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Seeing The Father

John 14:4-15 (NASB)
4 "And you know the way where I am going."
5 Thomas *said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"
6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him."
8 Philip *said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."
9 Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10 "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 initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 


As Jesus continues to talk to them he makes two really BIG statements...that are not only relevant to the disciples, but are still relevant today.
One, has to do with Thomas' question:  "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 
Thomas is looking for geographical information.  "Whereare you going Jesus?"  "We will follow you wherever you go" is what he is saying.
Jesus' reply is "I am the way"... It is a startling, but crucial point.  It's not geography we need...as if to say, "where is Jesus?"  This has to do with Jesus as THE WAY... He defines truth and life, and He shows us HOW to live.  He is the Way of life, the way of truth, the way we learn about The Father...which leads to the second major thing he said.

Two, Philip interjects, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 
Jesus' answer isn't very long, but it's clear:

Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10 "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 initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 
Seeing the Father is possible because of Jesus.
There has always been a longing inside of believers to understand God the Father.
How can we "know" the Father.
To know anything really well requires time, developing a relationship, wanting to understand and share life with them.
Can we know the Father?
Jesus reminds us that when we seek a deeper relationship with Jesus' "way"...when we seek Jesus we discover the Father also.

All of us who pursue our faith as something more than duty, or ritual, or membership, or rules... anything that avoids institutional and seeks to make it personal, will find ourselves at times wondering what God is like?
The answer can only be found in knowing Jesus.  HE is how we see the Father.

Peace

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