John 14:8-17 [18-27] (NRSV)
Read John 14:8-17 [18-27] on biblegateway.com
Verse 8Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Verse 9Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Verse 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Verse 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.
Verse 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Verse 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Verse 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
Verse 15"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Verse 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. Verse 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.[
Verse 18"I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. Verse 19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. Verse 20On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Verse 21They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them." Verse 22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?" Verse 23Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Verse 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
Verse 25"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. Verse 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Verse 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.]
Devotion
One of the hardest moments of parenting is taking your beloved child off to college. In the weeks before, your intense love for your child makes you want to do your best to set your child up for all that is to come. In today’s gospel reading Jesus’ intense love for his disciples is evident as he prepares them for that moment when he must leave them.
Jesus has that kind of intense love for you too—a love that doesn’t depend on you or what you do; a never-ending love that brings a deep peace that steadies us through whatever comes our way.
God has set us up with all that we need. Even when the world gets more and more divided and hostile, we are invited into an intimate relationship of abiding with the eternal God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This relationship of divine unity, love, and peace has power to sustain us through all the joys and challenges of life.
Prayer
Loving God, people around us and around the world are in dire need of your deep, unending love and peace. As we engage others in conversations and relationships, lead us to do so in ways characterized by your divine love and peace. Amen.
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