John 14:1-31

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

To know the Lord is one of the miracles and mysteries of Christianity. The Apostle Paul stated ``That I may know him...''

Philippians 3:10

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

The Lord want us to know him, but is not easy to know the one who is the father of all creation. It is not feasible to know a being who can speak a universe into existence. But this same being wants his creation to know him! He wants us to know him! Even the apostles and the prophets had a hard time knowing the Lord who they served. Philip questioned Jesus Christ about the Father and the Lord told him that when you see Jesus you see the Father. Phillip had an awful time dealing with this precept. That seeing a human being you are also seeing the Father of all creation. Knowing the Lord is to realize that he is all encompassing and all being. When you receive the Holy Ghost you are actually receiving a portion of the creator in you as well as a portion of Jesus Christ.

How is this all possible? Aren't the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost separate entities? Or, are they manifestations of the same entity? If they are manifestations of the same entity, then it make perfect sense when Jesus tells Phillip that when you see Jesus Christ you are also seeing the Father. When you look at the last supper as described by John, Jesus is doing his best to describe to his disciples who he really is. The disciples on the other hand with their limited knowledge are having a tough time understanding the conceptual relationships that Jesus is expounding to them. This was the most important aspect of John's knowledge that he spent a half of his entire gospel dealing with the Last Supper discussion.

To know the Lord is to step out of what you can imagine and to envision a being that transcends both space and time. A being that is both the beginning and the end. A being that is, was and will be. A being that is here in the present, future and the past all at the same time. This is a being that is not a person, but is God. When you use the name of the Lord to cast out demons, heal the sick, and even raise the dead, you are using the same power that created the universe. The name of Jesus Christ is an awesome power that many use lightly. But when you use the name of Jesus Christ you are using all of the power of the Godhead.

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Published by: Rev. LeRoy D. Cressy (215) 535-4037

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Copyright © 2002 LeRoy D. Cressy
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