How many of us have brought shame to our father? Our Heavenly Father? We were created to bring Him glory but instead, like the son in the parable above, we spent our inheritance from the Father on worthless trinkets and pleasures that neither satisfied us nor those we love.
“This son devoured your livelihood with harlots.” [2]
The word “harlotry” is used by God throughout the Bible as a metaphor for affairs with false gods which can neither save nor satisfy.
Israel for the most part either wanted to be god or otherwise have nothing to do with Him.
Jesus Christ was a perfect son to the Father. He prayed, “Father, glorify Your Name.” [3]
Jesus lived in perfect harmony with the Father. He declared, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” [4]
Such a beautiful life! I want to be one with the Father as Jesus is. I want to speak and do as the Father speaks and does. But I must confess, I usually fall far short.
Jesus is the way to the Father. He declared, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” [5]
When Philip responded, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus responded, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ 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. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” [6]
It is one thing to know the Father. To hear His voice! To know His will! But it is another thing, and a greater thing, to live in oneness with the Father as Jesus did.
Jesus told Philip, “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. And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” [7]
Jesus prays to the Father for those who love Him and keep His commandments. He knows such a person will experience many trials in this world. He prays for the Holy Spirit for us. He gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. “We are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” [8]
Without the Spirit of God, we are orphans. “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” [9] His Spirit is for those who want to be with Him and serve Him.
Obedience is God’s love language. Obedience is a submission of ourselves to our Heavenly Father even as Jesus submitted to the Father.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” [10]
A relationship with the Father and the Son is characterized by trust in His faithfulness and in His know-how to make our lives abundantly fruitful.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so, you will be My disciples.” [11]
Jesus spoke of the world hating Him, and hating us because we are of Him, “They hated Me without a cause.” But He assured us that His Spirit would support our witness for Him. “When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” [12]
Why does the world persecute children of God? Jesus said, “These things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.” [13]
Jesus prays for us to the Father, “I have given them Your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” [14]
The Lord is with us. That is what the Lord told Moses, David, Jeremiah and the disciples. I will be with you. He helps us His children to navigate through storms by keeping us in the truth.
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their Word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And 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 that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” [15]
He wants us to enjoy a close a relationship with the Father. He’s not jealous against us. He’s jealous for us.
“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. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” [16]
God’s love for us outweighs the world’s hatred. His love fills us to overflowing.
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” [17] Our God is the everlasting Father. He never leaves nor forsakes His own.
[1] Luke 15:21
[2] Luke 15:30
[3] John 12:28
[4] John 12:44-45, 49-50
[5] John 13:20; 14:6-7
[6] John 14:8-11
[7] John 14:12-18
[8] Acts 5:32
[9] Romans 8:9, 14-15
[10] John 14:21, 23
[11] John 15:1-2, 8
[12] John 15:25-26
[13] John 16:3
[14] John 17:14-18
[15] john 17:20-23
[16] John 17:24-26
[17] Isaiah 9:6
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