The one who believes in me will also do the works I am doing, and…greater things…because I am going to the Father. ·And anything that YOU might ask for in my name I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son… ·I will speak with the Father, and he will give to YOU another Advocate [Gr. parakleetos] so that he—the Spirit of truth—may dwell with YOU forever. ·The world cannot receive him since it neither sees nor knows him. YOU know him because he dwells beside YOU and will be in YOU. ·I will not leave YOU alone as orphans; I will come to YOU. ·Yet a little while and the world will no longer see me; but YOU will see me because I am alive; and YOU will live! ·In that day, YOU will understand that I am in my Father, and YOU are in me and I am in YOU. ·The one who loves [Gr. agapaon] me: …holds on to my commandments and keeps them, and…will be loved [Gr. agapeetheesetai] by my Father. I too will love [Gr. agapeeso] that one and show myself to him. (John 14:12-13,15-21 GH[i])

Judas—not the Iscariot one—said, ‘Lord, what has happened such that you will show yourself to us and not to the world?’ ·Jesus answered, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my words; my Father will love him and we will come close to him and make our home with him. ·Those who do not love me do not keep my words. This word…is the word of the Father who sent me. ·These things I have spoken while present with YOU; yet the Advocate [Gr. parakleetos], the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach YOU everything and will remind YOU of all that I have said to YOU. ·Peace…, my peace, I give to YOU, …not like the world gives. Do not let YOUR heart be disconcerted; neither let it be afraid. ·YOU heard how I said, “I am going away” and “I am coming close to YOU.” If YOU loved me YOU would rejoice because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ·I have told YOU before it happens, so that when it does happen YOU may believe.’ (Jn.14:22-29)

…In that Day, YOU will not be asking me any questions… Whatever desire YOU might ask of the Father, in my name, he will give YOU. ·Till now YOU have not asked anything in my name. Ask and YOU will receive, so that YOUR joy may be full. ·The time is coming when I will no longer speak to YOU in metaphors but will outspokenly make known the Father to YOU. ·In that day YOU will ask in my name; for I am not saying to YOU that I will ask the Father for YOU. ·For the Father himself is deeply fond [Gr. philei] of YOU, because YOU have been deeply fond [Gr. pe-philee-kate] of me, and have believed that I came from God, ·…from being with the Father, and have come to the world. Again: I am leaving the world and I am making my way to the Father.’ ·His disciples said, ‘You are talking outspokenly now and not using a metaphor. ·Now we know that you know everything… Because of this we believe that you came from God.’ ·Jesus responded, 'Do YOU believe now?’ (Jn.16:23-31)

Many Christians who read this passage are like the disciples. They only hear Jesus speaking about coming ‘from God’; and they focus on the three times he says ‘my Father. So they don't yet know the complete joy and exceptional peace that are theirs, because they tend to miss all that Jesus says about ‘the Father’ (13 times in the text!) loving them and being their Father too. One reason they may not grasp what Jesus is saying about the new ‘Day’ is because it comes through Jesus going away and coming back twice in quick succession, and not just once. Shortly after this teaching, he goes away by dying on the cross, but comes back so they can see him ‘alive’ again after his resurrection. But for them to experience this new life too, Jesus must go away again at his ascension, and then comes back to them in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is only when Jesus ‘shows’ himself to them this second time, through the Spirit, that they will finally be able to personally experience something ‘greater’ than just knowing Jesus. For the coming of the Holy Spirit is about more than just Jesus' disciples receiving power to do supernatural things like he did; and it's about more than just Jesus coming back to them. Since the Holy Spirit is ‘the promise of the Father’ (Med.#50), each of them will be able, in the new Day, to enjoying family fellowship with the Father as well as with Jesus[ii] (Med.#52).

Previously, Jesus says, they had only known the Holy Spirit as someone walking ‘beside’ them, in Jesus— empowering his words and actions as he walked close to the Father. But when the same Spirit comes ‘in’ them after Jesus' ascension—to ‘my Father and your Father’ (Jn.20:17, Med.#42)—the words and actions of each disciple will also be able to flow out of a direct relationship with the Father. For in this new Day, Jesus intends to be ‘outspoken’ about making the Father known to all of them. If it seemed like he was only talking in ‘metaphors’ about the Father during his time on earth, he does not intend to do so anymore—contrary to what many theologians suggest. Yet the disciples will need to grow up in their relationship with Jesus if the Father is to become the ‘greater’ focus of their faith, and reason for their joy, that Jesus envisions. Small children need the assurance of physically being able to 'see' their father (or mother). Yet when the Spirit comes, the disciples will have to learn to ‘see’ Jesus without being dependent on his physical presence. And as they learn from the Spirit how to relate to Jesus as a ‘Teacher and Lord’ who is also their friend (Jn.13:13; 15:15), and their eldest brother (Med.#5; Med.#7), they will find that they can also ‘see’ their Father better as well (Med.#1).

