Promises
God is not a wish-giver in the sky. God is as a relational father.
Jesus some strong promises in this passage, all built on on invitation to trust.
(We might also be thankful he gives space for those who find faith and trust difficult - …at least believe on account of the works themselves. Consider what kind of invitation that is.)
Things Jesus says he’ll do for the disciples:
Prepare a place for us. - Much has been made of this over the years. We might suppose that there are actual big colonial houses in some spiritual, ethereal heavenly space somewhere, but this is not what Jesus is saying, exactly. The place he’s preparing is much closer to the cross and empty tomb. A corpus, a space, an embodied task. A Kingdom, a Way, an active state of life.
We will do the works he does. This is the call, right? He’s going ahead of us (has gone ahead of us), preparing the way while showing us what it looks like. We’ll see tomorrow his promise of the Holy Spirit, which is the wisdom and power to do his works.
He’ll do whatever we ask in his name. Much has also been made of this. But let’s be clear: this is no magical incantation. Praying “in Jesus’ name” is not like using a light switch to turn him on and off at our beck and call. We need to ask, “What’s in a name?” A name is a signpost of who a person is and what they do. When we ask for something in Jesus’ name, it implies that the request is resonant with the person, and even within his will.
John 14:1-14
“Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too. You know the way to the place I’m going.”
Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you have really known me, you will also know the Father. From now on you know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father; that will be enough for us.”
Jesus replied, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been with you all this time? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I have spoken to you I don’t speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me does his works. Trust me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on account of the works themselves. I assure you that whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. They will do even greater works than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father can be glorified in the Son. When you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.
Prayer
God,
I’m sorry for the times when I’ve made you out to be a big magician in the sky. It just seems such an easy and simple thing to do so. And there have been times when I’ve been so desperate, I just want such simplicity and power. Honestly, I imagine those times will come again.
So help me, in the first place, to receive your invitation to trust. I think I miss that key element. Not simply to trust that you will do what I say, but to trust in your provision already given…the things of presence and solidarity and love.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.