Christ Our Home

Here are some thoughts on this Sunday's gospel. This was sent to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.

Gospel: John 14:1-14

[Jesus said to the disciples:] ¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ²In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴And you know the way to the place where I am going.” ⁵Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
 ⁸Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. ¹²Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

These are words we often hear at funerals because they are comforting. They are words of comfort for mourners and those wondering about the future. What will life be like post-COVID 19? Will we ever be past it? Will things ever be “normal” again. There are a lot of questions and uncertainty swirling through our heads and it’s easy to fear.

Jesus spoke these words on the night he was to be arrested before his crucifixion. These were his last words to his disciples. The disciples were clueless as we can see in Thomas’ and Philip’s comments. And yet, you have to give them credit. Would we have the courage to speak up if we didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about?

Jesus is reassuring as ever. He, the one who knew he was going to a painful death, the worst kind of death the Roman Empire had to offer. Rather than being wrapped up in himself, his concern is to comfort the disciples. They’ll know where to go because Jesus not only shows them the way, he is the way!

Can we let God lead us through the knots and mess of the Coronavirus and how that affects us individually, as a family, as a community, as a church? Jesus is the way. We need to follow him, and he will show us the way. “As the one through whom God is known, he promises to go before them and act on their behalf” (sundaysandseasons.com).

The final verses are hard to wrap our minds around; “’ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’” If we are in relationship with Jesus, if we are in tune with God’s plans, we can ask anything because we are one with God and can pray according to God’s will for the situation. It’s all so that the Father may be glorified.

Dear Lord, we sometimes feel like we are wandering through life. Especially now, tensions and fears run high. Give us your peace to rest in your love today and in the coming days. Amen.

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