“Show Us The Father” [Matt's Messages] ~ Matt Mitchell

“Show Us The Father”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

June 30, 2024 :: John 14:7-14

You probably noticed that we're starting right in the middle of a quote from Jesus. Last week, we ended with verse 6, and Jesus was talking, and we just left it hanging there in the middle of a two-part statement from Jesus! So that’s where we start up today.

It’s going to be like that for the next few months as we study the Farewell Teachings of Jesus together. We’re slowing down and taking each part of chapters 14, 15, and 16 bit by bit. Most of these 3 chapters are just Jesus teaching the deepest truths He wants His followers to know while He’s away. And we want to soak up every last bit of it. So, we’ll just take a little bit and chew on that and then take the next little bit and chew on that. And I’ll try to make connections from week to week so that we don’t lose sight of the forest as we look closely at each of the trees.

But the trees today are verses 7 through 14.

“Show us the Father.”

Let me ask you a question. Is that a good prayer request? Is that a good thing for us to pray today?

“Show us the Father.” Is that a good thing to pray?

Those four words come directly from verse 8. The disciple Philip requests that Jesus show the Father to him and the rest of the disciples. Look at verse 8.

“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’”

That sounds like a pretty good prayer request to me. At least at first. It seems both big and humble to me. At least considered all by itself.

Philip asks to see the Father. And we know, in context, that’s God the Father! Which is a pretty audacious thing to ask! It’s kind of like Moses praying to Yahweh in Exodus 33, “Show me your glory!” (Exodus 33:18).

That’s a big ask! It’s a good and glorious thing Philip is asking for, a revelation of God the Father.

And Philip is asking the right Person. Jesus has just said that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life, and that nobody (but nobody) gets to the Father (and into His house, His Father’s spacious house) except through Jesus Himself.

So Philip is asking the right Person. He’s asking the Son to show them the Father.

And He seems kind of humble about it. He’s not saying that he deserves to be shown the Father. And He says that that’s all he asks. “And that will be enough for us.” That will be sufficient.

However, Jesus is not happy with Philip’s request. In fact, Jesus rebukes Philip for asking for this right here. He actually asks Philip in verse 9, “How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

“How could you pray that?! Why would you think that’s a good thing to ask right now?!”

Jesus does not think that this is a good prayer request.

How come?

Well, for one, because Philip was not grasping what Jesus had just said to them! Look with me at verse 7. Actually, let’s start in verse 6 to put last week’s together with this week’s.

Jesus met in private with His disciples on the night before the Cross, and He said He was going away and that His disciples knew the way to where He was going. Thomas said, “No. We don’t know the way.” Verse 6.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [Verse 7.] If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’”

Do you see why Jesus might be very disappointed in Philip’s request?

He just said, “You have seen Him. You have seen the Father.” And Philip says, “That sounds good! Show us the Father.” Verse 8.

“Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’”

It’s like he’s looking around Jesus, and seeing if the Father is standing behind Him somehow or will appear behind Him.

“That’s great, Jesus. Go ahead and do that. Conjure up the Father. Give us a vision of Him. Make the Father appear to us. If you do that, then that’ll be plenty. Then we’ll be satisfied. We’re ready. We’re all set.”

But Philip wasn’t listening. Jesus just said, “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.'”

“Don’t push me aside and ask to see the Father. I’m right here. I’m showing you the Father. That’s why I’m here.” Look at verse 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'?” (v.9).

“What do think I’ve been doing these last three years? 'Show us the Father?' I have! I am! Right now!”

This morning, I have four points of application that I want make, and I’ve boiled them down into 4 short words to make them, hopefully, easy to remember if not always easy to actually do.

#1. See.

#2. Believe.

#3. Do.

#4. Ask.

Let’s talk about the first one.

#1. SEE.

See the Father by looking at the Son. Know the Father by knowing His Son. That’s why Jesus came, is it not?

We learned this way back almost a year ago when we started in on the Gospel of John. It’s in chapter 1. Where Jesus is called “The Word.” Remember that?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1 NIVO).

