Knowing the Father

John 14:7-11 “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 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 are not just my own. 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 miracles themselves.”  
 
AS Jesus faced the cross, one of his goals in the Upper Room Discourse was to affirm his relationship with the Father and the Spirit. John 14-18 is perhaps the most defined information we have of the Holy Trinity’s work for the salvation of mankind.
   How would you feel if Jesus said to you,        “If you really knew me.” Would you ask yourself, “What am I missing?” Or perhaps you might ask Jesus, “How can I know you more?” It seems he wanted his disciples to ask both questions. “Even after (Jesus) had been among (them) such a long time, the disciples still had vital lessons to learn.
   When Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” he was revealing his limited view of the work ahead of him. Many faithful Jews longed to experience God’s glory in person as Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and others had known. Perhaps they believed that if God would show himself to them in a glorious vision, their lives would be complete. But God’s revelations to the prophets were just the beginning of their labors. The same would be true for the disciples. When you begin to truly know Jesus is the Son of God, your journey is just beginning.
   Then Jesus taught Philip and the others that his ministry of preaching, teachings and miracles are signs of the Father’s glory come to earth. “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” For three years they had witnessed God’s wonders. Yet, they failed to completely understand Jesus was God’s Son made flesh. They did not always understand he was revealing God to the world.
   When people ask, “How do you know God exists?” You can tell them of Jesus’ promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New. His teachings are life-transforming. His miracles were life-giving. His sacrifice is soul-restoring. His resurrection is eternal life. His ascension is our sure hope of God restoring Eden’s perfection. Jesus could only do this work in the Father’s will because he is the Son of God – second Person of the Trinity. Jesus confirmed to Philip and to all of us, “From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
   “Who is God?” people ask. Tell them of Jesus.