The Gospel isn’t meant to be gulped down on Sunday morning, but gnawed on through the week so it really becomes a part of us. You’ve got to work at it, like a dog with a good bone! Here’s the Gospel for this coming Sunday — Pentecost Sunday — with food for thought about the peace of Christ. Gnaw away!
Pentecost Sunday – John 14:8-27
Philip said to Jesus, “Rabbi, show us Abba God, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and still you don’t know me? Whoever has seen me has seen Abba God. How can you say, ‘Show us your Abba’? Don’t you believe that I am in Abba God and God is in me? The words I speak are not spoken of myself; it is Abba God, living in me, who is accomplishing the works of God. Believe me that I am in God and God is in me, or else believe because of the works I do. The truth of the matter is, anyone who has faith in me will do the works I do – and greater works besides. Why? Because I go to Abba God, and whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that God may be glorified in me. Anything you ask in my name I will do. If you love me and obey the command I give you, I will ask the One who sent me to give you another Paraclete, another Helper to be with you always – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept since the world neither sees her nor recognizes her; but you can recognize the Spirit because she remains with you and will be within you. I won’t leave you orphaned; I will come back to you. A little while now and the world will see me no more; but you’ll see me; because I live, and you will live as well. On that day you’ll know that I am in God, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who obey the commandments are the ones who love me, and those who love me will be loved by Abba God. I, too, will love them and will reveal myself to them.”
Judas – not Judas Iscariot – said, “Rabbi, why is it that you’ll reveal yourself to us, and not to the whole world?”
Jesus answered, “Those who love me will be true to my word, and Abba God will love them; and we will come to them and make our dwelling place with them. Those who don’t love me don’t keep my words. Yet the message you hear is not mine; it comes from Abba God who sent me. This much have I said to you while still with you; but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit whom Abba God will send in my name, will instruct you in everything and she will remind you of all that I told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; but the kind of peace I give you is not like the world’s peace. Don’t let your hearts be distressed; don’t be fearful.”
The Backstory – What’s Going On Here?
This passage is part of a the beginning of a larger section of John’s Gospel called the Farewell Discourse (John 14-17). It is Jesus’ last words to his disciples between the end of the Last Supper and when he is arrested and the Passion Narrative begins.
To understand this segment, we have to look at the set up. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and said that it was this kind of service that was how they participated in his life. He then gave them the “new commandment” – to love one another as he had loved them … with the footwashing having just given them an example of how he had loved them. Then, in response to Thomas’ question, Jesus says “I am the way, and the truth and the life…. If you know me, you will know my Abba God also.”
It is at this point we pick up our reading this Sunday. Philip asks Jesus to show him Abba God … which has to be particularly frustrating to Jesus because Jesus has just said “if you know me, you will know my Abba God also.” So his words to Philip have a touch of exasperation to them. When we see Jesus, we see God. When we love as Jesus loved … as a servant … we participate in the life of God.
A few things to chew on:
*The world looks to us, the church, with the question of Philip: “Show us God.” And Jesus’ answer is instructive to us. When we show people the Jesus who washes the disciples’ feet. When we show people the Jesus who gives up everything for the love of the world. When we show people the Jesus who gives up power for the sake of dwelling in the midst of the pain of the people. When we show people that, when we embody the self-giving servant life of Christ, we show people God.
*The new commandment Jesus gives us is incredible — and hard. Love one another as he has loved us … knowing that he said this just as he was about to go to the cross. And so Jesus also makes a promise to go along with the commandment — that we will not be on our own. God will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. And this Spirit of God will remain with us always and will do some very specific and important things. The Spirit will teach us and remind us. Teach us how to love — something critical when the way to love isn’t always apparent. Remind us to love — something critical when the world lures us into being self-directed instead of outer-directed. And the final gift of the Spirit is the peace of Christ. Peace that throughout the trials and tribulations of life, throughout all the times that our lives will be demanded of us, will give us what we need to do the job — untroubled and unanxious hearts.
Try This:
The commandment of Jesus to “love one another as I have loved you” seems so daunting … because it is. Loving as Jesus loves means loving at our own cost — trusting that what we give up is nothing compared with what we will receive in joy. It’s a love that takes discernment and courage. It’s a love that takes trusting that we will be provided for and that we truly do not need to be afraid. It’s hard. And it’s why Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit to be with us and to give us the strength and courage we need. This week, take a little bit of time every day and consider where God is calling you to “love one another as I have loved you” … consider what makes that hard, where you need strength and courage … then ask the Holy Spirit to give you that strength and courage to love as Christ loves us.
Asking in Jesus’ name…
it’s not a game
of “Simon Says”
“Anything you ask in my name I will do.”
If there is a passage in all of scripture that bears closer examination it is this one.
If we take this out of its context (and many people do!), Jesus becomes the best rich uncle of all time. A human/divine/ATM hybrid.
Just ask in Jesus name and you shall receive. Presto!
Unfortunately, that reading of John 14 is all too common. Unfortunately, not just because it turns Jesus into Santa Claus. Unfortunately, because it obscures what is one of the most powerful passages — and truths — in all of scripture.
First the immediate context. Jesus says:
The truth of the matter is, anyone who has faith in me will do the works I do – and greater works besides. Why? Because I go to Abba God, and whatever you ask in my name I will do, so that God may be glorified in me. Anything you ask in my name I will do.
Jesus is really clear about what “asking in my name” means. And it isn’t just saying “in Jesus name … Tesla!” like some bizarre cosmic game of Simon Says.
Asking in Jesus name has to do with doing the works that Jesus does and even greater works than these. And, as Jesus has just shown his disciples – and will show them even more powerfully as he goes to the cross — doing the works of Christ is self-giving, loving service.
Jesus is calling those who follow the way of the Christ to join him on the road to the cross. To
give up everything — even being willing to give up life itself — out of love for one another and out of love for the world. Jesus is calling them to live in the name of love … to show the world Christ’s love by living as Jesus lived.
And it is in this context that he makes this promise. If in Jesus’ name you ask him for anything, he will do it.
If in the name of giving up everything for the sake of the love of neighbor and world, you ask Jesus for anything, he will grant it. Far from a divine ATM, Jesus is promising that if we give our lives as the Christ does for the love of the world, that gift will not be in vain.
What an incredible truth! What an incredible hope! Far from Santa Claus or a divine ATM, Jesus is saying that yes, he is inviting us to join him in a life of self-sacrificing, loving service to the world. To join him in giving up everything to love the world. And if we are willing to do that
then he will grant us what we need to do it.
Jesus will grant us whatever we ask in his name. But first we must ask in his name. And that means picking up our cross.
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Check out the rest of Sunday’s readings
The Lectionary Page has all of the readings for this Sunday and every
Sunday – click here for this Sunday’s readings.
Collect for Sunday
Pray this throughout the week as you gnaw on this Gospel.
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
