Hiding and Revealing: The Divine Relationship of Father and Son
Devotional
Day 1: Divine Revelation and God's Sovereign Will
The act of hiding and revealing divine truths is a profound reflection of God's sovereign will and good pleasure. This divine revelation is not based on human wisdom or understanding but is a gracious choice made by God. It emphasizes that the knowledge of God is a gift, not something that can be attained through human effort. This understanding invites believers to approach God with humility and childlike receptivity, trusting in His wisdom and timing. The mystery of divine revelation serves as a reminder of God's ultimate authority and the grace He extends to those who seek Him with open hearts. [02:32]
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:25, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you rely on your own wisdom rather than seeking God's guidance? How can you practice humility and openness to God's revelation today?
Day 2: Unity in Divine Purpose
The unity between the Father and the Son is central to understanding their roles in divine revelation. The Son's authority to reveal the Father underscores their harmonious relationship and shared divine purpose. This unity is not just a theological concept but a living reality that believers are invited to participate in. The relationship between the Father and the Son serves as a model for believers, encouraging them to seek unity in their own relationships and to align their purposes with God's divine will. This divine harmony is a testament to the love and cooperation that exists within the Godhead, inviting believers to reflect this unity in their own lives. [05:23]
"That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:21, ESV)
Reflection: How can you foster unity in your relationships today, reflecting the unity between the Father and the Son? What steps can you take to align your purpose with God's divine will?
Day 3: The Son's Authority and Divine Collaboration
The Gospel of John provides a deeper insight into the relationship between the Father and the Son, highlighting that whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. This perfect unity in action and purpose demonstrates the divine collaboration between the Father and the Son. The Son's authority to give eternal life to those given to Him by the Father is a testament to this divine partnership. This understanding invites believers to trust in the seamless execution of God's will and to recognize the authority of the Son in their own lives. It is a call to embrace the divine mystery of the Father and the Son's relationship and to seek a deeper understanding of their roles in the believer's journey of faith. [07:19]
"For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will." (John 5:21, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you acknowledge and submit to the authority of the Son in your life today? How does understanding the divine collaboration between the Father and the Son impact your faith journey?
Day 4: Revelation as a Gift for Repentance and Faith
The knowledge of the Father and the Son is a divine revelation granted by the Son, essential for repentance and faith. This revelation allows individuals to see God for who He truly is and to embrace Him fully. It is not something that can be achieved through human effort but is a gift that transforms the heart and mind. This understanding calls believers to a posture of gratitude and openness, recognizing the grace that has been extended to them. The revelation of God is a catalyst for spiritual growth and transformation, inviting believers to respond with repentance and faith, embracing the fullness of God's love and truth. [10:13]
"And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." (1 John 5:20, ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude for the revelation of God in your life? What steps can you take today to respond to this revelation with repentance and faith?
Day 5: Trusting in the Divine Mystery
The divine mystery of hiding and revealing invites believers to trust in the sovereign will of the Father and the Son. This mystery is a testament to the profound and loving relationship between the Father and the Son, encouraging believers to seek a deeper understanding of their divine nature and relationship. It is an invitation to embrace the unknown and to trust in God's wisdom and timing. This understanding calls believers to a posture of trust and surrender, recognizing that God's ways are higher than their own. It is a call to deepen their relationship with God, seeking to know Him more fully and to align their lives with His divine purposes. [10:58]
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust in God's timing and wisdom? How can you practice surrender and trust in the divine mystery of God's will today?
Sermon Summary
In this session, we delve into the profound relationship between the Father and the Son, particularly focusing on their roles in hiding and revealing divine truths. This exploration is rooted in the biblical text where Jesus thanks the Father for hiding things from the wise and revealing them to little children. This act of hiding and revealing is not arbitrary but is a reflection of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God. The Father and the Son are intricately involved in this divine activity, each playing a distinct yet unified role.
The Father is described as the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, who chooses to hide or reveal truths according to His good pleasure. This divine choice is not based on human wisdom or understanding but is a gracious act towards those who are like little children in their receptivity and humility. The Son, on the other hand, is given all authority by the Father to reveal the Father to whom He chooses. This authority underscores the unity and harmony between the Father and the Son in their divine purposes.
The relationship between the Father and the Son is further illuminated by the Gospel of John, where it is emphasized that whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. This unity in action and purpose highlights the divine nature of their relationship and the seamless execution of their will. The Son's authority to give eternal life to those given to Him by the Father is a testament to this divine collaboration.
Ultimately, the knowledge of the Father and the Son is not something that can be attained through human effort or wisdom. It is a revelation granted by the Son to those whom He chooses. This revelation is essential for repentance and faith, as it allows individuals to see God for who He truly is and to embrace Him fully. The divine mystery of hiding and revealing is a testament to the profound and loving relationship between the Father and the Son, inviting believers to trust in their sovereign will and to seek a deeper understanding of their divine nature.
