Lord, Show Us the Father (John 14:7-14)

One tragedy of our day is that many of our churches are filled with people who claim to love God but live their life as if He doesn’t exist. They don’t “see” God so they assume He is not there. In John 14:7-14, Jesus answers one of His disciples by revealing that God is knowable and calls us to know Him. Jesus said, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him” (John 14:7). Jesus reveals God to us because He is God the Son who has been sent by God the Father..

The Father Seen in the Son

Jesus perfectly reveals the Father to those who believe. This is why Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’” (John 14:9). Jesus is not saying, as some falsely believe, that He is the Father. The Bible presents God as Trinity. There is only one God (Isaiah 44:8); the Father is God (Eph 4:6), the Son is God (John 1:1), and the Spirit is God (Rom 8:9). The Son is distinct from the Father in that the Son took on human flesh and has offered Himself as the sacrifice that satisfies the righteous demands of the Law. The Son, however, is like the Father in that “He is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15; 2 Cor 4:4). While they are distinct, we should be careful to note the similarities. Thus, Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” John Calvin wrote that the “affairs [of Jesus] are so closely united to those of the Father, that the Father’s assistance will never be withheld from [Jesus] and His sheep.” RC Sproul adds, “The full unity in mission and essence of the Father and the Son guarantees the salvation of God’s people. Let us rejoice that the Father and the Son (and the Holy Spirit) are perfectly united in salvation, for it means that God will complete the good work He has started in us.” God is seen in Jesus.

The Father Speaks Through the Son

Jesus speaks the exact words of the Father to the world. Jesus said, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works” (John 14:10). Jesus is telling His disciples that His words are the words the Father has given Him to speak. The writer of Hebrews says, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Heb 1:1). The Father made this clear when He declared during Jesus’ transfiguration, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Luke 9:35). If you want to know what God wants us to understand, listen to Jesus because He speaks the exact words of the Father. 

The Father Works Through the Son

Jesus does the works of the Father as a testimony to God’s work of redemption. Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves” (John 14:11). In the Gospel of John, there is a strong emphasis on the works/signs of Jesus. Signs were miracles (sometimes public) that were meant to authenticate Jesus’ claim to be the Christ, the Son of God. The signs were verifiable proof that Jesus was sent from God (John 3:2). Jesus did not perform miracles haphazardly; His miracles were signs meant to testify of His identity. Earlier in John, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19). Jesus told the Jews, “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish–the very works that I do–bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me” (John 5:36). Later Jesus reiterated, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him” (John 10:37-38). 

What was the primary mission of Jesus? Was it to heal people? No, His primary mission was “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus met physical needs to show people their need for spiritual healing. This is shown to us when Jesus healed the disabled man in Matthew 9. After Jesus declared that the man’s sins are forgiven (Matt 9:2), the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus asked them which was easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or “Arise and walk”? Jesus continued, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins…[He then said to the paralytic] Arise, take up your bed and go to your house.” The man got up and departed to His house. Jesus healed the man to show that He has the authority to forgive sins. If you want to know the works of God, look at Jesus because He does the works that the Father desires to be done. 

The Father Glorified in the Son

Jesus glorifies the Father. Jesus said, “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 My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name I will do it” (John 14:12-14). The Father is glorified in the Son and the Son produces good works in His followers so that they too will glorify the Father. What does Jesus mean when He said that those who believe in Him will do “greater works”? Jesus continues, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 10:13-14). The greater works of Jesus’ followers are done because Jesus goes to the Father and sends us the Holy Spirit. The greater works refer more to quantity than quality. Jesus’ followers will carry out Jesus’ work throughout the whole world. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16). Christians do these greater works as we go into the world making disciples of all nations. 

God is not a distant deity who is unconcerned about His creation. Sadly, many people will affirm that they believe God is real, but they do not believe that God cares about them or plays any role in their life or has any plan for their life. They say they believe God exists, but they live as if He doesn’t. Jesus makes it clear to all of us: God is real, and He wants to be known. Jesus is the Son of God sent to do the Father’s will. If we want to know the Father, we must look to the Son. The Father is seen and glorified in the Son. The Father speaks and works through the Son. Why should we want to know the Father? Isn’t it obvious? We should love the Lord and enjoy Him forever!