Don’t Forget the Father
Opening Prayer
Father, help me to understand better the way the members of the Godhead interact with each other.
Read John 5:16–30
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
“Father God, we worship You, Make us part of all You do… Jesus King, we worship You, Help us listen now to You… Spirit pure, we worship You, With Your fire our zeal renew” (Graham Kendrick).
Christian songs lay theology bare. In a survey of contemporary songs, author Robin Parry categorized how they address God as Trinity. He found that only 1.4 percent were “three-person songs” and 8.8 percent “two-person songs.” The rest were “one-person songs” addressed to Jesus and “You, Lord” (Worshiping Trinity, 144). Does it matter? Yes. Failure to think as Trinitarians has consequences. Of course, explaining adequately the mystery of God’s co-equally interacting three persons is hopelessly beyond us, but Jesus cannot be understood without due consideration of the Father and Holy Spirit. As these verses and the rest of chapter 5 show, Jesus is never on his own. Nor does he claim to be.
These verses present some of the most striking affirmations anywhere in the gospels. When Jesus is criticized for healing on the Sabbath, he explains that his Father never stops working any day of the week and neither does he. Immediately his enemies view the immensity of that claim as blasphemy and therefore deserving of the death sentence. Reflect on the different ways that Jesus emphasizes his personal relationship with the Father. He does only what he sees his Father doing, and it’s out of love that he performs what he sees: his Father’s work. The outcome of this obedient and loving relationship is paradoxical. On the one hand, there is total dependence—”the Son can do nothing by himself” (19), “By myself I can do nothing” (30). He never acts outside his Father’s will and purpose. On the other hand, operating with the Father he can do everything, including raising the dead (21), and judging with authority (27), which includes the ultimate expression of judgment (John 5:22).
Understanding how Jesus belongs with his Father and the Holy Spirit prevents us from seeing God in one-dimensional terms and also elucidates how believing in Jesus really does open up the gift of eternal life (24).
Apply
Reflect on another hymn or song that sings to God in three persons. Can you make its verses a prayer in light of the relationship Jesus shares?
Closing prayer
Lord, Your authority is absolute and final. Help me to better appreciate what it means to call You “Lord.”
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