Key Takeaways
1. The act of hiding and revealing divine truths is a reflection of God's sovereign will and good pleasure, emphasizing that divine revelation is not based on human wisdom but on God's gracious choice.[02:32]
2. The unity between the Father and the Son is central to understanding their roles in divine revelation. The Son's authority to reveal the Father underscores their harmonious relationship and shared divine purpose. [05:23]
3. The Gospel of John provides a deeper insight into the relationship between the Father and the Son, highlighting that whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise, demonstrating their perfect unity in action and purpose.[07:19]
4. The knowledge of the Father and the Son is a divine revelation granted by the Son, essential for repentance and faith. This revelation allows individuals to see God for who He truly is and to embrace Him fully. [10:13]
5. The divine mystery of hiding and revealing invites believers to trust in the sovereign will of the Father and the Son, encouraging a deeper understanding of their divine nature and relationship. [10:58] ** [10:58]
According to Matthew 11:25-27, what does Jesus thank the Father for, and what does this reveal about the nature of divine revelation? [01:53]
In John 3:35, what is the relationship between the Father and the Son, and what has the Father given to the Son? How does this relate to the theme of authority in the sermon? [06:22]
How does John 5:19 describe the actions of the Son in relation to the Father? What does this imply about their unity? [07:04]
What is the significance of the phrase "all things have been handed over to me by my Father" in the context of the sermon? [05:23]
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Interpretation Questions:
How does the concept of divine revelation being hidden from the wise and revealed to little children challenge our understanding of wisdom and humility? [02:16]
In what ways does the unity between the Father and the Son, as described in John 5:19, impact our understanding of their divine purpose and actions? [07:19]
How does the authority given to the Son by the Father, as mentioned in John 3:35, influence the way we perceive the roles of the Father and the Son in the process of salvation? [08:33]
What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between divine revelation and human repentance and faith? [03:38]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on a time when you felt that understanding or insight was hidden from you. How might embracing humility and childlike receptivity change your approach to seeking divine truth? [02:32]
The sermon emphasizes the unity and harmony between the Father and the Son. How can this understanding of divine unity influence the way you approach relationships within your community or family? [05:23]
Consider the authority given to the Son to reveal the Father. How does this shape your view of Jesus' role in your personal faith journey? [08:33]
The sermon highlights the importance of divine revelation for repentance and faith. How can you actively seek a deeper revelation of God in your daily life? [03:38]
In what ways can you cultivate a greater trust in the sovereign will of the Father and the Son, especially in times of uncertainty or doubt? [10:58]
How can the understanding that divine truths are revealed according to God's good pleasure encourage you to be more patient and open in your spiritual growth? [02:32]
Reflect on the idea that the Son gives eternal life to those given to Him by the Father. How does this assurance of salvation impact your daily life and interactions with others? [08:53]
Sermon Clips
I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth absolute sovereign the law the heavenly beings all that goes on on the earth including human beings and whether they are revealed or hidden that you have hidden these things the father has hidden these things from the wise and understanding and have revealed them the father has revealed them to little children yes Father for thus it was a good pleasure before you this was God's choice it was his free good pleasure. [00:01:53]
All things have been handed over to me by my father now why does he say that where does that come from I think we'll see no one knows the son except the father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him now the connection with what's gone before remember the issue there was repentance. [00:03:16]
Repentance is discovering who the son is and who the father are so that you can renounce all your sinful ways and all your blindness and turn to the Father and to the son begin to see reality for what it is and embrace them for who they are that's repentance and faith so we get the same issue up here. [00:03:39]
How does a person come to know who the father is and know who the son is no one knows the son except the father no one knows the Father except the Son and there's one way into that knowledge anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him so there'll be no repentance if this doesn't happen. [00:04:06]
The reason Jesus introduces this is because he knows what he's about to say he has just said the father is the decisive actor in the hiding and the revealing and he's now going to say the son is the decisive chooser of who will reveal the father of to whom the father will be revealed. [00:05:23]
The connection between the father's activity and the sons activity is this all-important sentence all things including the father's activity and right to hide and reveal all things have been handed over to the son so that the son could do the very thing the father did let's see whether that is so. [00:05:51]
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand or chapter 5 verse 19 jesus said to them truly truly I say to you the son cannot do anything of his own accord but only what he sees the father doing for whatever the father does the son does whoa that is an incredible statement. [00:06:22]
Whatever the father does the son does likewise for the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he's doing and greater works than these will he show him so that you made Marvel for as the father raises the dead and gives them life so also the son gives life to whom he will. [00:07:19]
As the father gives life so the son gives life all that the father does the son does for as the father has life in himself so he is granted the son to have life in himself and he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the son of man so the point there is whatever the father does the son does. [00:07:39]
The hour has come glorify your son that the son may glorify you since you have given him authority over all flesh everything in this created world all human beings you've given him authority over office to give eternal life to who you have given him so God is decisive in having a people of his own. [00:08:11]
The father is accomplishing his saving work of those who belong to him by giving authority to the son who gives them eternal life so I come back here and I see the father active here in the son glorying in the father I thank you father I praise you father this is not your ordinary word for thank you. [00:09:09]
God hides and reveals and relates to the Sun in such a way that all that he is doing it is really also being done through the Sun the sun's choosing to reveal and the father's choosing to reveal our one because they are one now there's much more to see in pondering what Jesus means. [00:10:58]