This statement by Jesus, in response to the reaction of the Jews to His Sabbath activities challenges me. It raises a few questions in my mind.
"My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." John 5:17
What work is the Father doing? Is Jesus referring to His work of healing the sick, or does it go deeper than that? If I am going to be a follower of Jesus, what are the implications for me in this statement?
Jesus goes on to talk about His dependence on the Father and His imitation of Him. In verse 21 Jesus gives us a glimpse into the work the Father is doing. "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life..." God is in the business of bringing newness of life to those who put their trust in Jesus. He delights in reconciling people to Himself. Col. 1:19,20. This is the work God has been doing since the beginning of time. He created man from the dust of the ground, "and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Gen. 2:7 This talks about God bringing physical life to mankind. This life also included a spiritual side. Man had complete access to and fellowship with God. Then sin entered into the world, and along with it, the many effects of sin. One of these effects was separation from God and another was sickness and death. God works to remedy both. Jesus' advent here on earth plays a major role in that plan. He came to display God. "And He is the image of the invisible God," Col. 1:15. "...Christ, who is the image of God." 2 Cor. 4:4. Now, that role has been passed on to us. "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ..." 2 Cor. 5:18-20a
I believe Jesus conveys a message here about what is important. God is bringing redemption into the world, and they were so caught up in keeping their rules and doing what was "right", that they couldn't even see it. I wonder, how often do I miss out on seeing God at work because I'm busy focusing on the wrong things, or even the "right" ones? I don't want to be guilty of that. Jesus claims here that everything He does is a result of watching the Father act and following His example. His power came from the Father.
How will I demonstrate following God's example today? As others observe my life, is there evidence that God is working in me? What kind of image bearer am I? I want to be working the work of God!
