So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He Himself is doing, and greater works than these will He show Him, so that you may marvel.”
– John 5:19–20
This is an incredible passage. It’s a window into the relationship in the Trinity between God the Father and God the Son. Jesus’ saying, that’s his words here, that he can’t do anything of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. So the Father is walking in step with the Son, working in step with the Son, as the Father loves the Son, verse 20 says, and shows him all that he himself is doing.
John 5:19–20 shows us how Jesus walked in step with God the Father.
So you see this picture of the Son’s submission to the Father. And the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, we know from all of Scripture, in this triune picture of God working together as one God. Oh, marvel and the mystery of the Trinity.
And then at the same time, think about your relationship with God through Jesus. And obviously it’s not the same. We’re not a part of the Trinity, but Jesus will say later in John, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.”
And Jesus will talk about how he will be in us. And so as you think about your life today, or tomorrow if you’re listening to this at night, see yourself walking in step with Jesus the Son and with God the Father according to the leadership of his Spirit.
Reading these verses I just think, God, I want to walk with you like this. I want to walk in sensitivity to your spirit. I want to see how you are working in me and others around me, and I want to walk in step with what you are doing, knowing I can’t do anything good on my own, I need you.
John 5:19–20 challenges us to walk in step with the Spirit.
And so let these verses today drive you into deeper intimacy with God, through Jesus, by the power of his Spirit in you, and live today, tomorrow, with sensitivity to his Spirit, leading, guiding, directing, and even when it comes to sharing the gospel, trusting he’s working right now in people’s lives that we’re going to be around today and we’re joining in the work he is doing when we share the gospel, we’re not starting some kind of work. We’re joining in the work God, by his Spirit, through Jesus, already doing.
Oh, God, help us to live in total sensitivity to your Spirit. God, we pray that over our lives today. Help us to… Scripture later says to walk in step with your Spirit, in every way to be holy as you are holy, and to be obedient to your Word, to bear the fruit of your Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We pray for all of this fruit in our lives. We pray for power from your Holy Spirit to be witnesses to your grace.
God help us to join in what you are doing in other people’s lives. You are drawing people around us. We trust to yourself, so help us to join in what you’re doing.
Prayer for the Parsee People
God, we trust you’re doing that around the world as we pray today for the Parsee people of Iran, this people group that worships Ahura Mazda along with Persian kings from the past like Cyrus and Darius, and likely even the Magi who came to see Jesus. Yes, God, draw Parsee people to Jesus in Iran and surrounding countries. God, please, we pray. Draw them to yourself and help your church in Iran and other places beyond Iran to join in what you’re doing in drawing the Parsee and thousands of other people groups to yourself. Oh God, help us to join in the work you are doing in the world to spread the good news of your Kingdom, to be salt and light in ways that people see our lives, and give glory to you in Heaven.
God help us, we pray, today, to walk, live, think, desire, speak, and act in line with your Holy Spirit in everything we do. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
