John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 9, Day 3

Prayer

Pause for a moment of quiet and stillness. To center yourself fully, take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. Repeat this process three times. Ask God to open your eyes to the amazing truths in His word today.

Bible Reading: John 14:8-14

Read these verses three times slowly.

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Reflection & Questions

We continue today in John 14, where Jesus begins by telling the disciples “Do not let your hearts be troubled” as he tells them of very troubling things that are about to happen (like Him dying and leaving them).

We have the privilege of being on a fly on the wall as the disciples dialogue with Him. Yesterday, Thomas said “we don’t know the way.” Today, it’s Philip’s turn to ask a question. And his question is a revelation, that even after three years of being with Jesus, hearing his teaching, seeing countless miracles, that the disciples are still having a hard time pulling this all together. We can’t blame them for having a hard time accepting that the person in front of them, eating and drinking with them, is God Himself. But still, Jesus finds Philip’s question somewhat perplexing given “I have been among you for such a long time.”

However, Philip’s question is another catalyst for clarity that believers through the ages have benefited from. From it Jesus spells out a mystery: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” This is one of the many verses that come together to form the doctrine of the Trinity. (That God is three in one: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three separate persons in one Godhead). One of the clear implications of what Jesus is saying is that as we encounter Jesus in the scriptures, we are seeing the character and power of the Father on display, too. There is no division in the will of the Godhead. There is no separation of their love. There is a powerful relationship at the center of everything and amazingly we are invited to share in that relationship. It is through entering that powerful relationship, that we too, can do great things in His name!

1. What difference does it make that there is a relationship at the center of the universe and not a singular entity?
2. Have you considered before that you are invited into a relationship with the Trinity? What difference does that make in your prayers and your actions?

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?