Scripture

Jesus gave them his answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Observation

The Jews are trying to find reasons to have Jesus killed, and they are offended by His references to God as His Father.

Jesus tells them He can only do what the Father does. Just as the Father raises people from the dead, the Son will do this too.

Whoever hears Jesus’ words and believes Him has crossed from death to eternal life. The time is coming when all who are in graves will come out- the righteous to eternal life, the wicked to be condemned.

Application

In Jesus we have a perfect representation of God. He and the Father are one, totally united in love.

Jesus only does what He sees the Father is doing. The deeds of Jesus are the deeds of the Father.

In Jesus we see a God who heals the sick, raises the dead,forgives sinners who repent, has compassion on the poor, loves everyone (especially the outcasts), and speaks out against all forms of evil.

As followers of Jesus- imitators of Christ- we should do the same kinds of things.

We can’t be like Jesus unless the Holy Spirit teaches us and empowers us to do the things Jesus did. Of course everyone who is a true disciple has the Holy Spirit living in them, transforming them to be like Jesus.

So Jesus does the work of the Father. The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to imitate Christ and so to do the deeds God has called us to do.

Prayer

Lord, you are awesome! You show us in Christ what it means to live a life in communion with you, and you give us your Holy Spirit to enable us to do this. Thank you. Amen.