Mother’s Day, May 13, 2007, is also the 6th Sunday of Easter. The Revised Lutheran lectionary suggests the following three readings: Acts 16:9-15 (Paul to Macedonia); Revelation 21:9-14, 21-27 (Holy Jerusalem) and John 16:23-33 (Jesus’ prediction of His death and resurrection). Chosen to speak on is John 16:23 in which Jesus makes this promise, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”?
There’s a verse that at first reading sounds really comforting until you stop to think about it. It’s at first comforting that we have a Father Who will give to us what we ask. However, how are we to judge our standing with Him when we don’t get from Him what we asked? Like children in a store who go into a temper tantrum when they don’t get what they want, we can go into an anxiety tantrum wondering what we did wrong now because of the apparent failure to get from God what we asked.
However, there is a difference between asking the Father for something and asking the Father for something in the name of Jesus. In fact, Jesus clearly states in the next verse 24 that up to this time the disciples have not asked anything “in My name.” How can this be reconciled with the fact that during the ministry of Jesus, the disciples had been asking for many things?
Once more the distinction to be made is between “asking” and “asking in My name.” Another passage about the “name” of God is found in the Great Commission by which we are to make disciples by baptizing people “in the name” of the holy Trinity. In fact, the original Greek should be translated as “into the name of” rather than “in the name of.” What Jesus is saying is that through baptism, one becomes a member of the family of the holy Trinity. We are baptized into the name of that Trinity.
To pray in the name of Jesus is first of all to pray with faith in His promises. That means that the answer we expect from God is different than just praying to the Father. The possible answers one could receive by just praying to a god are “yes, no or wait.” But praying in the name of Jesus results in only one answer–”YES”! How so?
There are only two kinds of requests. The first is asking God for that which He has already promised us. The second is asking God for that which has no promise. The first kind of prayer would be one in which we ask God to grant the newly baptized infant true faith. The second is asking God for a new car. Only in the second kind of prayer do we include, “Thy will be done.”
That second kind of prayer was heard in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked that the cup of suffering be removed but with this addition, “not My will but Thy will be done.” God’s answer to Jesus was “yes” as His will was done! For according to the eternal will of God, the second Person of the Trinity was to become a human being to die for the sins of the entire human race.
To pray in the name of Jesus is always answered with “yes.” If it is a prayer on the basis of a promise, then the promise is kept with a big “Yes” from God. If it is a prayer requesting that for which there is no clear promise but with the inclusion of “Thy will be done” then the answer is again “Yes” for God’s will shall be done!A connection to Mother’s Day might be made at this time. The congregation can be reminded that even though Mom’s decisions were not all appreciated, she was attempting to make them on the basis of what is best for her child.
The promise that backs all this up is Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good” to the one who has faith. No longer like theologians of self-glory do we need to regard the answer to our prayers as some kind of sign of God’s attitude toward us. For through faith as we ask in the name of Jesus, we are confident that whatever God answers is always “YES” on our behalf. For He knows better than we what is really needed for our life here on earth and the continued eternal life yet to come.
Name:Tom Baker
Dr. Baker,
Could this also be like getting something we don’t really understand what we are asking for according to promises? Like when we ask for God to give us good things often we mean health and earthly good or at least not so much earthly bad if we are minimalist. But could it be that when we ask for God’s good gifts when we receive them we don’t know it and in fact often think just the opposite? I’m thinking mainly here of theology of cross. When I was in the “dark times” wondering if I was saved, so struggling with that twin darkness of “believers baptism” and “am I elect” every moment of that was a torment to me. Even unto thoughts of suicide which I attribute to the devil’s making it despair. However, looking backward at that time it was a wonderful preparation in preparing me to see the wonders of God’s gift to me in baptism, something I would have NEVER arrived at when I believed “believers only” had I not been tormented by my own doubts of “did I get it right”. Don’t get me wrong those times were dark as dark could be and it seemed that God had abandoned me, I use to think, “I must be the example of the reprobate” and I want to be careful and not mingle the devil’s despair with the despairing that comes with the law preparing for more grace.
But want I’ve seen, I think, is that if you ask for more grace, as I did, thinking some moment of power will come whereby you will become this great subduer of your sins…the request for grace is in Jesus name and has a promise with it. BUT our thinking about what that “grace” will be as I just said, we find, is very opposite. Rather, our sin is shown us more and more and this NEVER feels good and in fact looks like God has abandoned you by not giving you the grace, the kind you thought you’d get, when in fact it is in the opposing direction, not subduing but sin worsening in one’s own site. BUT it is in fact great grace and mercy because you end up fleeing and clinging ever more and more and more to that Cross. Until one day, along comes a Luther to tell you, see how God has blessed you and answered you. Finally, it dons on you. God DID give me grace, I just in ignorance did not understand THAT as grace.
Does that make sense? So that sometimes in true promises given in Scripture by prayers there may be a time that the answer seems “no” when in fact it is a grand “yes”, you just don’t know it yet. Even sometimes maybe the “lead us not into temptation” is answered this way, the opposite of what we think…that is the NOT leading into temptation to say turn from the faith may come in the form of a more rising or showing of one’s sins, thus causing one to flee to the Cross more and more again, so not lead into temptation so as to fall. But it comes in the form of something opposing what we suppose it will.
We pray for more faith, strength, more mercy and greater grace, but it all seems just the opposite as our strength against our sin/sins seems to never ever come. But this is because we understand too often faith, strength, more mercy and greater grace in a human since. Rather, the weakness we are given drives to the greater faith, strength, mercy and grace. But from our side THIS appears again as weakness but in fact is God’s strength. It’s hard to put into clear words but there seems to always be that theology of glory vs. theology of cross oppositions we deal with. But we usually don’t see this until well later, at least I don’t.
Larry – KY
In agreement with your comments, Larry, I was just reading about how at times God appears to be silent in the face of our prayers and questions. However, He is never silent because His promises are ever sure. So regardless of how I perceive my experience at the time (theologian of self-glory), I can trust that God remains in charge and that He remains in charge to the point of knowing how many hairs are on my heard at any given time.