Seeking Jesus First - February 27, 2026
“Working with the Father”
Please Read John 5:15–18 (NKJV)
Reflection
The man who had been healed at Bethesda went and told the religious leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well. Instead of rejoicing over the miracle, they began to persecute Jesus because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
This statement ignited fierce opposition. The Jewish leaders sought all the more to kill Him—not only because He was breaking the Sabbath, but because He was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
On the surface, calling God “Father” might have seemed like a simple expression of piety. Many Jews spoke of God as Father in a general sense. But Jesus was not speaking generally. By declaring “My Father is working until now, and I am working,” He was claiming to do the very works of God Himself. He was revealing divine sonship—not as a competitor to the Father, but in perfect, intimate partnership. The Father works, and the Son works in complete union with Him. There is no separation, no rivalry—only oneness in purpose, authority, and action.
The religious leaders understood exactly what Jesus was saying. They did not hear a good teacher or a good man offering moral insights. They heard a claim of equality with God—and that claim threatened their system of external rules and human control. Their response was not joy over a restored life; it was outrage over a broken tradition.
Yet Jesus was not defying the Sabbath out of rebellion. He was fulfilling its deeper meaning: God’s rest is not inactivity, but completed work and ongoing care. The Father never stops sustaining life, showing mercy, and bringing restoration—even on the Sabbath. Jesus, as the Son, does the same.
In the Kingdom life, we are invited into this same kind of partnership. We are not called to strive independently or to prove ourselves through religious performance. We are called to submit our will to the Father’s, to hear what He is doing, and to join Him in it. God is always at work—bringing healing, deliverance, reconciliation, and life. When we renew our minds to this truth and align our words and actions with His Word, we begin to work with Him rather than against Him or apart from Him.
Philippians 2:5–11 reminds us of the pattern Jesus Himself followed: He did not grasp for equality with God as something to be seized, but humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant. Yet in that humility, He revealed the Father perfectly. We too are called to have this same mind in us—humble submission that leads to union with the Father’s work, authority released through obedience, and glory given to God alone.
Application
Today, ask the Holy Spirit: “Father, what are You working right now?” Listen for His leading through Scripture, prayer, and the still small voice. Choose to submit your will and join Him—whether in a small act of obedience, speaking His Word over a situation, or showing mercy to someone overlooked. Renew your mind: God is always working, and by faith and agreement, you can partner with Him. Let go of striving in your own strength; rest in relational obedience. Then share what you see Him doing—your testimony of working with the Father can stir faith in others.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Yourself through Your Son, who works in perfect union with You. Thank You that we are invited to join You—not as rivals or strangers, but as sons and daughters who submit our will to Yours. Renew our minds today to see where You are working. Help us hear Your voice clearly, agree with Your Word, and act in partnership with You. Let us lay down independent striving and walk in humble obedience, releasing Your authority through faith expressed in love. May our lives glorify You as we work with You. In Jesus’ name, giving thanks for the living Word of the Lord. Amen.