4/10/11 John 14:8-14 Power in Jesus name

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 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’? 10 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. 11 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. 12 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. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

(Philip by J Tissot)
Thoughts: If you want to know what God is like- look at Jesus.  That is what Jesus is saying here. Jesus is pointing out His oneness with the Father.  God shows Himself through Jesus.  His words are from the Father. The miracles are from the Father.   But Jesus is making a unique and differentiating claim here.  Sure, God dwells in those who believe, but we cannot say what Jesus said in 13 and 14 that He will answer prayer that is made in His name.  In our day, in an effort to not offend anyone we water down our prayers and many refuse to pray in the name of Jesus- lest someone cannot join us in our prayer.  But that is almost like mailing an envelope out with only half an address.  There is a closeness that the Son has with the Father that we do not have.  That closeness involves power- especially power to answer prayer.

Prayer:  Lord thank you that you came to show us what God si like.  Thank you that you empower our prayers.

John Calvin Abridged: Christ rightly reproves Philip for not having pure eyes of faith surely caused by ingratitude.  Today many, not satisfied with Christ,  wander off into speculation apart and beyond Him, and make little progress in ther faith.  When Christ says He is one with the Father He is not speaking of His divine essence, but He is indicating He is the Image and Portrait of God the Father.