"The Way to the Father" John 14:1-14

We are now in the main part of what scholars call "The Upper Room Discourse," a set of teachings offered to prepare the disciples for when he was no longer with them. In chapter 13:33 he says, "My children, I will be with you only a little longer." They have no idea the horrible ordeal they are about to endure in the following days. The teachings in John 14-17 would mean much more after the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Verses 1 and 27 form a framework for this teaching with the repeated phrase, "Do not let your hearts be troubled..."

First, Jesus tries to comfort them with words about the after-life. He is going "to the Father" and will be preparing places for them. I was raised with the King James Version in which it reads "In my father's house are many mansions." I have always loved that old hymn, "I've got a mansion, just over the hilltop, in that bright land where we'll never grow old." Maybe you have joked with others around you about what kind of housing certain people will have in heaven: palatial estates for faithful long-term saints and "pup tents" for the less saintly or death-bed confessioners. But the new translations are likely more accurate, with the metaphor of a huge house with many, many specially prepared rooms.

As we have seen many times before, Jesus' figurative conversation is misinterpreted as literal. In describing "the way," Jesus is not talking about an itinerary. He is talking about a way to be in relationship with the Father, as being a resident of this big, big house. One of my favorite early songs by the group Audio Adrenaline (from the 1990s) is "Big House." It sings,

"Come and go with me to my Father's house. It's a big, big house with lots and lots of room, a big, big table with lots and lots of food, a big, big yard where we can play football. A big, big house. It's my Father's house."

This is one of the places in scripture (along side Acts 4:12) that makes witnessing in our multi-religious environment challenging. It is important to note what this passage does not say, namely, that all other religions are going to hell. Jesus states without any condemnation that he is the way to the Father. There is no doubt that the early Christians experienced something decisive, that in Jesus they encountered God in a way they had not previously - even though they had faith in God already. Through Jesus they came to know the Father and we enter that relationship the same way. When I am sharing my Christian faith with those of other religious beliefs, I do not condemn or threaten, but I do share the difference that Christ has made in my life. But this needs to be where a growing relationship is already in process. The old adage is true, "People don't care what you know until they know how much you care."

Jesus clarifies with them that all they have experienced together with Jesus was to show them what God is really like: the love they have developed, the teachings they have learned, the miracles they have seen and done. But even all that was preparatory for what God the Father would do through them if they believed. Verse 12 is a mind blower,

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

I can't imagine doing greater things than feeding 5, 000 with five dinner rolls and two fish sticks or raising the dead. But what I believe Jesus is saying that before he went to the Father everything was limited to what he could do. Jesus walked only about 150 miles of this planet and ministered only for three years, as an individual. What if the power of God could be made portable in many believers? Then the impact would be multiplied. That will be the topic of tomorrow's blog, coming from the rest of John 14.

But before we leave this passage, verses 13 and 14 have often been considered in extremes. One extreme ignores them, as if Jesus didn't really mean it. Christians of this sort tend to see prayer as a way of calling on a general influence for good but with very little results. As one preacher said in jest, "Blessed are those who don't expect much in prayer, for they will not be disappointed." The other extreme uses these verses to control the hand of God. If I pray fervently and believe strongly than God must do as I ask.

A middle ground is called for. First, we are told to ask "in His name," which is not a magic formula, but rather praying it as a proxy for Jesus (in other words we believe this is what Jesus wants, not just us). God may have a greater purpose in mind and need to achieve what we pray for in a different way than we pray. God has the freedom to say yes to our prayers, to say no to them, or to say "wait a while." Prayer in faith is not twisting God's arm to fit our desires. Second, we are invited to boldly ask God for anything, for nothing is impossible. Our faith is part of the equation that sets loose the hand of God in our lives and in our world. Bottom line: We believe and pray openly and confidently, but we don't arm twist, because in the end, the Father is still God, and we are not.