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit, ‘the Advocate’ [Gr. para-kleetos]. This Greek word literally means: ‘One called-alongside’. As the Spirit comes alongside us, he reminds us of all that Jesus taught—including what he taught about both he and the Father coming ‘close to’ each of us. Yet Jesus also speaks of the Holy Spirit as ‘another Advocate’, implying that he himself had already been serving the Father in this role alongside the disciples for three years. But, according to John, the Holy Spirit does not replace Jesus; for after he returns to the Father, Jesus is ‘called alongside’ [parakleetos] us in a new way. So we now have two Advocates (Med.#52).

Finally, Jesus talks about our responsibilities in this new relationship, with him and with the Father by the Holy Spirit. First, we are expected to return our Father's unconditional, self-giving love [Gr. agapee] by obeying Jesus' teaching, since his words come from the Father. But we also are expected to return his love by believing Jesus' words and approaching the Father boldly with confident faith (Med.#44, Med.#50). Yet many disciples —under the influence of Christian teachers who completely miss Jesus' point—hesitate to even think of having such an intimate relationship with the Father. One such teacher writes:

Even after we have become adopted children of God through Christ, we still live in an earthly orphanage in a state of separation from God, awaiting His return and all the benefits of His full custody.[ii]

Yes, we must still take all sin seriously and remember that Jesus is the only way to the Father (Med.#2). But to not take Jesus' words seriously about direct access to the Father by the Spirit is immature, self-protective unbelief (Med.#52), and therefore also sin!

 Secondly, we need to act like adult sons and daughters when asking for what we need. While Jesus initially tells his disciples that he will respond to their requests, he later says that ‘asking in my name’ actually refers to them bringing their petitions directly to the Father! And by looking carefully at the context of both passages, we can see that Jesus is not inviting us, like little children, to ask for any new toy that strikes our fancy—like a BMW sports car. In the first instance, Jesus invites his disciples to ask for ‘anything’ they need in relation to doing the same works that he did—even ‘greater works’: of mercy, evangelism, miracles, teaching, mentoring, blessing children, prophecy, etc. Later, he speaks of their direct requests to the Father as a response to his ‘fondness’ or friendship-love [Gr. philei] for them. When Jesus spoke earlier of the Father being ‘deeply fond’ [philei] of him as a Son, it was in the context of working together with his Father, after having received the Spirit (Med.#26). Therefore, as we walk in fellowship with our Father and our Eldest Brother—as obedient adult sons and daughters—it is both our privilege and our responsibility to ask confidently in Jesus' name: for more of the Holy Spirit, and for any good thing (Med.#13) that brings glory to our Father.

Have you understood yet the full implications of Jesus' teaching about his going to the Father? Are you coming freely and boldly into your Father's presence by the Spirit, in order to ask him in Jesus' name for what you need? Are your requests made: out of friendship, to work with him, and to glorify him in all you do?

Father, how great is the self-giving love you have lavished on us for fellowship with you and with Jesus: as your sons and daughters, and as your co-workers. (1 Jn.3:1; 1:3; 2 Cor.6:18,1).

By the Spirit of your Son in my heart, as a co-heir with him, I cry: ‘Papa, here I am to do your will; honor me as I serve you and glorify your name. (Gal.4:6; Rom.8:15,17; Heb.10:7; Jn.12:26,28)

I rejoice before you because you are a Father to the fatherless, and you put the lonely in families. You lead us forward with singing; you give gifts to us because Jesus ascended on high. (Ps.68:4-6,18; Eph.4:7-8)

Father, I thank you that you always hear me, and the requests I make to you in Jesus' name. (Jn.11:41; 16:23,26)

[i] The passage is taken from J.K. Mellis, The Good News of the Messiah by the Four Witnesses, pp.238-239 & 244-245.

[ii] Jesus uses the singular in 14:23 & 21. Hence, the Father loves each disciple, and he and Jesus come to make their home with each one.

[iii] Harry W. Schaumburg, False Intimacy: Understanding the Struggle of Sexual Addiction, NavPress, 1992, p.28.