The Deep Work – Week One

God wants to do something in and through you that is much greater than anything you can imagine. How do I know this? Because He told us.

There are many places in Scripture that we see this truth, but today I want to point you to just one – John 14. Jesus has gathered the disciples to remind them of His coming death but also to give them encouragement and instruction for the future. The chapter opens with these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” and continues with Jesus sharing about how He was going ahead of them to prepare a place so they could join Him in the future.

Sometimes I wonder what the disciples were thinking as they listened to Jesus talk. Did they have questions? Did they believe? Did they feel overwhelmed? In this case, we know exactly what Thomas was thinking because it is recorded for us, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?” (John 14:5 NASB)

Okay. Let’s stop here for a moment. Thomas has a bad reputation for being the doubter, the one who needed proof to believe. But I relate to him. A lot. I have asked Jesus this very question. Often I have a desire to serve God, to follow Him, and walk in His ways, but I can’t seem to see the path. Many times I have wished Jesus would part the heavens, come down, and have a personal chat with me. Maybe give me a 5 year plan, a few practical next steps, or an explanation for some of the confusing situations I am walking through. Because I identify so well with Thomas’ question, I need to pay close attention to the lesson Jesus was teaching here.

Jesus is not directing us to a path. He is the path.

When we are only looking to God to give us a life plan, we miss the point. Jesus is not a means to an end. He did not come to make our lives easier or more predictable. He came that we would have life. And He is that life. Listen to how Jesus said it, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6) He goes on to explain that by knowing Him, His disciples have seen and known God. In other words, the disciples were looking for more when they already had everything they needed.

As the discussion continues another disciple, Philip, has a comment, one that indicates he missed the point of what Jesus was saying. Basically, he says – show us God and that will be enough for us. But let’s not be too hard on Philip. I think we have all heard the words of Jesus but missed what they actually meant. Too often we intellectually know the truth, but don’t understand the implications or live it out. Thankfully, Jesus patiently continued His teaching even after Philip’s interruption.

When Jesus was speaking and acting, those words and actions were initiated by God. God was preforming His work through Jesus.

Now, here is where Jesus’ response is really interesting to me. When Jesus returned to heaven God would continue to work through human instruments. In fact, God will do greater works through His children than He did through Jesus. How?

God has sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and to enable His work to flow through us.

The Holy Spirit is essential to any life full of God’s power. And this power does not come through well laid plans, but instead it comes through learning the lessons of God. In other words, the more we allow the Holy Spirit to teach and change us, the more we will see God work through us. The deeper our growth, the greater the power.

Let’s review. Out of His great love for the world, God sent His Son Jesus. When Jesus walked the earth, everything He did and said was initiated by God’s power. In other words, God was working through Him to display His glory and love.

As He prepared to return to heaven, Jesus wanted His followers to have confidence and hope. He knew that we can never find life through our own initiative or plans. True life only is found in Jesus. And like Jesus, our words and actions can be an extension of God’s work. In order to channel this life of God, we have been given a helper – the Holy Spirit.

There is a direct correlation between the power of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Too often we are looking for God, but at the same time we are not allowing the Holy Spirit to perform the deep work in us. Often like Thomas and Philip we are too focused on the external and miss the deep, internal work God wants to do.

What about you? Where is your focus? What is the Holy Spirit teaching you? Where do you need to grow and change?