6th Sunday of Easter
Acts 17:22-34a; Psalm 66:8-20; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-24
I am not sure if there is any other place in the gospels where the word love is as repeated as in the 14th chapter of John, verses 15 to 24. Here Jesus’ farewell discourse continues from last Sunday when he tells his disciples not to let their hearts be troubled (14:1), as his Father’s house has many dwelling places (verse 2). Jesus then reveals himself as the way, the truth, and the life, and the only path for Christian believers to receive the promise of dwelling in the Father’s house (verse 4). The disciples have seen Jesus. Therefore, they have seen the Father (verse 7), for Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30).
Jesus knows what the disciples will go through when he leaves our physical world. They will feel the world’s weight over their shoulders while living the risen life for Jesus’ sake. So he pleads for the disciples to remain faithful (John 14: 10-11) and promises them greater things and to do for them whatever they ask in his name; that is, for the sake of his glory and the Father’s (verses 12-14). Next, they need to be assured about how much they are loved.
Jesus had become everything God wished to be for those who believed. Through Jesus’ personal existence among us, they were able to “see” the wisdom of God and understand how God wishes to relate to us and expect us to relate to each other. The Greek paraclete, sometimes translated as counselor, other times as advocate, is difficult to translate to English in this context. Jesus is promising the disciples something divine, and it is still difficult for us to comprehend it today. Perhaps, whoever the Spirit of truth is, this Spirit will be as meaningful and powerful to the disciples as Jesus himself was; and still is. Jesus promises that the Spirit of truth will dwell in us (verse 17), alongside him and the Father (verse 23), upon the believers keeping his commandments (word).
We might be reading this promise at work in Acts, as Paul proclaims in Athens the invisible God (verse 29) revealed Christ crucified and risen as a gift of generous judgment to the world (verse 31). Not everybody likes what Paul has to say. Some scoff at him. Therefore, he leaves to proclaim with those in whom the Word remains (verses 32 and 33a).
Being agents of the proclamation of Jesus’ words by making new disciples, then keeping and teaching them, will not be easy. Hard times may accompany individual believers and whole faith communities. However, the author of 1 Peter assures them that the love that Christ promised and accomplished is so majestic that even those who already perished in eternity may be rescued to eternal life.
“you let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has heard the words of my prayer.
Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me.”
(Psalm 66: 12, 18-20, NRSVue)
Bridging Faith 