God Looks Like Jesus

In John 14, Jesus reveals a profound truth that changes everything about how we understand God. He says,

"If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father" (John 14:9).

This statement challenges centuries of theological misunderstanding and invites us to see God through a completely new lens: Jesus Himself.

For much of history, people have wrestled with who God truly is. The Old Testament offers glimpses of His character, but at times, it seems like the picture is incomplete, even contradictory.

In contrast, Jesus makes it clear: He is the full revelation of the Father. If we want to know what God is really like, we look to Jesus.

In the passage, Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, makes a simple statement,

“Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus' reply is both gentle and striking:

"Anyone who has looked at Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).

This moment is pivotal, as Jesus invites His followers to shift their understanding of God from an abstract or distant concept to a tangible, embodied presence in Him.

A Shift in Perspective

For many, the Old Testament portrayal of God can feel distant or even harsh. The God of thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai, the God who commands wars and destruction, seems far removed from the loving, compassionate figure that Jesus embodies. But here in John 14, Jesus addresses that very tension. He says, "If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father."

This is a game-changing revelation. No longer do we need to rely on our limited understanding or the interpretations of ancient writers. The fullness of God’s nature is fully expressed in the person of Jesus. Whatever we see Jesus doing, healing, teaching, showing mercy, calling sinners to repentance this is what God is like. The Father does not act in any way that is contrary to what we see in the life and actions of Jesus.

Jesus: The Hermeneutic

for Understanding God

What does this mean? A hermeneutic is a way of interpreting or understanding something. In this case, the life and words of Jesus serve as the lens through which we interpret the entire Bible, including the Old Testament.

Many people have been taught that the God of the Old Testament is angry or vengeful, while the God of the New Testament is loving and gracious. However, Jesus shatters that dichotomy. He shows us that the Father is just as loving, merciful, and compassionate as the Son.

If something in the Old Testament appears to be in conflict with the love, grace, and mercy Jesus embodies, then it’s a misunderstanding of God's true character not a reflection of who God actually is.

Living in the Father’s Presence

In John 14, Jesus also emphasizes that He and the Father are not separate but one.

"Don't you believe the Father is living in Me, and I am living in the Father? Even my words are not my own but come from my Father, for he lives in me and performs his miracles of power through me." (John 14:10 TPT).

This union is not just a theological concept; it has practical implications for how we live today. If we believe that Jesus reveals the true nature of God, then we can trust that God is always good, always loving, and always present in our lives.

Jesus calls us to be aware of God's ongoing work in the world, just as He was aware of it. God is continually working in and through us. As we become more aware of His presence, we can step out in faith, joining God in His work in the world. This is a powerful invitation to see our lives as part of God’s ongoing revelation through Jesus.

In John 14, Jesus makes it clear that to see Him is to see the Father. As we look to Jesus, we encounter the fullness of God; His love, His mercy, His justice, and His presence. If we want to understand who God really is, we must look to Jesus.

This revelation doesn’t just change our theology; it transforms the way we live, interact with others, and experience God. God looks like Jesus, and through Jesus, we come to know the Father in a deeply personal way. Let me close with a verse John 1:18.

"No one ever before gazed upon the full splendor of God except his uniquely beloved Son, who is cherished by the Father and held close to his heart. Now that he has come to us, he has unfolded the full explanation of who God truly is!" TPT

"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." KJV