GIVE LIFE

I love the gospel of John--the gospel of action--the gospel of "signs" and the gospel of Jesus "I AMs."

In John 5:17-21, Jesus defends himself against those who are upset that he healed on the Sabbath (see earlier verses in John 5).

¹⁷ In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” ¹⁸ For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. (NIV, biblegateway.com)

When does God work?  The implication is that God always works--God is always at work, doing what He does.  Jesus says here that He too joined God in God's work.

Even the Jewish rabbis accepted the fact that God worked on the Sabbath--otherwise, no one would live.  God provides, God heals, God births babies and spiritually births people on the Sabbath.  Jesus said He was merely joining God in God's work, God's service.

The criticizers clearly understood that Jesus was saying He was working as God was working on the Sabbath. The only One who had the right to do that was God Himself.  So Jesus was claiming His authority to heal as God had authority to heal, anytime He wanted.  Jesus then was saying He was equal with God.  And because of what Jesus said, the criticizers wanted to bring death to Him, not life.

Jesus made an astounding statement then, that He could only do what He saw the Father doing.  Even Jesus patterned His life after God the Father, just as an apprentice carpenter (Jesus' earthly job as was His earthly father) patterned his task after the one teaching him.

Interesting that Jesus said He could do ONLY what He saw His Father doing.  That is some serious patterning after--serious obedience--serious commitment to the Father and His ways!  (Reminds me also of John 15:5, an I AM statement of Jesus, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I am him, will bear much fruit.  For apart from me, you can do nothing." (NASB)

The Father showed the Son what He did because of the love He had for the Son.  Notice the tremendous love that God the Father has for Jesus.  Because of that love, God showed Jesus all that He does, so the Son could also perform those tasks.

And what was the Father doing?  He was raising the dead and giving life.  And He passed along that power to the Son--to be a life giver.  Abundant life--eternal life--life of peace and grace and love.  (John 10:10, "I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.")

I also look back to John 1:4, where it says of Jesus, the Word, " In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (or of men)  (NIV)

God is always at work.  Jesus worked on earth with Him always--seeking to give life--the best life--the fulfilled life--eternal life, now and forever as well.

Believers, followers of Jesus, are to pattern their lives after the Master and His Father as well.

Where is God at work around you, seeking to give life to someone--earthly life, healthier life, abundant life, eternal life?

How are you working alongside Him, cooperating with Him in the giving of life?

Some of us use words to cut down more than give life.  Some of us condemn more than encourage and give life.  What is God at work doing?

Am I, and are you, on God's work plan?  Are we cooperating with His work to give life?  Are we patterning our life after Him or after those who opposed Him in this passage?

Open your eyes--listen to your words today--evaluate what you are involved in--does it give life or condemn?  Which would please God more?

Give life!