Day 5 of the “What Child is This?” Advent Devotional
Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19)
This is the second dimension of Jesus’ identity as the faithful witness. Not only does Jesus behold the Father, and see Him in complete accuracy and untarnished clarity, but likewise, Jesus purely represents the One He beholds.
There is none throughout history Who has seen God Almighty like Jesus has. Why? Jesus, the Man, is also Jesus—God. The best Person to accurately represent God (and really, the only Person qualified to accurately represent Him) is God Himself, since He is unparalleled in every respect. This is one of the reasons He came to Earth as a Man, and I believe, this is one of the most important Truths we can consider when it comes to unlocking our purpose on Earth and discerning what God’s will is.
It all begins with the revelation of Jesus as witness to the Father. Why? How does this actually show us what our divine destiny, plan, and purpose is?
Before Jesus left the planet to ascend back to the Father, He made a loaded statement to the disciples—“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (Jn. 20:21).
In the same way God the Father sent Jesus to the Earth, so Jesus was commissioning us in like manner. This is mind-blowing and overwhelming when we are disconnected from a picture of God’s will. What is it? Simple. God’s will for you and I is to continue the ministry, work, and purpose of Jesus Christ on the Earth, which is the reconciliation of all things to God the Father (see 2 Cor. 5:18-19, Eph. 1:10, Col. 1:20).
It begins with the unredeemed hearts of humanity and goes all the way down to the very soil of the planet, which will ultimately be redeemed at the close of the age. In the meantime, though, our mandate is, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to bring as much culture and climate from heaven to Earth as possible.
This is what Jesus did. His every action, every word gives witness and testimony to Who the Father is and what His world was like. Jesus didn’t do anything arbitrarily. His works, which include the miracles, signs and wonders, all reveal Who God is and what His will is.
Pastor Bill Johnson puts it like this—“Anything you think you know about God, that you can’t find in the person of Jesus, you have reason to question.” Hard-hitting, but 100% accurate. The Bible does not use conservative language when describing Jesus as the One who unveils, reveals, and gives the witness of God to the world.
In Colossians 1:15, He is identified as “the image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:3 classifies Jesus as the ultimate revelation of God to the world, “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.”
Jesus perfectly represented the One He beheld. What is God’s perfect will? What is He really like? Look at Jesus. He’s the perfect testimony and witness of the Father.
Advent Prayer
Help me to see You more clearly, Father. Change me in Your presence. May I be a faithful witness of Who You are through my life.
Help me to walk in both Christ-like character and Christ-reflecting power, accurately representing You to the world in all I say and in all I do.
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