IT IS A MYSTERY BUT IT IS TRUE!
In the Gospel of John 14:10, Jesus said to Philip “ 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.” In verse 11, Jesus told Philip “ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me.” Naturally, Philip in verse 8, was struggling to understand how someone could be in their father and their father in them at the same time? There is no natural way of understanding what Jesus said to Philip. It is a mystery but it is true because Jesus said it! In John 14:12 Jesus said “ Most assuredly, 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 My Father.” I have heard others say that by this Jesus meant greater works in quantity and not quality because Jesus is God. With the greatest of respect to them, Jesus is the greatest communicator and meant exactly what He said. I choose to believe Jesus that any miracles through me would be done by the Father who dwells in me.
In John 17:20-21, Jesus prayed to the Father – “ I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word” (that is us): “ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us”. I do not know about you but like Philip I naturally struggled to understand how someone could be in their father and their father in them at the same time. How on earth could we all be one and be in Jesus and the Father? There is no natural way of understanding what Jesus prayed. It is a mystery but it is true because Jesus prayed it! We can all only be one if we are individually in Jesus. When we are in Jesus we are also in the Father because the Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father. When we are “born again” a mystery occurs. We do not go into our mother’s womb and be born a second time. Jesus comes into us and we into Him. It is written in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” In Colossians 1: 26 to 27 it is written that “ the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you the hope of glory.” It written in Colossians 2 : 8 to 10 that “ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”The awesome thought is that when we are born again we have in us God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! It is a mystery but it is true because the word of God says it is!
In John 17:22-23 Jesus prayed that “ … the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” We have the glory now because Jesus has given it to us. It is a mystery but it is true because Jesus prayed it! If you’d like to know more about what this glory is, click here. Another thing that Jesus mentions in this prayer is that God the Father loves us as He loves Jesus. Do not take my word for it, read for yourself what Jesus said. I do not know about you but this makes me feel very special!
In John 17:24 Jesus prayed “ Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” Clearly from my emphasis on “ I am “ Jesus was not requesting the Father that the disciples be with him only at that time and place. The request included us now
because Jesus is still the I am and previously in verse 20 Jesus said that “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word”. What a demonstration of the love of Jesus for us! Yet the mystery of how we can be with Him while at the same time we are on earth, remains. However it must be true otherwise Jesus would not have asked God the Father for it. God the Father has in fact granted Jesus’ desire. Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians writes in chapter 2:1-9 “ And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
When were you last in the presence of Jesus?
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As we listen and sing together this morning, let’s consider some of the amazing truths that John has highlighted above and use them to worship God for who He is and what He has done.
Today we are going to listen to Pastor Steven Furtick who will teach us that we do not have to be held hostage to our situation. Like Paul, who chose to worship even when he was in prison, the reality of our situations is determined by God’s Word, not by what we see or experience. The circumstances we are in do not define who we are. We are all bound to find ourselves in difficult situations, but we do not have to be bound to them. You are not a hostage to fear, pain and doubt when you have hope, peace and love in your corner. Listen and see how God’s promises set us free.