In most adult lives past 40 years of age, there comes a moment when we look in the mirror and think, “I look just like my mother/father!” Even earlier you can hear their voice coming out of your mouth with one of those comments that you were determined you would never say. There is some small consolation in realizing we will also do this to our children. How desperately different each generation wants to be, yet sooner or later we all look or sound just like our parents.
Jesus said the same thing in John 14,
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
Also Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”
In other words, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus! He looks like Him, talks like Him, represents Him truthfully, fully, because He is one with Him.
Often young people stumble over the Old Testament picture of who God is. I believe God was working within the historical, cultural settings of that time to represent Himself to those generations in ways that would communicate with them. However now, God is communicating who He is through Christ.
Hebrews 1:1 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”
“In these last days” what God wants to say to us about Himself- He is saying through the words and works of Christ.
Christ…
Who seemed much more concerned about what went on in a person’s heart than in their religious or outward observance ( Matthew 5:20, 23:13-29)
Seemed much less interested in condemning than He was in forgiving (John 3:17 John 8:11)
Who got angry with religious people and practices that focused on self-righteousness, not God (Mark 11:17, pretty much all of Matthew chapter 23)
Had very little interest in politics or personal rights apart from paying your taxes (Matthew 5:38-48, 22:20-21,
Who loved, wept with, healed, prayed for, and died for us. (John 13:1, John 11:34-35, healings at least 31 recorded, Prayed for us-John 17, John 3:16
Do you want to know what God is like? Jesus says He looks just like His Father!