And what did that eternal Word do? He became flesh. He became one of us. John 1:14.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14 NIVO).

And why? Why did He come. What did that accomplish? John 1:18. “No one has ever seen God [the Father], but God the One and Only [God the Son], who is at the Father's side, has made him known” (Jn. 1:18 NIVO).

John got it! By the time he wrote his gospel, John understood what Jesus was saying here in the Farewell Teachings.

“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” The visible Son makes the invisible Father known and seen.

And here’s how He can do that: They are IN one another. Look at what Jesus says to Philip in verse 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” (v.10).

Now these are mind-blowing ideas, but they are foundational to the whole Christian faith.

God the Son is so close to God the Father that they can be said to be IN one another. We call that the doctrine of “mutual indwelling” or “co-inherence” or sometimes it’s called “perichoresis” or “inter-penetration.”

It’s a vital part of the doctrine of the Trinity that the Father and the Son are distinct in their Persons but are at the same time One Being, One essence, One substance. Perfectly together and undivided.

There is only One God! Even though eternally there are, subsisting in that One God, three Persons.

[And we’re going to get to the Third Person next week, Lord-willing! But here it’s the Son and the Father.]

Remember again what we learned in chapter 1, verse 1?

“In the beginning was the Word [another name for the Son, and the Word [the Son] was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1 NIVO).

We said that God Son and God the Father had with-ness and was-ness. Remember that? “With God and was God.”

Well, here we learn that the Son and the Father also have in-ness.

Their with-ness is so close because of their is-ness that we have to say that they have in-ness.

I know that I’m making up words, but it’s to try to get across this point that Jesus wants His disciples to understand.

“Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?” (v.10a).

“Why would you ask to be shown the Father, when you have me?”

“He’s IN me. I’m IN Him. You’re seeing the Father right now, Philip. You’re hearing from the Father right now, Philip.”

“The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work” (v.10b).

What do we call that the Persons of the Trinity are working so closely together that the work of One Person is also the work of the Others? “Inseparable Operations.”

Why is this important? Why are we spending so much time on it this morning? Because the application is to see the Father by looking at the Son. If you want to know God, then you study Jesus. If you want to come to the Father, then you come to the Son. If you want to know what God is like, what He loves, what is important to Him, what God’s heart is all about, then stare at Jesus.

Don’t try to go around Jesus. Don’t try to look around Jesus!

Some people say they “believe in God,” but they “aren’t so sure about that Jesus guy.” They like the God of nature and the great outdoors, but they aren’t into all of that Jesus-stuff, like the Sermon on the Mount, and loving your enemies and all of that stuff.

If you don’t know Jesus, you don’t know God. Jesus is Who God is! There’s no other way to know Him.

This section is the densest section in the whole Gospel of John for teaching about Who the Father is. The words “The Father” are repeated 12 times in just 8 verses. The most in all of the book!

But the focus is never on the Father by Himself. Because the Father is never by Himself! He’s always the Father, which means there is always the Son! And the Son is the Father’s appointed means for us to know Him.

See the Son by looking at the Father.

This applies to our lives in lots of ways. Take Bible study for example. Don’t ever try to read your Bible and understand who God is by looking around or behind Jesus or away from Jesus. It’s okay to try to study the Father. But never try to understand the Father by Himself. Always make connections to the Son. Because He’s the fullest revelation to us of the Father. Does that make sense?

See the Father by looking at the Son.

#2. BELIEVE.

Believe in the Son because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.

Jesus has already used the word “believe” in verse 10. He says it again in verse 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.”

Jesus invites His disciples to put their faith in Him and believe in His inextricable co-inherence with the Father. And if the disciples are struggling to do that, Jesus reminds them to just believe on the evidence of what they have seen with their own eyes.

The NIV has “miracles” in verse 11, but it’s actually bigger than that. It’s “works.” It’s everything that Jesus has been doing, working all along. Everything they’ve seen Him do for the last three years. From turning over tables in the temple, to walking on water, to raising Lazarus from the dead, to washing their feet that very night.

