6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.”
We are privileged indeed to read the Words of intercession spoken by One Person of the blessed Trinity to Another. We must surely be prepared to discover things in this prayer our finite minds cannot fully comprehend or understand – expressions likely no one has ever completely unfolded. Yet, there are great Truths which do stand out clearly and plainly and for which would behoove us to direct our full attention. In our verses for today we discover and should embrace the glorious Truth that Jesus, God the Son, came on mission to reveal God the Father to man. A right knowledge of God the Father was the first thing Jesus sought to teach His disciples. Every revelation we are given demands of us a choice. Jesus’ guys were given revelation and Words sent directly from the Father to them and furthermore, Jesus states, they obeyed.
23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:23-24 (NIV)
“Every revelation of God is a demand, and the way to knowledge of God is by obedience.” William Temple
18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. John 1:18 (NIV)
Certainly they were not perfect (which gives us all hope) yet their Master lovingly here commends their faith. How like sweet Jesus to be the loving encourager! They had received our Lord’s Words and believed with certainty He was sent from the Father – assured His mission was divine. They had hearing ears as well as attentive hearts diligently seeking – though often failing – to obey His message. Practical obedience is the first great test of a genuine disciple of the Lord Jesus.
“These are wonderful words when we consider the character of the eleven men to whom they were applied. How weak was their faith! How slender their knowledge! How shallow their spiritual attainments! How faint their hearts in the hour of danger! Yet a very little time after Jesus spoke these words they all forsook Him and fled, and one of them denied Him three times with an oath. No one, in short, can read the four Gospels with attention, and fail to see that never had a great master such weak servants as Jesus had in the eleven apostles. Yet these very weak servants were the men of whom the gracious Head of the Church speaks here in high and honorable terms.” John Charles Ryle
5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.” Luke 17:5-6 (NIV)
18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.” Luke 13:18-19 (NIV)
Considering the immensely difficult position of the disciples and the great opposition they faced, it was no light matter that they believed at all. Our Lord takes their mustard seed of faith and bends down here to fan it into flames. Jesus never despises weak grace yet honors sincerity of faith and heart be it ever so small. Surely believers will make a better appearance in heaven than on earth!
9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chron 16:9 (NIV)
“The grace of God does not find men fit for salvation, but makes them so.” Augustine