Wisdom to Follow

July 26, 2020 Background Scripture: Proverbs 3:17; 8:32 – 36; John 14:1 – 14 Lesson Passage: John 14:1 – 14 Just when you finally start to get used to something, then everything changes. After three years, the disciples had grown accustomed to following Jesus around. They watched him perform many miracles. He had the answer for every dilemma they encountered. He even gave them authority over demonic spirits and allowed them to cast them out and heal the sick. The disciples began to argue as to which one of them would become the second-in-command to Jesus. The life they were getting used to was not the life that Jesus was preparing them for ultimately. Jesus was preparing them for eternal life in the presence of the Father. Jesus’ ministry in the world was coming to an end and their ministry was about to start. Jesus was returning into eternity and preparing eternity for their subsequent arrival. After preparations are made and the time is right, Jesus was going to return to receive them and carry them into eternity. That was the message Jesus gave his disciples on the evening that he was betrayed and arrested. This message brought sadness and grief to them. Jesus seemed excited about it, but it was not exciting for his disciples. Oh, the questions they must have had that evening. Why can’t things stay the way they are? Why do you have to go? Can’t we just continue to do what we are doing, and you remain with us? Three of the disciples saw pass their grief and therefore had questions for Jesus. Jesus stated that they knew where he was going and the way to get there. Thomas was confused by that statement. He did not know where Jesus was going and therefore, he could not know the way. Jesus’ response reduced every other spiritual pursuit to an exercise in religion that is devoid of eternal salvation. Jesus is the only way to reach the Father. There are no alternate routes. Jesus and the Father are one. To know Jesus is to know the Father. This statement confused Philip. Philip’s request was very simple: Show us the Father and that would suffice. Jesus reiterated that there is complete oneness between the Father and him. All that Philip could see in the Father he had already seen in Jesus. All the miracles were evidence of the oneness between Jesus and the Father. The miracles of Jesus should be accepted as evidence of the presence of the Father in Jesus. Furthermore, the disciples who trusted Jesus would do greater miracles than the ones Jesus performed. This would be possible because of Jesus’ return to the Father in eternity. Just as the Father did the miracles for Jesus, Jesus would do the miracles for his disciples. Everything Jesus did in the world was to represent the Father to the world. The Father responded to Jesus’ needs in the world because Jesus represented Him. As the disciples represent Jesus in the world, Jesus would respond to everything they need. “Asking in his name” was not a formula appended to prayer requests. “Asking in his name” is equivalent to “asking as a representative of his”—or better yet, asking on Jesus’ behalf. When we act on Jesus’ behalf, Jesus does whatever is needed to support the effort. When we act on Jesus’ behalf, we follow Jesus’ example and instructions to us. We don’t get what we want by adding “in Jesus’ name” to the end of our prayer requests. We get what we need when the world sees Jesus in us. Follow Jesus’ example and then we can ask for whatever is needed to do so. Robert C. Hudson July 6, 2020