“An Interview With God”
WHAT ARE YOU LIKE?
John 14:7-11
May 11, 2002
Introduction
Have you ever had a pen pal? In past school years, my wife has had the students in her class form pen pals with the students from a class from a different state. Usually, the other class’ teacher is a friend of my wife’s from college. I get to read the letters most of the time. Remember, these are kids in the 1st through 3rd grades. The kids write about what they like and what they don’t like, their favorite toys or cartoons and they usually try to describe what they look like. Some of the kids even send a picture of themselves along with their letters. Almost always at the end of each letter, the student will ask, “What are you like?” “What are your favorite things?” “What do you look like?”
Tonight, as we continue our series, “An Interview With God”, we ask God, “What are You like?” This is a valid question for us to ask. If we are going to give our allegiance, our worship and our very lives to God, it would be nice if we knew what God is like. God would agree with us on this. He wants us to know who He is and what He is like. God has given us the answers to what He is like. THESIS: The answers to knowing what God is like are found in Jesus.
But what qualifies Jesus to tell us what God is like? The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, meaning that he is in fact God. John 1:14 speaks of the Incarnation of Christ. 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.” The word “Incarnation” simply means, “God taking on flesh”. This is what John 1:14 describes; the Word, Jesus becoming flesh and living with man as a man. Philippians 2:6 goes on to further establish that Jesus is God. Philippians 2:6, “Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,” Jesus’ very nature was that of God. Jesus is equal with God. Colossians 1:15-20 goes on to describe the deity and nature of Jesus as God. Colossians 1:15-20, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” These verses describe Jesus as the “image of the invisible God” (vs. 15). When we see Jesus, we see God. They also describe Jesus as having all of God’s fullness dwelling in Him (vs. 19). Jesus was completely human, but he was also completely God. So, we come to the same conclusion as Alister McGrath, as he writes, “God is revealed in and by Jesus.”
Tonight, we are going to be looking at a few verses from the book of John 14. Jesus is speaking to his disciples in John 14. He has just told his disciples that he will only be with them a little while longer. He is going away and they cannot come with him. He attempts to comfort them by telling them that he is going to prepare a place for them and that he will return to take them back with him. Jesus’ words to the disciples in John 14:7-11 are prompted by Thomas’ question in vs. 5, “we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” John 14:7-11, “’If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ 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?’ 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. 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.’”
We see a distinct parallel to Philip’s request of Jesus in vs. 8 to “show us the Father”, to Moses’ request of God in Exodus 33:18. Exodus 33:18, “Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory.’” Both requests are implying that God reveal himself. They want to know what God is like. They want to see God. So, as we work our way through John 14:7-11, we will get a glimpse of what God is like through Jesus:
First, Jesus shows us what God is like through:
I. THE LIFE HE LIVES (vs. 7-9)
You can tell a lot about the influences on a person’s life by looking at the way they live. When we look at a person and their behavior, mannerisms, and just the way they do things, we are not just seeing them, but we are seeing that persons parents, teachers and mentors as well. What Jesus is saying in verses 7-9, is that when you see him, you see God, you see the Father. The life Jesus lived directly mirrored that of God.
A. JESUS LIVED A LIFE OF PURPOSE.
Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus lived life for two purposes:
1. He lived to be a servant.
2. He lived to be a Savior.
Jesus’ life of purpose reveals to us the HEART OF GOD. God has a servant heart. He delights in helping others and serving others. God also has a heart for people. He loves us. He is a compassionate, merciful God, who is full of grace. God has his sights set on saving you from yourself and your sins. Through Jesus’ life, we see the heart of God.
B. JESUS LIVED A LIFE OF HOLINESS.
I Peter 1:15-16, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” The word “holy” as it is used here means “pure or perfect”. Jesus lived a life without sin. He was holy. He was pure. He was perfect. Jesus’ life of holiness reveals to us the NATURE OF GOD. God’s nature is holy. He is perfect in every way. He is completely pure and good, without any blemish or sin. Through Jesus’ life, we see the nature of God.
C. JESUS LIVED A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE.
Philippians 2:8, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!” Jesus was obedient to the plans the Father had for him, meaning that he would give his own life on the cross for our sins. Jesus did what was right, good and honest even when the circumstances were difficult. Jesus’ life of obedience reveals to us the CHARACTER OF GOD. God always does the right thing. He never contradicts himself. What’s good is good, what’s evil is evil, the truth is the truth. God is consistent. The writer of Hebrews says it best in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” That describes God and his character.