Jesus says, “Think about everything you’ve seen me do, and then put your faith in me.”

Have you done that? Are you doing that?

That’s the whole point of this book we’re studying right now. John said that these things in his book have been written out for us “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31 NIVO).

Jesus Himself said that He “is the life,” and we get that His life through putting our faith in Him. Believe.

You and I have even more reason than these disciples did to believe in Jesus because we live on the other side of His greatest work--what He did on the Cross and at the Empty Tomb. That’s part of the point of verse 12.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

That’s application point number three.

#3. DO.

Do greater things for and with Jesus on this side of the Cross than Jesus did on that side of the Cross.

Now, there’s a lot I love about verse 12, but there’s some things in there I struggle with.

I love that we are active and not just passive. Jesus says that we get to DO things. In fact, we get to do GREAT things! We don’t just come to Christ and then sit around staring at each other. I love that our faith means action.

I’m super glad that we are not saved by our works. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. But we are saved to do good works! Jesus says here that anyone who has faith in Him will do what He has been doing. In fact, He says (v.12 again), “He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Now, that I sometimes struggle with that.

I like the sound of it, but I’m not sure what all’s involved. Does He mean that I’m supposed to feed five thousand people with just a happy meal? Does He mean that I’m supposed to put mudpacks on blind people’s eyes and heal them? That I’m supposed to call people out of their tombs?

I doubt it.

My guess is that I’m supposed to do the things He’s specifically told us are His example for us–like washing other people’s feet. Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.

And sharing the good news of the kingdom of God.

But He says that what I do will be greater than what He has been doing so far. How is that?!

We just got done saying that Father is in Him and He is in the Father. How can our works be greater than His?

The key, I think, is in those last few words of verse 12. Why are they greater? “BECAUSE I am going to the Father.”

And we know how He’s getting there. He’s going to the Father through the Cross. And then His resurrection and the Empty Tomb. And then His ascension to the Right Hand.

That’s how He’s going to the Father.

And everything will be greater after that.

So these greater things are not greater in spectacle or power. They are greater in era. Everything that we do now in faith looks backwards to the Cross and the Empty Tomb and the glorification of our Savior.

So there’s a greater quality to our works on this side of the Cross. They are blood-bought works and done for the glory of the Resurrected Jesus.

And they are greater in quantity, too. Because, as we’re going to learn next time, the Spirit is going to come and ratchet everything up to eleven. So it’s not like we get superior miracles to perform than what Jesus was up to. We get to do our good works for Jesus in the era of the Spirit after the glorification of the Son.

And everything is better then!

So, for example, I don’t know how many people Jesus talked to during his earthly ministry, but after He went to Father, thousands came to trust to Him in the early days of the church. And then thousands more. And then thousands more. And then millions more. And then millions and millions more. Greater things!

Jesus never (to our knowledge) left Israel. But now we are talking about Him right here in central Pennsylvania today. All because He went to the Father.

And here’s the application of that. We need to do. We need to do great things! We need to attempt great things for the Lord.

Everything He’s asked us to do in following His example (like washing feet and loving our enemies) and all kinds of things we can come up with to serve Him in faith.

And those things we do will be “greater things” because He has gone to the Father. Does that make sense?

Does that make you want to try some things and to be bold?

I think that these three we heard from this morning who are going to Malawi in 41 days are living out verse 12.

I think the 15 who are in the van to Challenge are living out verse 12.

And everyone here who did something this week because you belong to Jesus and believe in Him, are living out verse 12, too.

The missionary William Carey was fond of saying, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.”

And they might actually seem quite small. But if done in the name of the resurrected Son, in the power of the Spirit, and to the glory of the Father, then they will be greater in some way than everything we’ve read in chapters 1 through 13!!!

What might you do this week in faith?

And what might you pray for and ask Jesus to do this week?

That’s the last of our four applications.

#4. ASK.

