Malcolm Webber
Transcription:
Let’s look again at John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. From this verse, we see the eternal nature of God. Before the creation of the world, God was not passive, He was active. The Son of God was toward His Father, looking at Him, loving Him, receiving His love. The Father was toward the Son of God, looking at Him, giving Himself fully to Him, receiving the love and the submission and the fellowship of His Son in response.
When Jesus came to the earth, what happened to that fellowship? Of course, it never stopped. He continued in this same fellowship of love with His Father that He had always enjoyed for all of eternity, except now He did it as a man. During His ministry on the earth, Jesus lived the same way that He had always done from all of eternity, looking at His Father, loving Him, giving Himself to Him, receiving the Father’s love. He simply did it now as a man. Everything in His ministry and His leadership came out of this inward fellowship with His Father.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus lived in continuous fellowship with His Father. He was completely and fully surrendered to His Father’s will. This inward spiritual fellowship was the source of everything in His life and ministry. Let’s look at John 7:15-16. The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?” Jesus answered, “My teaching is not My own. It comes from Him who sent Me.” My teaching is not My own, My teaching does not come just from My own study, from My human capacity and wisdom, but My teaching comes from Him who sent Me. My teaching comes from My inward union with My Father.
John 8:26-28, “… What I have heard from Him I tell the world. I do nothing on My own but I speak only what the Father has taught Me.” Jesus said, “I do nothing on My own. I do nothing out of Myself, out of My own human wisdom or strength. I only do what the Father has told Me.” This is why Jesus could respond to some very complicated questions from those who opposed Him at times. They would come to Him with questions trying to trick Him, trying to snare Him, but amazingly, He was able to respond with such brilliance. In just a few words, He could completely turn their questions around and answer everything. This is because His teaching came from His inward union with His Father.
Jesus’ inward fellowship with His Father was the source of all of His works. His inward union with His Father was the source of all of His wisdom. Let’s read in John 5:30, “By Myself, I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear.” Who was He listening to? The Father. I only judge as I hear from the Father. I only discern, I only decide as I hear from the Father. I do nothing of Myself. This was the source of everything in Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus inward union with His Father was the source of all of His power. In John 14:10 he said, “It is the Father living in Me, who is doing His work.” His inward union with the Father was the source of all of His abilities.
Let’s read from John 5:19 where Jesus said, “… The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees His Father doing.” The Son can do nothing by Himself, He can only do what He sees His Father doing. Here’s the Lord Jesus living His life the same way that He always had from all of eternity, looking at the Father. He only does what He sees the Father doing. This was the source of His ministry. This is the nature and the meaning of Christian leadership. Jesus revealed not just His own life, not just His own wisdom but He revealed the Father to the world.
Let’s read from John 14:7-9, “If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him, you have seen Me. Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. When they saw the Lord Jesus, they saw the Father. When they heard the Lord Jesus, they were listening to the Father. When they touched the Lord Jesus, they were touching God. This was how Jesus lived. This was the source of all of His life and ministry, inward union with His Father. Jesus’ leadership came from His inward union with His Father. This was the source and the meaning of His leadership and this is the source and the meaning of all true Christian leadership in our lives in ministries − our union with the Father.