Easter 5

Preparation

Please begin by reading John 14:1-14 in your Bible. If you do not have one at hand, we have provided the text for you at the end of this reflection.

Reflection--What a Friend!

The title of a wonderful old hymn is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”  Today’s passage gives us some insight into that best of all possible friendships.

These words of Jesus were spoken on the occasion we know as “the last supper.”  Jesus was preparing his friends, the disciples, for the rapidly coming time when he would be separated from them.  He wanted to get them through their immediate fears and heartache and give them a vision for the future.

Undoubtedly the disciples’ hearts ached at the prospect of what was to happen to their friend and leader.  And Jesus knew that they would be even more troubled as events unfolded in the next few days.  Would it be the end of their relationship with Jesus?  Was evil to triumph on a cross and destroy Jesus and all the good things they had done together?

Jesus reminded them that the cure for troubled hearts is simple, rock-solid faith.  They believed in God and they could believe in him with equal confidence.  Evil would not triumph.  The cross would not be the end no matter how it might look at the moment.

Jesus then assured them that their relationship with him was timeless.  True, he was returning to the heavenly realm, but there is limitless room in God’s house.  Those who love and follow him will be with him there in time.  “Where I am, there you may be also,” he said.

It seems that Jesus expected the disciples to know the key to this timeless relationship.  After all, they had been with him day after day and seen God’s power in him.  He said “And you know the way to the place where I am going.”   But Thomas was confused.  He said “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”

Thomas did not understand that Jesus was talking about the way to deeper, eternal relationship with God.  Indeed the way is relationship with God.  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, you will know my Father also.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”  And in answer to Philip’s desire to see “the Father,” Jesus speaks plainly:  “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

These words have, I believe, sometimes been misinterpreted.  They are not words of exclusion.  They do not mean that only we Christians can have a relationship with God.  As just one example, we only need look at the exceedingly rich relationship between God and the people of Israel.  And Jesus warned us not to judge others.  (See Matthew 7:1 for an example.)  The relationship between persons of other faiths and God is a matter between them and God.

However, that does not mean that Christianity is a faith without a difference.  These words of Jesus are at the very core of Christian faith.  They tell us who our best friend is and what that means for our lives.  The claim of Christianity is that if you want the very deepest truth, the way is to follow Jesus.  If you want the very richest life, the way is to follow Jesus.  That is because if you really want to know the nature of God, you have already seen it in Jesus.

In fact,  this relationship with our very best friend has limitless possibilities. He said “If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”   We dwell in Jesus and Jesus dwells at the heart of God.

What a friend indeed!

revclay

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John 14:1-14

    [Jesus said] “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God, believe also in me. 

“In 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?  And 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.  And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, you will know my Father also.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

Jesus 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’?  Do 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.  Believe 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. 

“Very 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.  I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”  [NRSV]