Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Tuesday, May 8th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Psalm 25, 29, 33, 36, 39
Today's scripture focus is John 14:1-14


“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.


The disciples are in a sad state at this point.  Jesus has told them that He's going to be leaving them, that Judas will betray Him, that Peter will deny Him, and that He will die.  Not only are they confused, they're bewildered and heartbroken.  And so, in this passage, Jesus comforts them.

First by promising that He will come back to them and take them with Him to be with Him.  And then by declaring to them who He was, the power that they would have in Him, and His promises to them.

He declares to them that He is God.  He is the way, He is the truth, He is the life, He is God.  And He is going to the Father to prepare a place for them and return to bring them back with Him.

But they're a bit confused because they know Jesus, but they don't think they know God.  And Jesus reminds them (probably frustrated!) that they've been with Him now for 3 years!  Haven't they been listening to what He's been saying? Haven't they seen the miracles?  Heard the sermons?  Heard His claims?  They don't need one more sign - they need to believe.  Not based on nothing.  Based on His words, His deeds, His miracles, His preaching.  But yes, it still takes faith to believe.

And even more so for us.  We haven't see Jesus.  But we have the written record of everything He knows that we need to know in order to be able to believe.  But we need to believe in faith.

And Jesus promised them power.  Power that would come through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit - and was only possible by Jesus leaving.  And it's true - it is better to have the Holy Spirt dwelling within every believe, than it is to have Christ physically present on the earth.  And Jesus promised them that they would do even greater things than He did!  In extent, not in power, of course.  But they would preach to more people, heal more people, do more miracles, than He did in His earthly ministry.  Yes He would leave. But He would not leave them powerless or empty handed.  He would send them the Holy Spirit and they would receive power, both physically and spiritually.  To the extent that simply did not happen in Jesus ministry in Israel.

There was never a revival in the ministry of Jesus. But when He left and sent the Holy Spirit - there's been revivals the world over!  Isn't that amazing to think of?

And then He promises that He will supply their needs - that anything they ask for He will supply - IN HIS NAME.  That is a huge qualifier right there.  And it eliminates any selfish prayer or whim we could think of.

Praying in His name means a few things.  It means to pray on behalf of Jesus, it means to pray because of what Jesus has done, and for it to be granted in order for Him to receive glory.

And the key to all of this is the last 4 words.  I will do it.  Jesus will do it.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: John 14:15-31
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage:  2 Samuel 8-9, 1 Chronicles 18

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