Today's passage: John 16:16-24
Helpful thoughts:
- Jesus was about to be crucified. Then after His resurrection, the disciples would see Him again.
- The disciples have asked many questions up to this point, but when the Spirit comes they will understand (Because the Spirit will guide them in the truth). Their questions will stop. Instead of fear and confusion, they will have joy that no one can take away.
- As the disciples moved forward in their apostolic ministry, they would instead ask of the Father in Jesus' name (Meaning, for the cause of Christ). As God answered their prayers for the cause of Christ, their joy would continue to grow.
Questions to consider:
- What does praying “in Jesus' name” mean? Is it just a polite prayer closing? What does it look like for us to pray toward the cause of Christ's kingdom today?
- How would this idea of asking of the Father for the cause of Christ help us to evaluate the content of our prayers? What is the end goal of most of my prayers?
- Where does joy come from in our prayers? How might continually praying for things that bring comfort and ease (Or that eliminate potential stress from my life) actually be a cause of more stress and anxiety? How could praying about the cause of Christ and then seeing God answer those prayers produce a joy that cuts through other difficulties?