The Marvelous Lovingkindness of the Father
To know and see God, we must first know and see Jesus Christ, who is the human face of the Father.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of knowing our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, who reveals God's character and lovingkindness. He explains that while God is invisible, Jesus embodies the essence of the Father, allowing us to understand His nature and love. The sermon highlights the confusion of the disciples, particularly Philip, who sought to see the Father, and Jesus' patient response that seeing Him is equivalent to seeing the Father. Wilkerson reminds us that to truly know God, we must first know Christ, who demonstrates both God's justice and unconditional love. Ultimately, the message is about experiencing the marvelous lovingkindness of the Father through a relationship with Jesus.
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Christians who are serious about their walk with God have a deep desire to know their heavenly Father better. Scripture plainly states, "No one has seen God at any time" (John 1:18). We know that God is a spirit and he is invisible to us, so how do we get to know the Father? I believe part of Jesus' mission on earth was to reveal the heavenly Father's human face to us.
Jesus told the disciples: "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him" (John 14:7). This declaration confused them and Philip even blurted out, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us" (14:8).
Jesus patiently answered because he knew Philip's request was sincere. "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?'" (14:9).
Jesus then turned and addressed all the disciples with a glorious promise: "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you" (14:20). What an amazing conversation! Jesus was telling these men, "Look at me. Don't you see that I am God clothed in human flesh? I am the essence of the Father -- in nature, substance and character. Through me you see the face of God."
A clear picture emerges: God sent his son to show us exactly what he is like. So, to know and see God, we first must know and see Christ. It is true that God has two sides because he is a God of justice, and we must "fear the Lord and depart from evil" (Proverbs 3:7). But his other side is goodness and unconditional love. We see this revealed in Jesus' ministry. Everything Christ said and did revealed to us the marvelous lovingkindness of the Father.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Desire to Know God
- A. Christians have a deep desire to know their heavenly Father
- B. We know God is a spirit and invisible, so how do we get to know Him?
- II. Jesus' Mission to Reveal the Father
- A. Jesus came to reveal the heavenly Father's human face to us
- B. Jesus told the disciples that knowing Him is knowing the Father
- III. Seeing the Father through Jesus
- A. Jesus is the essence of the Father in nature, substance, and character
- B. To know and see God, we must first know and see Christ
- IV. The Two Sides of God
- A. God is a God of justice and we must fear Him
- B. God is also a God of goodness and unconditional love
- C. We see this revealed in Jesus' ministry
Key Quotes
“He who has seen Me has seen the Father, so how can you say, 'Show us the Father?'” — David Wilkerson
“At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” — David Wilkerson
“Everything Christ said and did revealed to us the marvelous lovingkindness of the Father” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must know and see Jesus Christ to know and see God.
- God is a God of both justice and unconditional love.
- We can see God's character revealed in Jesus' ministry.