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Revealing the Father by Dr. Malcolm Webber

Jesus lived continuously in the presence of His Father. He lived out of His inward union and communion with God. Consequently, Jesus always ministered perfectly to people and He always perfectly revealed the Father.

Everything Jesus did in His life and ministry perfectly revealed the Father. And He did many things, including His interactions with people. These interactions with people took many forms: He taught, evangelized, comforted, corrected, rebuked and encouraged. But He always perfectly revealed the Father.

Moreover, He interacted with people in many contexts: in large groups and in small groups. He worked with individuals, with His own leadership team, with His friends and with His enemies. He ministered in religious contexts and in "worldly" contexts. He spoke to people with vast differences in age, background and experience. He dealt with those who loved Him and those who hated Him, those who believed Him and those who doubted Him, those who were honest and transparent with Him and those who were false with Him. But He always perfectly revealed the Father.

And the effectiveness of His ministry was such that those to whom He ministered were changed, and then their lives changed the lives of others, and so on until today there are hundreds of millions of people around the world who are Jesus' followers!

This is a study in how Jesus interacted with people, how He taught, how He touched people's hearts, how He revealed the Father to them. As we look at His perfect example, we will find that His ways are just as applicable at any time and in any culture. If we will learn from Him and be changed by Him, then we too can reveal the Father to others in the same ways that He did.

This series was taught at Living Faith Fellowship during 2005.

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1. Jesus' Constant Dependency on the Father ( Stream | Download )
   There is no record in the gospels of Jesus writing a plan for what He was going to say or teach that day - ever! There is no record that He ever made a plan of His goals for the year or month. He never asked for advice from anyone around Him about what He should do or how He should handle certain situations. And yet He profoundly affected the lives of all those He came in contact with - to the extent that many entirely left their previous lifestyles and gave themselves utterly to following and serving Him. How did He do this? He lived in constant inward fellowship with His Father. This was the source of all His teachings, His wisdom and His words. This was how He always knew what to do and what to say. This was how He always knew who to talk to and what to say to them, and when to keep quiet. This was the source of His life and ministry. He lived in the presence of God and ministered to others out of that inward life.



2. Jesus' Ministry to Large Groups and Crowds ( Stream | Download )
   On at least two occasions, Jesus interacted with extremely large groups: 4000-5000 men plus women and children! His sound system budget was nothing; yet He was able to communicate effectively with them! On other occasions, He was with crowds of people. He would have known few of them. The people in these groups differed in age, culture, educational level, mental ability, emotional makeup, political background, religious experience, and even in their purposes for being there. Some came sincerely, desiring to learn. Others came out of curiosity or to catch Him in a snare. Perhaps some came because there was nothing better to do, or perhaps at the invitation of a friend. Their attention level would also have varied considerably. Some listened closely, hanging onto His every word. Others on the outskirts probably took the opportunity to engage in business. Some of the women would have chatted about the latest news; the children darting around, playing tag among the long robes and sandaled feet of the people. What a challenging environment in which to teach people! And yet Jesus was able to profoundly impact their lives. This is how He did it...



3. Jesus' Ministry to Those with Self-Pity ( Stream | Download )
   In John 5:1-8, Jesus ministered to the paralyzed man. After 38 years of doing nothing, anyone would be sorry for himself! But Jesus did not offer him sympathy; instead He commanded the man to take responsibility for himself. This is the key to deliverance from self-pity.



4. Jesus' Ministry to the Impulsive ( Stream | Download )
   In Matthew 14, after watching Jesus feed the 5000, His followers were ready to make Him their King. But Jesus, rejecting this premature offer of power, commanded His disciples to cross the lake and then went up on the mountain where He watched them struggle against the storm for many hours before rescuing them. These are the ways of God. This is how He brings us to the end of our own agendas, our own strength, our own self-will. This is how He brings us to a deeper submission to His agenda.



5. Jesus' Ministry to the Courageous ( Stream | Download )
   Peter, in Matthew 14, took an extraordinary initiative and asked Jesus to comand him to come to Him walking on the water. Peter's desire was not merely for signs and wonders for their own sake, but to come to Jesus and to see the glory of God. Though Peter stumbled for a moment, Jesus did not let him drown. Peter had responded to Jesus' challenge, even though imperfectly, and Jesus responded to him.



6. Jesus' Ministry to the Eager ( Stream | Download )
   In Mark 10:17-22, the rich, young ruler was the epitome of success, the model church goer! Yet, in spite of having everything going for him, he was still empty. He knew he did not have life. In His response to his questions, Jesus deeply tested him and revealed the hidden idolatry of his heart. The successful young man had obeyed many of the commandments of the law but he had not obeyed the one ultimate requirement of God that lies at the root of them all - the absolute surrender of his heart to God.



7. Jesus' Ministry to the Accused ( Stream | Download )
   The religious leaders, in John 8:1-11, brought an adulterous woman before Jesus, trying to trick Him. His response, as He waited on His Father, was brilliant. He completely turned around a very volatile and complicated situation, He spared Himself from accusation, He saved the woman from death, and He exposed their hypocrisy - all with one sentence!



8. Jesus' Ministry to the Outcast ( Stream | Download )
   In John 4, Jesus crossed all social barriers in reaching out to an angry, immoral, Samaritan woman. But in the exchange His glory was revealed, the nature of true worship was declared, and His very first self-revelation as God occurred.



9. Jesus' Ministry to the Extortioner ( Stream | Download )
   Zacchaeus, in Luke 19, was successful and yet hated because he was a tax collector. Jesus, unlike all the people around him, loved Zacchaeus and saved him, much to their chagrin. This was an amazing lesson in grace and forgiveness - to them and to us.



10. Jesus' Ministry to the Untouchable ( Stream | Download )
    When Jesus reached out and touched the leper in Matthew 8, He perfectly revealed (1) the Father's willingness to heal the sick, and (2) the Father's willingness to reach out and touch the untouchables.



11. Jesus' Ministry to the Persevering ( Stream | Download )
    Mary Magdalene was an intense woman. Her previous life had been a mess, but then she came to Jesus, was set free from severe demonic oppression and then followed Him passionately, even to the point of His death and beyond. And it was to this intense, persevering woman that Jesus first revealed Himself after His resurrection and gave the commission to first proclaim His resurrection to others.