructions.

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The Gospel of John, Pt 23, Feb 9, 2005