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Jesus revealed to us the Father
In His Self-revelation, Jesus defined the roots of His life, where He came from and where He was going. He was not alone. His father in heaven had sent Him to become human, so that one man would live to be holy and without sin.
John testified: "The word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, a glory as of the only-begotten of the father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Jesus was a real person; He was a descendant from a chain of well-known people. That is why He is called "Son of Mary". But at the same time Jesus was also "God from God, light from light, true God from true God, born and not created, being one with His father." That is why He is called Son of God. He was not conceived by Mary in a carnal way initiated by God. No one should even think such a blasphemy, let alone speak about it. The conception of Jesus happened through the Holy Spirit. Maria had accepted the word of God in faith. So Jesus lived from the first moment of His life without sin. He remained holy, as God is holy.
The sovereignty of Christ was revealed in His omniscience and love. Jesus fully knew God's character. He saw through people´s hidden emotions and received vile losers as His own. He responded to their desire for peace and salvation with the revelation of the true name of God: "Father!" He did not condemn sinners, but accepted their repentance and represented to them the faithfulness of God's love. He supported their faith, deepened their knowledge, and encouraged them to call the Almighty "our Father". This new revelation remained not only an intellectual knowledge for those who loved Him, but it also transformed their character, allowing them to become merciful and enabling them to perform deeds of love. Knowledge in the New Testament always refers to "being", not just "knowing".
Jesus summarized His omniscience and His love for His disciples in the words:
JOHN 10:14-15
14 … I know Mine own and Mine own know Me, 15 like the Father knows me and I know the father …
Jesus looked at His disciples with eyes of holy love. He did not observe them ruthlessly, like a policeman, and did not condemn them like a strict judge. He was longing for their renewal and was sure of His new creation being fulfilled in them. They looked up to Him and knew His will. He led them by His word.
Equally, God was pleased with His son. The Father knew his Son´s humility and gentleness, was certain of His undemandingness and willingness to serve. He understood His spirit of self-denial and His mercy, but also knew of His truth, sovereignty and holiness. The Father always loved His Son. The son responded to the love of His Father with obedience. The love between the Father and the Son is the bond of perfection and the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
Jesus knew His disciples did not carry these divine properties within them. But He relied on His Father to give Him the authority, by grace, to put His Spirit into the degenerate men who trusted Him, and to transform them into His image. The relationship between Father and Son has become a model of the relationship between Christ and us.
Jesus knew that the coming of the Holy Spirit was being prevented by sin in His followers and in all other people. Therefore He, the pure One, took the sin of the world upon Himself. The good Shepherd humbled Himself and became the sacrificial Lamb of God. He was the carrier to take all the dirt of the world upon Himself. Jesus said His Father loved Him because He gave His life for His sheep. In His historical death on the cross, the Son fulfilled His Father's will, which was to reconcile the corrupted world with their Creator. Since then, the blood of the Lamb of God is the only valid ransom by which every person, bound in sin, can be purchased for God Jesus redeems all that are His in all the markets of the world, so that they will be free to follow Him.
The Shepherd died, so that His sheep could live. His cross brought us eternal life. Jesus created a justification which will satisfy all the indictments of hell against His disciples. He bore Sin and it´s punishment in our place. He has atoned for our injustice. So we will be justified as being righteous just as God is righteous. The Holiness of the Son of God is imputed to us through faith. Jesus Christ has created an eternally valid redemption and made visible the life of God
The death of Jesus was Gods will. There is no other way for the reconciliation of man and God except by the cross. Whoever wants to justify or even redeem himself is trapped in error. No man is sacred except Jesus. He alone is our salvation.
Blessed is the man who recognizes his good Shepherd and understands what Jesus did for him. Whoever senses the depth of His love and accepts it, will fall down and worship the Father and the Son and will hand over his life to Them.
Whoever is not able to pray with his own words, can speak the following prayer with us:
PRAYER: Holy God, I deserve death because of my sins and I am worthy of eternal damnation. But your Son Jesus Christ came to us and told us that You are our Father, who loves even me. You sacrificed Your Son in my place on the cross, so that He might drink from the cup of Your anger. My Shepherd bore my sins. He suffered my punishment and died my death.
I worship you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for Your eternal salvation, which You have given to me and all people through the death of Jesus on the cross. I worship You for the salvation You have provided for me and everyone. Help me to receive it and to never let go.
I honor and love you, Lord Jesus, and the Father through you, because You love me, despite of my guilt. You have freed me from the power of Satan and placed me in Your sanctuary. Help me, so that my life will become a thanksgiving for Your sacrifice, and that I wilI always follow You. Accept my rotten life and cleanse me through and through, that I may become someone who will praise Your magnificent grace. Amen.