Exactly God - John 14:8-14
Back in March, prior to beginning this series of the Farewell Discourses of Jesus, I wrote a blog about John 14:13-14 and Jesus’ declaration that “if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” I concluded that praying in the name of Jesus means to pray in accordance with his character. Prayers like that are prayers that God loves to say yes to.
Just prior to issuing that dramatic statement, Jesus gave his followers a clue as to how to know the character of God.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 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’? 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. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. – John 14:8-12
Jesus is our main avenue for understanding who God is. If we look at Jesus, we see the Father. When we read through the gospel accounts, we aren’t merely seeing the ministry of a dead-and-gone Jewish teacher. Rather we are reading of the direct interactions of the eternal God with real people, in real contexts. As it says in Hebrews 1:3, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” When we see the Son - observing his life, teaching, and actions - we see God at work.
Belief in Jesus as God, however, is much more than intellectual assent to that reality. As Gary Gulbranson has said, “It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do.” (Stearns, The Hole in our Gospel, p. 87). Jesus is much more than a figurehead for us to acknowledge. He’s our rabbi, in whose footsteps we follow. The gospel accounts of his life give us the template for our own. 1 John 2:5-6 puts it this way, “This is how we know we are in him: whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”
So what happens when we actually live this way? Jesus answered that question in what he said next to his disciples in John 14,
“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. 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.” – John 14:13-14
Because Jesus is in heaven interceding on our behalf and because he has sent his Spirit to indwell, fill, and empower us, we have the ability to do even greater things than Jesus. But that power isn’t an impersonal force for us to tap into whenever we want or for whatever purpose. Rather, it’s activated within us as we lean into the character of Jesus our Savior and teacher. When we’re in alignment with him in this way, his Kingdom breaks into the world around us, changing lives and circumstances by the power of God.
Just prior to issuing that dramatic statement, Jesus gave his followers a clue as to how to know the character of God.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 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’? 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. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. – John 14:8-12
Jesus is our main avenue for understanding who God is. If we look at Jesus, we see the Father. When we read through the gospel accounts, we aren’t merely seeing the ministry of a dead-and-gone Jewish teacher. Rather we are reading of the direct interactions of the eternal God with real people, in real contexts. As it says in Hebrews 1:3, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” When we see the Son - observing his life, teaching, and actions - we see God at work.
Belief in Jesus as God, however, is much more than intellectual assent to that reality. As Gary Gulbranson has said, “It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do.” (Stearns, The Hole in our Gospel, p. 87). Jesus is much more than a figurehead for us to acknowledge. He’s our rabbi, in whose footsteps we follow. The gospel accounts of his life give us the template for our own. 1 John 2:5-6 puts it this way, “This is how we know we are in him: whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”
So what happens when we actually live this way? Jesus answered that question in what he said next to his disciples in John 14,
“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. 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.” – John 14:13-14
Because Jesus is in heaven interceding on our behalf and because he has sent his Spirit to indwell, fill, and empower us, we have the ability to do even greater things than Jesus. But that power isn’t an impersonal force for us to tap into whenever we want or for whatever purpose. Rather, it’s activated within us as we lean into the character of Jesus our Savior and teacher. When we’re in alignment with him in this way, his Kingdom breaks into the world around us, changing lives and circumstances by the power of God.
Missions Spotlight:
Russell Abraham (Global Gates)
The Bible tells us “ there is one mediator between God and men.”
PRAY FOR MUSLIM IMAM I am engaging with. I was having a conversation with a group of Muslim clergies (Imam’s and teachers) in follow up Facebook post by BBC-Bangla "Islam and Religion". We were talking about how Muslims don’t read the Quran in their own language, and 98% Muslims don’t understand its Arabic meaning either. One Imam in the group offered to teach me Arabic and we began chatting in Facebook messenger. Finally, we agreed to study the Quran and Bible together. We had three sessions and last session was a little bit of an introduction and Imam Malik Yousufzai from Pakistan said without his Prophet Muhammed’s intersection no one can enter heaven. I asked, do you have any references from your book about this saying. Then I asked him to read from his Quran Sura Al-Baqara(2):48 and 123—says “Then guard yourselves against a-Day when one soul shall not avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from her nor shall intercession profit her nor shall anyone be helped (from outside)”. Then I asked him to read from Sura Al-Mayeda(5):109-120—in the verse 109 says —One day will Allah gather the apostles together, and ask: "What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?” And in following verses everyone was silent except Jesus(ISA), God and Jesus were having a conversation and at the end in verse 118 Jesus was telling God "If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servant: If Thou dost forgive them, Thou art the Exalted in power, the Wise”. Look here, Jesus was the Intercessor!
PRAY that the verses I showed this Iman would resonate in his heart. I showed him that In the Holy Bible Jesus the Messiah gives us hope and assurance of our salvation in John 14:1-7, John 3:16-21, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Revelation 22:12-14 to name a few.
PRAY FOR OUR Young Disciples - There are few other ongoing group Bible studies with Muslims running by some of our well trained disciples. Please pray that God would guide them by His Spirit and help seekers to open the eyes of their heart to find the truth, which shall set them free.
PRAY FOR MUSLIM IMAM I am engaging with. I was having a conversation with a group of Muslim clergies (Imam’s and teachers) in follow up Facebook post by BBC-Bangla "Islam and Religion". We were talking about how Muslims don’t read the Quran in their own language, and 98% Muslims don’t understand its Arabic meaning either. One Imam in the group offered to teach me Arabic and we began chatting in Facebook messenger. Finally, we agreed to study the Quran and Bible together. We had three sessions and last session was a little bit of an introduction and Imam Malik Yousufzai from Pakistan said without his Prophet Muhammed’s intersection no one can enter heaven. I asked, do you have any references from your book about this saying. Then I asked him to read from his Quran Sura Al-Baqara(2):48 and 123—says “Then guard yourselves against a-Day when one soul shall not avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from her nor shall intercession profit her nor shall anyone be helped (from outside)”. Then I asked him to read from Sura Al-Mayeda(5):109-120—in the verse 109 says —One day will Allah gather the apostles together, and ask: "What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?” And in following verses everyone was silent except Jesus(ISA), God and Jesus were having a conversation and at the end in verse 118 Jesus was telling God "If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servant: If Thou dost forgive them, Thou art the Exalted in power, the Wise”. Look here, Jesus was the Intercessor!
PRAY that the verses I showed this Iman would resonate in his heart. I showed him that In the Holy Bible Jesus the Messiah gives us hope and assurance of our salvation in John 14:1-7, John 3:16-21, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Revelation 22:12-14 to name a few.
PRAY FOR OUR Young Disciples - There are few other ongoing group Bible studies with Muslims running by some of our well trained disciples. Please pray that God would guide them by His Spirit and help seekers to open the eyes of their heart to find the truth, which shall set them free.
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