The life Jesus lived, a life of purpose, a life of holiness and a life of obedience reveals to us the heart of God, the nature of God and the character of God. As we continue through John 14:7-11, Jesus also shows us what God is like through:
II. THE WORDS HE SPEAKS. (vs. 10)
Jesus says in vs. 10 that “The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” One of my favorite TV shows is “The Cosby Show”. During one episode, Dr. Huxtable is going to receive an award for doctor of the year. He has his speech all prepared, but at the last minute one of his patients goes into labor and he ends up missing his own award banquet and presentation. Since he can’t be there to give his acceptance speech, he instructs his son Theo to give the speech in his place. The Son speaks the words of the Father.
The point that Jesus is making to Philip and the disciples is that if you want to see the Father, look at me and listen to me, because I am speaking the very words of the Father. After Jesus had finished giving the Sermon on the Mount, the people responded this way in Matthew 7. Matthew 7:28-29, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” Jesus’ words and teaching revealed the authority and power of God. It became very clear to the people that God’s ways are definitely higher than theirs.
If we read through the gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, that tell the life story of Jesus, we will notice that in Jesus’ teachings and parables we are given a description of who God is and what he is like. We see God as our Father, who loves us deeply but is willing to let us make our own decisions and choices even if they are contrary to his will. We see God as our Shepherd, who cares for us and knows each of us intimately, who provides for us, protects us and leads us in the right direction.
Jesus shows us what God is like through the life he lives and the words he speaks, but also through:
III. THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMS. (vs. 11)
Jesus tells the disciples and Philip in vs. 11 to at least believe that Jesus is in the Father and that the Father is in him based “on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” Jesus did not perform miracles to draw attention to himself, but to focus attention on God. There were many so called miracle workers during this time period. Some of the miracles were genuine, although they can be attributed to forces other than God, namely Satan and demons. The miracles Jesus performs are not intended to create faith in God, but to build up a faith in God that already exists. Jesus’ miracles reveal different aspects to us about God:
A. GOD’S POWER.
Take for example, when Jesus calmed the storm while he and the disciples were in a boat on the sea in Mark 4:35-41. Mark 4:39, “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” This miracle shows God’s power over all things, even over the weather and elements. God is the Creator and he can control His Creation.
B. GOD’S COMPASSION.
Jesus’ miracles display the compassion God has for those who are in need physically or spiritually. In Mark 7:30-44, we have the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus was actually trying to get away to be by himself for a while after receiving news that John the Baptist had been beheaded, but a crowd recognized him and beat him to the spot where he was going. Mark 7:34, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” Out of Jesus’ compassion came a time of teaching and eventually a time of eating, feeding five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish.
C. GOD’S FORGIVENESS.
If you look at the miraculous healing of a paralytic in Luke 5:17-26, before Jesus healed the man physically, he forgave him of his sins. Luke 5:20, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’” God wants to forgive us, He wants to cleanse us from our sins. This is probably the greatest miracle of all. Forgiveness of sins is completely an act of God. It is not something we can do on our own. Not only that, but it’s God initiated. In the healing of the paralytic, the paralytic and his friends sought Jesus out, but the whole story of the gospel is that God is seeking us out so that we can be forgiven.
Conclusion
So tonight, we ask God, “What are You like?” God’s response, “Look at Jesus. Look at the life he lived, the words he spoke, and the miracles he performed and then you will see me.” Sometimes when Hollywood makes a movie based on a true story, they don’t portray the real people correctly. This past week, Dan Devine died. You may not have ever heard of Dan Devine, but if you watched the movie “Rudy”, then you’ll recognize who he is. Dan Devine was a football coach, college and pro. In the pro’s, he coached the Green Bay Packers. But his greatest successes as a coach came in the college ranks when he was the head coach at Notre Dame in the mid 1970’s through early 1980’s. He coached Notre Dame to a national championship in the late 70’s. In the hit movie “Rudy”, the true story of a undersized, undertalented walk-on football player at Notre Dame who overcomes his deficiencies with effort and heart, Dan Devine, the coach is portrayed as not caring about Rudy and seeing Rudy as being a nuisance and a waste of time. He is also shown as reneging on a promise to let Rudy dress for the final game of his senior year, something Rudy had never done. After the film came out, Devine was interviewed and shed some light on how he really felt about Rudy. He loved Rudy. He supported Rudy. He never reneged on his promise to Rudy. He was cast in a bad light in the movie to add drama to the story. He was misrepresented. Thankfully, God is not misrepresented by Jesus. When you see Jesus, you see God. Tonight, my challenge for you is when others see you that see God.
