seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 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. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 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 I do not speak on my own authority. 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 works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they 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 Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
a. John 14:1 Or Believe in Godb. John 14:7 Some manuscripts If you really knew me, you would know
Boy this chapter is really misused and abused in a lot of churches. Especially that last verse. Must be a lot of Philips [Thomas] in the world.
This is from the easy English site.
Jesus promised to do anything that Christians ask. But he would do it only if it was in his name. We need to understand what ‘in his name’ really means. It means to know what Jesus wants us to do in a situation. So then we can ask for what Jesus would want to happen in that situation. Then we are asking with Jesus’ authority, as if we were Jesus himself. God will not grant our selfish requests. Jesus never made selfish requests. He asked only for what his Father wanted.
This is from the bible-studys.org site.In my name means “as My agent.” The promise of answered prayer is based on the disciple acting as the agent of Jesus’ will. It is also linked here especially in the accomplishment of the “greater works.” The promise is for unlimited resources to do the works of God.
And this is from the blueletterbible.org site.Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do: In My name is not an Aladdin's lamp of prayer; it signifies both an endorsement (like a check) and a limitation (requests must be in accordance with the character of the name). We are coming to God in Jesus' name, not in our own.
I've had a lot of jobs. I was once an encyclopedia salesperson for Encyclopedia Britannica. My ex was area manager or something like that. He was a really really showy guy. This job suited him well.... me not so much. He sold me on taking a shot at it.... he was making lots of money so he figured this would increase our income. It was long before the kids were born. Alas... the job didn't turn out so well for me. I learned the pitch perfectly.... I knew my contract inside and out.... I could thumb through those beautiful glossy photos.... and I could make the current events in the "yearbook" sound like the most exciting thing a body could read when the books arrived every year for a small additional fee. I was terrific.... but I could not close. I thought I was ripping them off. These people had small kids.... they had bills.... they should be purchasing the World Book at a much lower price. I couldn't close because I didn't Believe in Britannica. I was an agent.... but I didn't believe in the product.... or the price.There are a lot of preachers and teachers in churches all over the world who should be selling World Book instead of Britannica. They don't know who God is... they worship the money.... they worship the adoration... they worship the respect... they worship the power.... they worship the piety. They are in it for the paycheck and the free housing.
I'm 70 years old now. Yep... I am definitely an old woman with an online Bible and some online commentary. Yep.... I was raised in the Southern Baptist Church.... and I have spent time in a lot of other protestant churches. I've heard this chapter preached so many times..... and I never understood it until recently. Joel Osteen and the other feel good preachers got it dead wrong. Jesus isn't going to let you have that new car, or that new house, or that new job, or that new baby.... Jesus is not your personal "fixer". Jesus will not strike your neighbor dead because you don't like the color of his socks and mittens.
I have been perplexed here lately. I'm in quarantine because of my eyes. I haven't been to a grocery store or a craft store in over a year. Hubby does all the shopping. He's got some stuff going on with his health but he can see to drive.... so he's nominated. I make a list on one of those tablets with a magnet that hangs on the fridge. The stuff just arrives..... I ask for a can of tuna.... bumblebee is in the bag. I ask for blue yarn and just the right color is in the bag. I live in a wonderful little apartment in a nice little community with good neighbors. It's almost heaven..... I have been wanting to move.... I want to live in a little town in the valley near where I am living now. I think the weather would be more excellent there... not as hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter.... but the leaves would change colors and the sky would show a cloud once in a while. I crave the smell of trees and rotting leaves.... I crave a chill in the air.... and I crave not having to hibernate in the summer.
I feel like... what if this is Heaven and I am an ignorant spoiled brat that is "too good" for Heaven. What if I'm wanting something else when I should be happy with what I have???? Why am I never satisfied..... what if I'm in Heaven... still asking for Heaven.... how rude would this little Christian girl be????
But this chapter is not about "whatever I want I can just ask for an put the phrase 'in Jesus name' at the end and expect it.
The disciples had been around Jesus for about three years. They had seen Him heal the blind and help the paraplegic walk. They had seen Him feed thousands of people with the meager meal of a little peasant boy. They had seen Him bring people back from the tomb.... four days stinky. Huge crowds gathered everywhere He went. He told them.... they would be able to do those miracles too. He did them while He was human. So they could do it also being human.
Jesus said..... paraphrased..... "I did all those miracles and you will be able to do them too. You are my agents and you will continue my work. I'll send down my guy [Holy Spirit] and my guy will give you everything you need to carry on the Mission."
Jesus did not promise them a nice little cottage apartment in a perfect location with perfect neighbors and perfect weather. He promised that they could continue His Mission. They were trained.... they had their books and contracts.... they were ready to go.... they [well maybe not Thomas but the others] believed in the mission.... and they had a desire to continue.... so as long as they followed their training and did what Jesus would have done.... then they could and would be successful missionaries "in Jesus Name".
It's not about getting rich. It's not about looking successful so your friends will buy your vitamins or cars. It's not any of that... Jesus said.... we would all be equipped to complete the mission. And when we retire from that job.... God has a place for us. We're going to be just fine.... just keep working on the Mission.
Jesus said.... "you can do this job when I am gone.... because you know what I would do in any particular situation.... 'you know me' ".
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