St John 16:23-33/James 1:22-27/Numbers 21:4-9
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
We live in constant danger. Not the dangers that the news unceasingly warns us about – the threats to our health, the scams to take away our money, all the dangerous and scary people that do not look or think like us. No, these are not the dangers that the Word of God warns us of. There are things far more deadly than cancer or muggings or losing your life’s savings. Do not fear what can destroy your body; rather, fear the One who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
The people of Israel did not fear God, but grumbled about their food. Think of it! They were more worried about the menu than fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things. Not just food, but all sorts of things cause misplaced fear. We have God’s Word, yet we fail to trust His promises.
St James describes the danger of hearing God’s Word but failing to do it, that is trust and keep it. Its like a man who comes across a beggar and says, “God bless you, I hope you find food!” while he saunters off to his warm house and hot meal. Its like the woman who sings out the praises of God, but cannot bridle her tongue, she simply must pass on that juicy bit of gossip.
Have you run down your boss? Your brother? Your fellow Christian? Your neighbor? Did you not hear what St James says about the person who cannot hold his or her tongue? This person’s religion is worthless. Worthless! What good are all your words of praise to God and all your prayers if you use the same tongue to speak ill of another? This person’s religion is worthless.
Taking an honest look at ourselves we must conclude, “My religion has been worthless.” For even the good that I have done has been done out of fear or obligation, or the very worst, out of pride at how good my works are, how obedient I am. I, me, my – all my works center around myself, even when they appear from the outside to be directed toward my neighbor. I am not so altruistic. I am a phony, a sham.
In my working, in my believing, in my praying, nothing to rely upon can be found, nothing to last in the Day of Judgment; nothing that is good in God’s sight. Everything is soiled with sin, everything is corrupt and worthless. By what right do I even dare to pray?
So the key phrase in the Gospel text is when Jesus says, In My Name. Whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you. This is not a blank check. It does not mean that we have discovered some secret formula, a magical incantation that by the mere utterance will produce the desired result.
In My Name, means according to the will of Jesus, according to the work of Jesus, according to the authority of Jesus. So it would be impossible to ask for the opportunity to commit adultery or murder in the name of Jesus, because that is contrary to His will.
Prayer in Jesus’ Name must begin with confession, as it did for the children of Israel. They said to Moses, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord. And so when we pray in the Name of Jesus we are asking the Father to not look upon us, our thoughts, our desires, but instead to look at us only through Jesus, only through His Cross, only through His death for our sins, only through His resurrection for our justification.
For like the Israelites we also have a tendency to be fickle, to ignore prayer, to wallow in self-pity and impenitence. That is one reason why our Lord allows tribulation to come upon us, even as He sent the fiery serpents into the Israeli camp, that they might be called back to Him, their hearts being turned from hardness to repentance.
So too you. He loves you. And those whom He loves He disciplines. Tribulation is not a punishment. It is not a curse. It is the Lord’s tool to turn us to Him; to teach us to fear, love, and trust in Him above all things.
I know that many of you have tribulations of various kinds. The Lord knows them too. He knows the conflicts you have in your family; He knows your problems at work; He knows your despair and your addictions; He knows your loneliness and your ailing body. He knows the sins you struggle with, and the ones you should be struggling against. Too often we respond shamefully to this life’s troubles.
So when we realize that we abide in danger because of our self-centered thinking, when we become aware that we are under assault by the devil himself, this is a blessing! As the Australian Lutheran theologian, Dr. John Kleinig put it, “The devil’s attack on us serves to strengthen our faith because it drives us back to God’s Word as the only basis for our spiritual life. We cannot rely on our own resources in the battle against Satan and the powers of darkness. If we rely on our own wisdom and power, we will fail. In that situation, our only hope is Christ and His Word.” (Grace Upon Grace, 22).
So praying in the Name of Jesus means that we are not relying on our own resources, our own wisdom, our own power, but on Jesus, His becoming Man for us, His perfect obedience for us, His death for us, His resurrection for us, His ascension for us, and His continual prayer for us.
The false prophet, the theologian of glory, preaches, “You can overcome, you can achieve, you can be a success.” Faith in this equation becomes an internal power of the soul that gives you a positive outlook, an optimism that enables you to surpass the obstacles that are keeping you from your goals.
