“Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” [John 8.19]
Humanly speaking, I can imagine the frustration level could have been very high for Jesus. To come to earth and represent God as He did, without being recognized as God, would have to have been disturbing.
Believe it or not, religion is the worst offender in preventing people from recognizing God. Religion fails greatly to understand God's character and therefore fails to recognize that character when it is obvious. Religion instead focuses not on God, but on rituals, laws, doctrines and such.
Jesus taught and demonstrated the ways of the Kingdom of God. It was His nature to do so as the Son of God. Jesus even said He only did what He first saw the Father do. And yet, the people, particularly the religious leaders, were unable to recognize Jesus as God simply because they did not have a correct understanding of God in the first place.
I currently teach a class on Wednesday nights at the church I attend. There is a young man who recently began to attend that class. When introduced to him, it was obvious to me "from whence he came" biologically. I knew his dad and I "see him" in this young man every time we meet. My point is this: had I not known the dad, I could never have recognized his son - that son would only have been another human being to me.
If we cannot see the relationship between the Father God and the Son Jesus, then we have failed to actually know either one. Likewise, if we truly know either the Father or the Son, then we know them both.
Father, I think I recognize You in Jesus. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand so that I might indeed see more of the familial chord between You and Jesus. Furthermore, help me to see that same family sameness in myself!
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