Appointed To Bear Fruit: A 90 Day JourneySample

Seeing the Father Through Christ

Philip was confused. Jesus told him that he had already seen the Father and now knows Him. But Philip didn’t feel as though he had seen God, and he wanted so badly to know the Father. In fact, it was the deepest longing of his heart. He knew that he would not be complete unless God was dwelling in his heart in perfect fellowship. Whenever Philip was together with Jesus, Philip felt fulfilled. So, he wanted to stay near to Jesus. But Jesus was going to leave soon. Philip knew that Jesus’ departure would devastate him, so he wanted to make sure that he at least had the Father.

Philip’s exclamation, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us,” reveals a great truth. Having the Father is enough. When you have Him, you have all the blessings in the heavenly places. For years, the disciples had watched Jesus as He healed the sick, cast out demons, and taught the lost sheep of Israel. Philip and the other disciples would now be asked to continue that work. To do so, they would need what Jesus had. Finally, Philip understood that everything that Jesus had was found in His relationship with the Father. If Philip could only see the Father, he would have all that he would need, too.

The history of Israel in the Old Testament is full of men and women used by God. In all of Israel there perhaps was none greater than Moses. One important thing differentiated Moses from all the other great men and women of Israel. God said that He spoke face-to-face with Moses. To all the other people, He spoke only through mediators. Moses had a special relationship with God. He met God on Mount Sinai, and God made His glory pass before Moses. He proclaimed His name, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6). Moses was unable to lead the people of Israel until He had seen God’s glory. 

Philip knew that seeing God’s glory for even a short moment would be enough. Then, like Moses, he would be able to do the work that Christ was commissioning him to do. He would have the power that Jesus had to serve God. But Philip’s request showed that he didn’t yet know Jesus nor the Father. It was all there in front of him: Philip was standing in the presence of Jesus, God’s glory was in his midst, yet Philip was unaware. 

Jesus announced with great clarity that He was God: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Seeing Christ in His glory is the same as seeing the Father. The Father and Jesus are one. Jesus’ announcement has revealed for us the truth of heaven. Christ is enough for us to know and see God, for the fullness of God dwells in Him (Col. 1:19). Jesus is God. That is why John states, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The glory of God that met Moses on Mount Sinai and filled the Temple in Jerusalem is in Jesus. If you believe in Christ, you too will have seen God’s glory. 

Application:  How do you see the glory of God in the Son?