Only Jesus !

John 14:8-9 NASB
“Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Sometimes I am left speechless, when I consider God’s love. Sometimes, when I consider the difference between God who is holy and myself, I find it all hard to comprehend. The gulf is so big, the difference so immense, that I am totally in awe that He would even consider me. That’s not humility, it’s reality.

And how could I have ever come to know God, even in the partial manner that I do, had it not been for Jesus. Like Jesus says, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father”. Who else could even say that, who else would even dare?

There is a Scripture that is burnt into my mind and it is from Hebrews 1:3-4 and it reads as follows: “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” That part where the writer of Hebrews states that “Jesus is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” is so true. How else could we have ever come to know God, if God our Father had not sent us His Son?

And Jesus specifically told us to “learn from Him”. See Matthew 11:29.
One can read the words that Jesus gave us in the Gospels and ponder the message He brought us and yet NOT come to know Jesus, and in so doing, NOT come to know our Father, at least in part. And the reason for that is because what Jesus conveyed frequently goes beyond words, there are emotions and unspoken words, there is intent and determination and there is a demonstration of obedience to display God’s love, that most would find difficult to comprehend. That would be the “made purification of sins” part in the above Scripture. And yes, that would be the cross.

Superficial “observance” will not reveal Jesus to you, nor will it reveal to us our heavenly Father. Going through the motions, whatever they may be, won’t do it either. When Jesus says “learn of me” He means it. You do have to take Him seriously. You do have to consider all that He says and you do have to respond. I know about sitting on the fence, I did it for years. That doesn’t work and there is a good reason for that, it was never meant to. Indecision is a decision, irrespective of the various “going through the motions” we may say or do.

Years ago I had the opportunity to visit old Jerusalem. It is a real place that still exists today. You can still view real sites as noted in the New Testament Gospels. Jesus literally walked and taught there and gave His life there on that cross. If you were there when that happened you might have been able to touch His arm. Jesus was and is real. But something happened after they killed Jesus on that cross.

You can read about it in Luke 24 but I am just going to quote verses 36 to 43:

“Now while they were telling these things, Jesus Himself suddenly stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” But they were startled and frightened, and thought that they were looking at a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why are doubts arising in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you plainly see that I have.”And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and astonishment, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They served Him a piece of broiled fish; and He took it and ate it in front of them.”

Remember that arm that you might have been able to touch before Jesus was crucified? That was the same arm Jesus showed His disciples after He rose from the dead. Would you have touched it, had you been there? Bear in mind that this was the same physical body of Jesus whose hands and feet had been pierced with spikes and a spear had been thrust into His side to ensure Jesus had died while hanging on that cross.

This is the Jesus that wants you to come to know Him and trust Him, today. This is Jesus, the only begotten Son of God.

Remember that indecision is a decision. Do it! Learn of Him.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!