But what is given to us in the Holy Gospel, in the Words of Jesus, is none of this. The disciples said to Jesus, Now we know that You know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that You came from God. They had that theology of glory, that Pop Christianity version of faith. To this Jesus replied, “Oh yeah? You think that is faith? That is not true faith. It will not stand us at the hour of the cross. You will all be scattered. This faith will prove empty.”
But after telling them of their impending failure, He says the most astonishing thing: These things I have said to you, that in Me who may have peace. He speaks of their failure, and then talks of peace? What is the source of this peace? Not in themselves, not in yourself! Not even in your “faith.” That fideism, faith in faith.
But, In Me, Jesus says, the object of faith. In Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world. Not, “Here is how you can overcome the world, how you can overcome your problems, how you can overcome your difficulties,” but I have overcome the world.
Everything that we do, everything that we are, everything that we have, rests on Jesus, who He is, what He does. For He is the Serpent lifted up on the Cross, grotesque and hideous to the world, the pinnacle of tribulation and suffering; but to we who are being saved, the power of God and the wisdom of God, and the glory of God.
So when you pray in His Name saying, “Dear Father in heaven, I am a fool. I have utterly failed to live as your servant. My sins are too numerous to list. My thoughts and desires are soiled with sin. Yet you have invited me to pray in the name of Jesus and have promised to give whatever I ask in His Name. So I now ask You for the greatest thing: that for the sake of His precious death and glorious resurrection, You would pardon all my sin and grant me a place in Your kingdom. And in whatever remains of this brief life, I pray that You send down Your Holy Spirit that I may be strengthened to avoid sin and make a beginning in serving my neighbor. I ask this in the Name of Jesus.”
That would be a good prayer. A prayer that is pleasing to God our Father who loves you. A prayer that is in accordance with His will. A prayer that is truly answered “yes” in Christ, and fulfills your joy in Him.
It is certainly good and right to pray for your friends and family and neighbors also, even your enemies, that they receive pardon and remission of sins through faith in Christ Jesus, as you are taught and do the Prayer of the Church.
But remember my dear ones: if it were up to you, everything would have been ruined lone ago. But thanks be to God it does not depend on you; everything depends on Jesus. Therefore with all boldness and confidence, with courage in the face of tribulation on account of the death and resurrection of Christ, ask in His Name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
We live in constant danger. Not the dangers that the news unceasingly warns us about – the threats to our health, the scams to take away our money, all the dangerous and scary people that do not look or think like us. No, these are not the dangers that the Word of God warns us of. There are things far more deadly than cancer or muggings or losing your life’s savings. Do not fear what can destroy your body; rather, fear the One who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
The people of Israel did not fear God, but grumbled about their food. Think of it! They were more worried about the menu than fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things. Not just food, but all sorts of things cause misplaced fear. We have God’s Word, yet we fail to trust His promises.
St James describes the danger of hearing God’s Word but failing to do it, that is trust and keep it. Its like a man who comes across a beggar and says, “God bless you, I hope you find food!” while he saunters off to his warm house and hot meal. Its like the woman who sings out the praises of God, but cannot bridle her tongue, she simply must pass on that juicy bit of gossip.
Have you run down your boss? Your brother? Your fellow Christian? Your neighbor? Did you not hear what St James says about the person who cannot hold his or her tongue? This person’s religion is worthless. Worthless! What good are all your words of praise to God and all your prayers if you use the same tongue to speak ill of another? This person’s religion is worthless.
Taking an honest look at ourselves we must conclude, “My religion has been worthless.” For even the good that I have done has been done out of fear or obligation, or the very worst, out of pride at how good my works are, how obedient I am. I, me, my – all my works center around myself, even when they appear from the outside to be directed toward my neighbor. I am not so altruistic. I am a phony, a sham.
In my working, in my believing, in my praying, nothing to rely upon can be found, nothing to last in the Day of Judgment; nothing that is good in God’s sight. Everything is soiled with sin, everything is corrupt and worthless. By what right do I even dare to pray?
So the key phrase in the Gospel text is when Jesus says, In My Name. Whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you. This is not a blank check. It does not mean that we have discovered some secret formula, a magical incantation that by the mere utterance will produce the desired result.
In My Name, means according to the will of Jesus, according to the work of Jesus, according to the authority of Jesus. So it would be impossible to ask for the opportunity to commit adultery or murder in the name of Jesus, because that is contrary to His will.
