John 17:24-26
“”Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.””
John 17:24-26 NIV
Jesus is the one who reveals the Father to us. If we want to know what the Father is like, all we have to do is look at Jesus. If we want to know how the Father cares for people, we can look at how Jesus ministered to them. If we want to know the Father's will for our lives, we can listen to Jesus’ Words and know they reveal the Father's truth.
Jesus revealed the nature of the Father in His actions and His Words. And, Jesus continues to reveal the Father to us. He is the one through whom the fullest revelation of the Father comes. Let's look to Jesus if we really want to know the Father.
What makes this difference between the world and the believer? It is the gracious work Jesus does for us and in us. We know God because Jesus has made God known to us, and continues to make Him known. Here Jesus sums up all the content of salvation which He provides and gives to His disciples. It is through His work for us that Jesus makes God accessible to us, and makes us able to be reconciled to God.
It is by His Spirit that Jesus brings us to receive his work for us as this is shown in that he works repentance from sin in us. It is through the gift of faith that He gives that joins us to Christ and brings us into the experience of new life, and joins us to
We hunger after this true righteousness because of Christ’s work for us and in us. We rest in His perfect righteousness which is imputed to us, by which we know God looks on us with love and favor. And we see the image of God newly created within us which is to be like God in righteousness and true holiness.
This makes us different from the world. Whereas the world does not know God, we know God, the righteous one, because Jesus has made Him known to us. It is the goal of this saving work that is so wonderful and amazing.
Here we enter again the glory of this oneness that Jesus has been praying for. Jesus continues to make God known to us so that we may be one with God, to be in God and God in us and Jesus in us.
How does Jesus speak of this here? Jesus speaks “I make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them, and that I Myself may be in them.” I would urge you to dwell on these words long and deeply, again and again.
Words are not able to describe what the Spirit is saying to us deep in our minds and hearts, though I must try and express in words something of this glory and joy. God loves Jesus. This love is the greatest and purest and most delightful and most intimate love that ever could be.
The love which the Father has for the Son is the most wonderful love of all. It is perfect. It is the greatest.
Writers and poets have extolled it. Every human being hungers for it and longs for it. But human love is but a poor reflection of God’s love, and particularly God’s love for Jesus.
Now what is the goal in the heart of Jesus for which he is praying for us his disciples? He prays that the love the Father has for Him may be in them, and further that He Himself, with all His love, may be in them.
This is totally heavenly. Through Christ and His work for us we are given a love which passes all understanding, the love of God, the deep love He has for Jesus, in us and filling our hearts, so that we know we are loved by God, and dwell in God, and have His love filling our whole being, so that it overflows from us.
When two people in marriage love one another deeply, they become one in a deep relationship of unity bound together with that love. Jesus is describing an ever more blessed and wonderful unity of love between God, Himself and the believer. We are made one with the Father and the Son through this love in us. We are moulded to God so that we become like him in all things in character and loveliness. We are filled with an ecstasy of joy and completeness in this heavenly blessing.
Jesus has made God known to us so that we have begun in the oneness, and have begun to experience this blessed union of love. Jesus will go on making the Righteous Father known to us for all eternity so that this love of God may be in us, and that his love may be experienced more deeply by us, so that the joy of heaven will be deepening into eternity!!!
Father, thank You for this day and for Your Son Jesus Christ Who died to pay the price for our sin. Lord, thank You for the free gift of eternal life and a home in heaven with You. Pour out Your abundant blessings from the windows of heaven over my friend and family today. Lord, how wonderful that one day we will see the glory of You and bathe in the love that You shared, before the foundation of the world. Unite Your children in the bond of love and fellowship with Yourself so that those that are Your children may abide in You and You in us. Lord use us to be a true witness to the world of Your salvation.
Father, we love You. Amen!
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