Ask for big things in Jesus’ name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. Last two verses. Great big promise. Verse 13.

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Wow. I love the sound of that, too. But I also have questions.

I believe that Jesus means every single word in these two verses. But it’s every single word together. And it’s all in the context of everything else He says. We don’t rip these out of the rest of the Bible, and try to figure out what they mean and don’t mean on their own.

Jesus means the words “whatever” in verse 13 and “anything” in verse 14. That means that we can pray about whatever and we can ask for anything.

And He also means “I will do” in verse 13, and “I will do it” in verse 14. That means that Jesus answers prayer! He personally is involved in answering His follower’s prayer requests. “I will do it.”

But He also means the words “in my name.” And those words are not just a tagline that we slip into each prayer to make sure that it’s kosher. “In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

“Oh, you didn’t say, ‘In Jesus’ name, Amen.’ So that one’s no good!”

No, praying in Jesus’ name means praying in Jesus’ authorization.

It means praying in Jesus’ reputation.

It means praying in Jesus’ character.

It means praying for the things that Jesus wants done.

So, we shouldn’t go praying for anything that we know that Jesus hates.

Don’t pray about who to commit adultery with.

Don’t pray about who to murder.

Don’t pray about how to get away with theft or slander.

That is not prayer in Jesus’ name.

Praying in Jesus’ name is not telling Jesus what to do. It’s not ordering Him around. Yes, He says, “I will do it.” But the key word here is “ask.”

If you want to know what to ask for, look at Jesus. Look at what He prayed for. And pray in line with what you see. Just like looking at the heart of the Son will reveal the heart of the Father, it will also show you the heart of prayer. Jesus means that we ask in His name and only His name.

And He means for us to ask for things that will ultimately bring glory to His Father.

Don’t miss those words in verse 13.

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”

That has to be the result of His answering our prayers with YES or it will be NO.

And, of course, that’s often mysterious.

We don’t always understand (in fact, we often don’t understand) what will bring the most glory to the Father in a given situation. We can keep from praying for things that we know won’t. But we don’t always know what will.

We can pray, for example, for a new car. Probably shouldn’t pray for 12 new cars and, “Lord, it would be great if one of them was a Rolls-Royce.” But we might not even get that new car because in not getting the car, the Father will get even more glory from whatever He gives us instead.

We can pray for rain. Who was praying for rain yesterday? Thanks a lot! But someone else might be praying that it not rain at a given day or time for a particular reason. And which one will bring ultimate glory to the Father? We leave that up to Him.

But we can and should pray about whatever and ask for anything in Jesus’ name, and we can be sure that He will answer.

Isn’t that good news?!

Remember, these disciples are tempted to be troubled. They are distraught over His departure. But Jesus is assuring them that even if He goes away, they can still talk to Him! And they can still be sure that He is at work. He’s still doing stuff.

Do you need to hear that this morning?

I think these two verses were the biggest challenge to me personally this week, as I prepared this message. Because they confronted me with my relative prayerlessness. I am not asking enough.

I pray. And I pray with others. But am I asking Jesus to do big things? In line with His reputation, His character, His authorization, His will. And trusting in the Father’s wisdom to answer as He sees fit.

But am I asking?

There’s something right now that I’ve begun praying for, but I’ve been really timid about it. I’ve shot it into my prayers from time to time. But I haven’t really been asking. Jesus tells His disciples to ASK.

How about you? Are you taking Jesus up on this offer?

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Ask!

What I love about this invitation to pray about whatever and anything is that Jesus answers us, not because He loves us (even though He does) but because He loves His Father!

Jesus promises to answer our prayers so that the the Son may bring glory to the Father.

God gets glory when He gives us the things we ask for! And we know that the Father loves to glorify the Son, and we know that the Son loves to glorify the Father. Because they are IN one another!

The have is-ness and with-ness and in-ness.

And if we understand that, then I think we can even pray with great confidence, “Lord Jesus, through Your glorious Self, show us the Father.”

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