Here we have Jesus’ answer to the Jews who were persecuting Him for healing on the Sabbath.
John 5:17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
Later in John 14:10-11, John recorded very similar words from Jesus explaining His union with His Father and His Father’s working. “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.” Jesus lived to work with the Father. If His Father was healing on the Sabbath, then Jesus spoke the words.
Did you notice in John 14:10 that when Jesus spoke, the Father worked? That’s how the lame man was healed. Jesus spoke, not from His own initiative, but from His Father’s, “Get up. Take up your pallet and walk.” Then God did His work and healed the man. Jesus constantly abided in the Father, meaning, He lived for the same purpose the Father did, which was to love for the glory of the Father, and He thought and spoke as the Father thought and spoke.
This is the live to love with Jesus encouragement from this verse. We should be able to say the very same thing. We have Jesus abiding in us, and as we abide in Him, meaning, as we live with His purpose and think and say what He says, then Jesus does His works. If Jesus is speaking or working in any given moment, then we receive what He gives us and express His presence and power through our words and actions. We trust He will do the work as we receive and give. That’s what it means to live to love with Jesus. Just as Jesus received from the Father and then gave what He received, we receive what the Father gives us through Christ in us and then give what we receive.
Another important encouragement from this verse is implied. Jesus lived for the glory of God and not man. Even though Jesus knew He would not receive the glory from men if He healed the man on the Sabbath, He was most satisfied in glorifying His Father by doing His will. This encourages us to not seek the glory of men as we live each day, rather we seek the glory of God, and the way to glorify God is to live to love with Jesus. When Jesus is loving, we are loving. When we are loving, Jesus is loving. We are one with Him for the glory of God.
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
