Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, let Your Word today wake and strengthen faith in You in our heart. Amen.
Text: John 14:7–13
“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
Devotion
Here we again hear from Jesus’ mouth that He is true God, one with the Father. “He who has seen Me has seen the Father. Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me.” How could He say this if He were not one with the Father, true and eternal God? If Jesus Christ is the truthful Teacher, then He is indeed true God as well. For when He so clearly says this, He must be so; otherwise He was a liar. But then how would He be the greatest wise man on earth, which even the followers of unbelief acknowledge Him to be? And how should we ourselves then explain His works? Or His works in His own people after His death and resurrection? It cannot be denied that His disciples did works after His Ascension, which are greater than all that He did in His humiliation. Then He went about Judea, healing the sick, raising the dead, and preaching the Word of life. These were works which showed that He was in the Father and the Father in Him. But since then through His disciples He has transformed the world and renewed the character of the earth. From His seat at the Father’s right hand He has sent the Holy Spirit and called His witnesses with power and grace to convert thousands of souls, yes, innumerable souls, and to snatch them from death and the devil. How could the poor, unlearned, wretched, and despised disciples be able to do this if He had remained dead and left them to themselves? No, the Church’s endurance, the Church’s life and works testify so clearly of Christ’s deity and resurrection, that whoever does not see that Christ is God’s Son and that He does what His believers pray for is more blind than sticks and stones. He will do whatever we ask the Father in His name, He says. Every word testifies that He speaks from the certainty that He is one with the Father.
O how blessed are we who have such a great and mighty Savior! He has given us glorious promises and He is ready to fulfill them. Away with unbelief, the accursed lie!
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, true God, grant us grace to believe in You and to pray in full confidence without doubting. O give us the Spirit’s wisdom in our heart for Your name’s sake. Amen.
Hymn
O King of glory, Christ the Lord,
God’s everlasting Son—the Word,
To rescue mankind from its doom,
Thou didst our very flesh assume.
Thou overcamest death’s sharp sting,
Believers unto heav’n to bring;
At God’s right hand, exalted there,
Thou dost the Father’s glory share.
O guide them, lift them up for aye;
We magnify Thee day by day,
Thy name we worship and adore,
World without end, for evermore.
Niceta: Thee God we praise L 10:7.8.11 ELH 44:7.8.11 tr. C. Døving;
tune: Old Hundredth