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#DailyDevotion What Are We Asking For In Jesus’ Name?
John 16: 23Then you won’t ask Me any questions. I tell you the truth, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24So far you haven’t asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete. 25“I used veiled speech in telling you these things. The time is coming when I won’t use veiled speech any more in talking to you, but I’ll tell you about the Father in plain words. 26Then you will ask in My name, and I don’t tell you that I’ll ask the Father for you. 27The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and believe that I came from the Father.
When is then? Don’t you love it when the lectionary starts off like that? Then is when the disciples see Jesus risen from the dead. Then is when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. He says, “Then you won’t ask me any questions.” It is important to remember that as Jesus proceeds to the words, “If you ask the Father for anything in my name, He will give it to you.” What is the anything? Is it just any old anything: a Porsche, a big house, a beautiful spouse and smart kids? I don’t think so based on the context. The context is the disciples asking questions. Questions about what? Theological questions of course. Who is Jesus? How is he God and Man? How does his sacrifice save everyone in the world? Yes, I believe that is the context. The New Testament is the answer to the disciples’ prayer for understanding, wisdom and true knowledge of God.
The disciples didn’t have to ask in Jesus’ name for these things while Jesus was with them. He taught them directly. Sometimes in veiled speech, i.e. parable and occasionally plainly, but after the resurrection, during those forty days, he would teach them only plainly. This reminds somewhat of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew where he tells his disciples in 7:11, “how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” Then in Luke in a parallel passage 11:17, “how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Now in those places Jesus talks about eggs, fish and bread coming from wicked earthly fathers to their children. What good things does the Father of lights give us? (James 1) At least in Luke it seems the Holy Spirit. Of course we have the Lord’s Prayer which has mostly spiritual petitions with the one concerning daily bread. We know God wants us to pray for these things. The most important thing is the Father give us the Holy Spirit who had the disciples write down the teachings of Jesus for us and who enlightens by this Word to believe and understand them.
Today we pray in Jesus’ name to the Father. Jesus says he isn’t going to be asking for us when we use his name. The Father knows we love Jesus and believe he came from the Father, i.e. he is one in being and substance with the Father from eternity. Because of this faith in Christ Jesus, which the Holy Spirit wrought in us through the Word and Sacraments, the Father hears our prayers and answers them, especially the prayers that are spiritual in nature. He wants us lacking nothing that will preserve, grow, and strengthen our faith in Jesus. He will provide them as we pray for them. You might note in the general prayers on Sunday the pastor prays for preachers who will preach God’s Word with power, and increase and strengthen our faith. You might note we usually pray to the Father through Son who lives and reigns with Father and the Spirit. These are Jesus’ words here coming to life in the life of his Church.
Heavenly Father, give us faith in Jesus so we may use his name to come before your presence, present our petitions before you and receive from your hand all good things for our life and salvation, though Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.