Prayer in Jesus’ Name must begin with confession, as it did for the children of Israel. They said to Moses, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord. And so when we pray in the Name of Jesus we are asking the Father to not look upon us, our thoughts, our desires, but instead to look at us only through Jesus, only through His Cross, only through His death for our sins, only through His resurrection for our justification.
For like the Israelites we also have a tendency to be fickle, to ignore prayer, to wallow in self-pity and impenitence. That is one reason why our Lord allows tribulation to come upon us, even as He sent the fiery serpents into the Israeli camp, that they might be called back to Him, their hearts being turned from hardness to repentance.
So too you. He loves you. And those whom He loves He disciplines. Tribulation is not a punishment. It is not a curse. It is the Lord’s tool to turn us to Him; to teach us to fear, love, and trust in Him above all things.
I know that many of you have tribulations of various kinds. The Lord knows them too. He knows the conflicts you have in your family; He knows your problems at work; He knows your despair and your addictions; He knows your loneliness and your ailing body. He knows the sins you struggle with, and the ones you should be struggling against. Too often we respond shamefully to this life’s troubles.
So when we realize that we abide in danger because of our self-centered thinking, when we become aware that we are under assault by the devil himself, this is a blessing! As the Australian Lutheran theologian, Dr. John Kleinig put it, “The devil’s attack on us serves to strengthen our faith because it drives us back to God’s Word as the only basis for our spiritual life. We cannot rely on our own resources in the battle against Satan and the powers of darkness. If we rely on our own wisdom and power, we will fail. In that situation, our only hope is Christ and His Word.” (Grace Upon Grace, 22).
So praying in the Name of Jesus means that we are not relying on our own resources, our own wisdom, our own power, but on Jesus, His becoming Man for us, His perfect obedience for us, His death for us, His resurrection for us, His ascension for us, and His continual prayer for us.
The false prophet, the theologian of glory, preaches, “You can overcome, you can achieve, you can be a success.” Faith in this equation becomes an internal power of the soul that gives you a positive outlook, an optimism that enables you to surpass the obstacles that are keeping you from your goals.
But what is given to us in the Holy Gospel, in the Words of Jesus, is none of this. The disciples said to Jesus, Now we know that You know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that You came from God. They had that theology of glory, that Pop Christianity version of faith. To this Jesus replied, “Oh yeah? You think that is faith? That is not true faith. It will not stand us at the hour of the cross. You will all be scattered. This faith will prove empty.”
But after telling them of their impending failure, He says the most astonishing thing: These things I have said to you, that in Me who may have peace. He speaks of their failure, and then talks of peace? What is the source of this peace? Not in themselves, not in yourself! Not even in your “faith.” That fideism, faith in faith.
But, In Me, Jesus says, the object of faith. In Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world. Not, “Here is how you can overcome the world, how you can overcome your problems, how you can overcome your difficulties,” but I have overcome the world.
Everything that we do, everything that we are, everything that we have, rests on Jesus, who He is, what He does. For He is the Serpent lifted up on the Cross, grotesque and hideous to the world, the pinnacle of tribulation and suffering; but to we who are being saved, the power of God and the wisdom of God, and the glory of God.
So when you pray in His Name saying, “Dear Father in heaven, I am a fool. I have utterly failed to live as your servant. My sins are too numerous to list. My thoughts and desires are soiled with sin. Yet you have invited me to pray in the name of Jesus and have promised to give whatever I ask in His Name. So I now ask You for the greatest thing: that for the sake of His precious death and glorious resurrection, You would pardon all my sin and grant me a place in Your kingdom. And in whatever remains of this brief life, I pray that You send down Your Holy Spirit that I may be strengthened to avoid sin and make a beginning in serving my neighbor. I ask this in the Name of Jesus.”
That would be a good prayer. A prayer that is pleasing to God our Father who loves you. A prayer that is in accordance with His will. A prayer that is truly answered “yes” in Christ, and fulfills your joy in Him.
It is certainly good and right to pray for your friends and family and neighbors also, even your enemies, that they receive pardon and remission of sins through faith in Christ Jesus, as you are taught and do the Prayer of the Church.
But remember my dear ones: if it were up to you, everything would have been ruined lone ago. But thanks be to God it does not depend on you; everything depends on Jesus. Therefore with all boldness and confidence, with courage in the face of tribulation on account of the death and resurrection of Christ, ask in His Name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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