Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Jesus reveals the Father

In my quest to learn more about God, I am finding more and more texts that I want to come back and study. I need to start a list! Right now I am trying to adhere to the reading schedule rather than diving into cross references and jumping ahead.

Today's challenging verse

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to who the Son wills to reveal Him.
Matthew 11:27


There are several jewels in this verse. Jesus is given all things by His Father. I'm not sure exactly what "all things" entails but I am sure it is huge. Power. Wisdom. Knowledge. Strength.

I have heard a lot of people say that God the Father and God the Son are almost polar opposites. That Christ is loving, gentle, kind. God the Father is harsh, judgmental, easily angered. And yet, here we see that everything Jesus possesses was given to Him by His Father. Can an unloving God give His Son such gifts?

There is another verse where Jesus says "if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." I believe part of Jesus' purpose on this earth is to show people what the Father is really like. To overcome people's perceptions of an overly harsh, judgmental, and angry God.

"...and the one to who the Son wills to reveal Him." How do we know God the Father? By Christ revealing Him. Yesterday I briefly talked about what God's will is. One aspect of Christ's will is to reveal the Father. I love that thought. Jesus reveals His Father.

Father, thank You for sending Christ to this earth to witness about You. Please help me to better understand You, to come to know you more. Thank you for being such a wonderful God. Amen.

Does anyone else have any thoughts on this text?

4 comments:

Kristijan said...

i like your life

Missie said...

I have never heard the polar opposites thing. I am reading through Jeremiah as well and even though it is punishment and suffering, when I read it I hear God pleading, not trying to be mean, but wanting them to understand.

Cassandra said...

Missie, I hear it said that the God of the Old Testament is judgmental and harsh, whereas the God of the New Testament is loving and caring. Sometimes it does feel like there is a different between, say, Jeremiah and John. But I agree with you that it's more God pleading than intentionally trying to be mean. Thanks for the feedback!

Ruth MacC said...

I am reading through Jeremiah too. I just love the old testament and find that Jesus is all through it like at the burning of the bush etc. Also God showes His amaazing long suffering and loving patience with His people as they sin again and again while he diciplines them and restores them again and again. It gives me a great sense of calm and security to know He is that way with me when I dissappoint Him again and again.

Jesus relationship with His Father seems to be so intimate, something we should never be a part of but the reality that Jesus reveals Him to us is astonishing really!
I love reading John 17 all about how Jesus in in the Father and the Father is in Jesus how we are in Jesus and we are all together, amazing.