To Know God, Know Jesus
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John 8:13-19
13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not
valid."
14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came
from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no-one.
16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent
me.
17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
19 Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If
you knew me, you would know my Father also."
If you want to know what God is like, look closely at Jesus.
As long as we keep God way off in heaven somewhere, we will never really get to know who he is and
what he is like. The beauty of our faith – the great strength of our Christian understanding is that God
came to earth as a man – Jesus – and showed himself to us very plainly. To know Jesus is to know God.
Why? Because Jesus is the Son of God.
He said:
John 8:28 So Jesus said, … I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. (NIV)
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except
through me. (NIV)
John 14:7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and
have seen him." (NIV)
John 14:8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." (NIV)
John 14:9 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'? (NIV)
John 14:10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to
you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (NIV)
John 10:30 I and [my] Father are one. (AV)
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (NIV)
Note these things – If you know Jesus, you know the Father – If you see Jesus, you see the Father – He
and the Father are one – He is the image of the Father.
Now, this is all good theology, but what does it do for us?
Did you know that God cared enough about Peter’s wife’s mother, that he went to her house and healed
her? (Mark 1.30) (That helps me right now. And when my daughter was one month old in the hospital
with heart problems, it helped me to know that he healed the Roman soldiers dying daughter.) Do you
see how the Bible can help you?
Did you know that God cared so much about the people in other villages that he wouldn’t stay in one
place al the time? He considered the people everywhere important. (Mark 1.38)
Did you know God cared so much about an old dying leper that he touched him and took away his
disease? (Mark 1.41) He was untouchable and undesirable, but Jesus looked beyond that.
Did you know that God considered a cripple man’s healing more important than a hole in the roof?
(EXPLAIN) (Mark 2.5)
Did you know that God cared about poor people, rich people, sinners and saints alike – that he
considered all people the same? Ate with publicans (tax collectors) and sinners and with Zaccheus the
rich man, went to dinner with rulers and religious leaders, healed daughters and servants of Roman
soldiers and religious officials.
Did you know that God considered people’s needs more important than rules? (Mark 2.23) Picking
corn and healing on the Sabbath.
Did you know that God cares about people that you would not associate with? (Mark 5.2) Demon
possessed man.
Did you know that He can feel it when you touch him by faith even when hundreds of people are
crowding around, and that he hears your cry even in the midst of loud confusion? Woman with issue of
blood and blind men on side of road.
Did you know that even though God has a universe to run, he stops to spend time with common people,
lets children sit in his lap, notices when crowds are weak and hungry, is just as comfortable preaching
from the back of a boat as he is in the finest temple?
Did you know he cared enough about Peter to have a private meeting with him after Peter had denied
him? He cared about Peter’s failure, Peter’s feelings, and Peter’s future.
Do you know that He cares about you?
Do you want to know God? Read your Bible! Read about Jesus and you will get to know God.
13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not
valid."
14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came
from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no-one.
16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent
me.
17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
19 Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If
you knew me, you would know my Father also."
If you want to know what God is like, look closely at Jesus.
As long as we keep God way off in heaven somewhere, we will never really get to know who he is and
what he is like. The beauty of our faith – the great strength of our Christian understanding is that God
came to earth as a man – Jesus – and showed himself to us very plainly. To know Jesus is to know God.
Why? Because Jesus is the Son of God.
He said:
John 8:28 So Jesus said, … I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. (NIV)
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except
through me. (NIV)
John 14:7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and
have seen him." (NIV)
John 14:8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." (NIV)
John 14:9 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'? (NIV)
John 14:10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to
you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (NIV)
John 10:30 I and [my] Father are one. (AV)
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (NIV)
Note these things – If you know Jesus, you know the Father – If you see Jesus, you see the Father – He
and the Father are one – He is the image of the Father.
Now, this is all good theology, but what does it do for us?
Did you know that God cared enough about Peter’s wife’s mother, that he went to her house and healed
her? (Mark 1.30) (That helps me right now. And when my daughter was one month old in the hospital
with heart problems, it helped me to know that he healed the Roman soldiers dying daughter.) Do you
see how the Bible can help you?
Did you know that God cared so much about the people in other villages that he wouldn’t stay in one
place al the time? He considered the people everywhere important. (Mark 1.38)
Did you know God cared so much about an old dying leper that he touched him and took away his
disease? (Mark 1.41) He was untouchable and undesirable, but Jesus looked beyond that.
Did you know that God considered a cripple man’s healing more important than a hole in the roof?
(EXPLAIN) (Mark 2.5)
Did you know that God cared about poor people, rich people, sinners and saints alike – that he
considered all people the same? Ate with publicans (tax collectors) and sinners and with Zaccheus the
rich man, went to dinner with rulers and religious leaders, healed daughters and servants of Roman
soldiers and religious officials.
Did you know that God considered people’s needs more important than rules? (Mark 2.23) Picking
corn and healing on the Sabbath.
Did you know that God cares about people that you would not associate with? (Mark 5.2) Demon
possessed man.
Did you know that He can feel it when you touch him by faith even when hundreds of people are
crowding around, and that he hears your cry even in the midst of loud confusion? Woman with issue of
blood and blind men on side of road.
Did you know that even though God has a universe to run, he stops to spend time with common people,
lets children sit in his lap, notices when crowds are weak and hungry, is just as comfortable preaching
from the back of a boat as he is in the finest temple?
Did you know he cared enough about Peter to have a private meeting with him after Peter had denied
him? He cared about Peter’s failure, Peter’s feelings, and Peter’s future.
Do you know that He cares about you?
Do you want to know God? Read your Bible! Read about Jesus and you will get to know God.