Easter VI, May 17, 2020, W.H.

Sermon text:  John 16:23-30

In the name of Jesus who makes it possible for us to talk to God,

Dear Fellow Redeemed:

       The sections of these historic Gospel section read during the Easter season take us back to the night Jesus was betrayed, the night before He would be executed.  It was His farewell address.  St. John records His farewell in detail.  In it, Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure, for His death and His later ascension.

He explained that those who followed Him would live under a cross.  Life would not be sunshine and lollipops.  We might want something different but this is our lot, according to the Savior.

He also filled His farewell address with promises.  He promised the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to be with us to be our helper.  He filled prayer with promises.  He wanted His first

followers and us to know that God always hears us.  The theme: 

JESUS EMPOWERS PRAYER.

This is His way of keeping touch.  It is common when we part.  We ask friends and loved ones to keep in touch.  We can’t actually them but we can do almost everything else.  We can hear their voices and see their faces.  We can text and email and snail mail.

Jesus prepared us for His ascension to the right hand of the

Father.  Then He would remove His visible presence from this world.  For the twelve and for us, He left with promises. 

By prayer, we can keep in touch.  It would be neat if prayer were like other means of communication, if we could click on an app and see Jesus’ face.  We could text and the Savior would text back.  We might wish by prayer to hear His voice or see Him. 

Prayer is more wondrous.  We talk to God.  He promises to

listen.  He promises to answer.  Jesus said:

In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.  Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

       We can pray anywhere.   We may pray without speaking.  God knows our thoughts.  He knows our feelings.  When grief or pain keeps us from words, God hears our groanings.  He is in us.

       Jesus promised.  God is with us everywhere and at all times.  No matter where we are or what we are doing, God hears.  He is as close to us as a prayer, a thought of prayer, a groan of prayer.

God will always answer.  It won’t be by text or email, or voice

mail but He will answer.  God promised.

He speaks in His own way.  He communicates through His word, the Bible.  He speaks to us in worship, as we gather to pray.  Worship is our time to be live with God.  We pray.  He answers by

means of His unchanging and inerrant word.  God commanded:

Pray without ceasing.  I Thess 5:17

He always hears.  He promises whatever we ask in His name.  The Bible is full of examples.  We have examples.  God answers prayers.  God wants to help.  He is more ready to give than we are to ask.  And He loves us.  He gave His life for us.

       He may not give us what we want but God will answer.  He may give us something better.  We just ask.  We pray.

Jesus empowers prayer but He expects us to believe.  Faith is a part of prayer.  Those who do not believe will not be inclined to pray.  Those who doubt will be inclined to prayer most reluctantly.

Doubt affects the frequency of our prayer.  By doubt, we wonder why God would want to listen to us.  We may assume God only answers the prayers of righteous.  We may think God is too busy for sinner like us.  These are Satan’s temptations.

So, Jesus taught us to pray in His name.  Jesus is the very Son of God.  He endorses or cosigns our prayer.  By ourselves, we are not fit to approach God not even to have a conversation.  But we are not by ourselves.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  We pray in faith as if we were Jesus.  He adds His influence to our prayers.

This, His ascension proves.  He had completed His earthly mission.  He returned to the Father making it possible for us to have access to the Father.  By His sacrificial life, death and resurrection, He removed all the barriers between God and us.  God hears our prayers not because we deserve it but because Jesus deserves it.  God loves us not because we are worthy but because Jesus is worthy for us.  All that which would separate us from the Father was taken away from us to the cross.

By faith in Jesus God loves us as much as He loves His only begotten Son.  For Jesus’ sake, God is no longer angry with us.  Nothing stands between us and God, not sin, nor guilt, nor shame, nothing.  God answers prayer because of Jesus.

Given this promise, we can pray often and with confidence. 

Alone and lonely in your room, God is there.  Dr. Luther preached:

In all confidence we can approach him and say, Dear God and Father, I know for a certainty that you love me, because I love your Son and my Redeemer, Jesus Christ; it is in such assurance and trust that I now wish to pray to you.  You will hear my prayer and grant my petition, not because I am so holy or righteous but for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ.

        Sinners pray together.  That is what congregate means, to gather together.  We gather together to be with God together.

       God is here live.  God responds here.  This makes prayer

simple.  We talk and sing to God in hymns and in words.  

And God answers.  Out loud, God speaks.  Jesus said:

Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.  In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.  No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.  I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back

to the Father." 

       Jesus has a new way of speaking to those who congregate in

His name.  He speaks through the voice of His servants.  He said:

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever. Amen.

       God gives us His servants power to speak through His word.   

Our eyes see a servant.  Our faith hears Jesus.  He said:

He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.

Jesus left us with the power of prayer.  Prayer is our part of the conversation.  Hearing, studying, meditating upon God’s word is God’s part.  He speaks plainly.  The more we listen to God

speaking His words and promises, the more we will talk to Him.

God loves us.  He is the power to our prayer.  He listens.  He loves us.  We pray without ceasing.  God answers without ceasing. 

Amen.  Soli Deo Gloria!