John 14:7-14

As Jesus continues to teach in the aftermath of His announcement that He will soon be taken away, the disciples are understandably panicked about wanting to know what will happen to them after He is gone.

Not quite understanding the severity of what Jesus is saying, Thomas wants to know how they will be able to continue to follow Him even after He “goes away”.

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” John 14:5 NIV.

Jesus assures the disciples that faith in Him is the only way to be reconciled to the Father. Jesus emphasizes that, through their relationship with Him, these disciples know the Father, and thus, will understand the way to follow Him when the time comes.

If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:7 NIV

Now, Philip responds…

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” John 14:8 NIV

These disciples had been taught from childhood that God the Father was the God of their ancestors and the God of their Jewish faith. They also knew the long-awaited Messiah would come from the God the Father.

Having put everything on the line for Jesus, these disciples need reassurance that Jesus is indeed the one way to reconciliation with God, namely by being able to see that He is directly connected to God the Father.

Jesus responds directly to Philip…

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’? 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. 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. John 14:9-11 NIV

Having lived life with these disciples for three years, Jesus believes that they should already know that He is one with God the Father. Not only have the words that He has taught testified of His connection with the Father but the miracles He has worked also speak of this connection. At this point, the disciples should have no doubt that, in Jesus, they can see God the Father.
Furthermore, because of their belief in Jesus as Messiah, these disciples will carry on the work of Jesus in His name after He is gone.

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. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14 NIV

With these teachings, Jesus has moved beyond comforting the disciples to instructing them and inspiring them for the days to come when they will be in charge of the mission. We must keep this context in mind when reading “You may ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it.”

In other words, they will not be abandoned to work under their own power but will have the full resources of the power of Jesus the Son and God the Father empowering their work. As will see in the next passage, He promises the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them in this work.

For us, we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to help us understand who and what God is calling us to be. We must admire these disciples who followed Jesus with abandon based on faith and courage each day.

Questions to consider:
What is God calling you to do by the power of His name?
Have you surrendered to this call? What is holding you back?
Ask God to give you courage to do the things He is calling you to do today.