See, Hear and Believe

This morning I felt led to read from John 12:42-50 NIV:

[42] "Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; [43] for they loved human praise more than praise from God. 

[44] Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. [45] The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. [46] I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 

[47] “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. [49] For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

I read the whole of chapter 12, which is loaded with good stuff to think about.  This morning I felt led to these particular verses for Jesus clearly tells us He is representing the Father.  In fact, whatever He said is exactly what the Father told Him to say.  This is so important for us to grasp!  Jesus is the correct and perfect representation of the Father.  He has revealed the Father to us, and we don't need to wonder what the Father is like, for we can just look to Jesus.  

What this means for us it that anything in the Old Testament that does not jive with the revelation of the Father presented by Jesus, is a partial picture, or man's best understanding of what The Father was saying based on His previous revelation.  Jesus is our filter, our dictionary, encyclopedia, and definition for understanding the Old Testament.

Jesus also reiterates what was said in John 3:16-17 that He came to save the world, not to judge it!  In case we might have missed that point, Jesus again provides us the foundational motivation for His visit to mankind, salvation.  He is speaking these words in response to some of what was happening around Him. There was conflict between the Pharisees and the people.  People were being judged for believing in Him, even put out of the synagogue.  Jesus was effectively responding to that religious spirit, and specifically not judging people's response, their fear, their questions. He continues to point them to the Father, urging them to listen and believe.

Jesus' primary message was announcing the Kingdom of God and then demonstrating that reality.  In doing so, He was pointing to the King, for Kingdom's are expressions of the Dominion and rule of the King, and this Kingdom has God as King. Jesus, in proclaiming the Kingdom, then demonstrating that reality was showing us what the Father is like!  The Father heals, delivers, feeds, has mercy, compassion and forgiveness!  He welcomes and saves sinners!  He has authority over every spirit, illness and disease!  He is glorious, transcendent, holy and humble at the same time!  He welcomes us, and invites us to eternal life, which means He wants to share His life with us!

Oh Lord, help us to believe and live to follow You, to represent You!

Help us to present the same nature and character to the world that You did!   Help us to proclaim and demonstrate Your Kingdom for all to see and experience!

Help us, Oh Lord!

Amen and Amen!