Like Father, Like Son!

This morning I was wanting to just spend some time reflecting on Jesus' words, so I turned to John's Gospel which seems to me to give us the best example of Jesus' thoughts and motivation.  I opened up to the 14th chapter and immediately saw these verses - John 14:9-14 NIV:

[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 I do not speak on my own authority. 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 works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

This perspective, this understanding is so important for me to grasp.  Jesus was representing the Father, and when we look at Him, we see the Father. It is said by many that I look like my Dad and have several mannerisms that remind them of my Dad, and we consider that very natural.  Jesus is saying that is the same for Him, but even to a greater extent, He was saying and doing only what His Father would do.  I am much like my Dad, but in several areas quite different, this is not so with Jesus.  He was faithfully representing His Father in everything.

This is so helpful to me.  When I look at how Jesus welcomed people, that is how the Father would welcome them.  When Jesus interacted with 'sinners' that is exactly how the Father would react.  When Jesus healed the sick, and freed people from demonic oppression, that is exactly how the Father would act.  Every word He spoke, every little action, every nuance was orchestrated by an awareness of faithfully representing the Father.  Jesus even said that it was the Father living in Him that was doing the work (See verse 10 above).

Like Phillip in verse 8, if our desire is to see the Father, to encounter the Father, we can just look to Jesus and we will see Him.  We can meditate on Jesus' words and actions and recognize that this is a perfect or exact representation of the Father (Heb. 1:3).  We can be confident when we approach the Father, because Jesus has showed us exactly what He is like!  He really is a good Father, desiring our salvation and redemption, and relationship!

I am so thankful that we have such a great example of love, mercy and compassion in Jesus.  His actions towards people like me gives me hope that the Father is exactly like Him, and I am unafraid as I approach Him, desirous of relationship.