Sixth Sunday of Easter (1879)

The judgment about whether it is useful or not that one should pray to God stands with Him alone. So many petitioners maintain their prayer as precious and good, like the Pharisees, and yet it is an abomination in the eyes of God. In order that we do not pray in vain, it is extremely necessary that we learn from God's Word what forms part of a godly, hearable prayer and how this can occur. We are able to learn this from our Gospel today. John 16:23-30 About prayer in the Name of Jesus; 1. what does this mean? a. to pray on the Word of the Lord1, b. to pray in reliance on the Lord's merit and intercession, c. to ask what serves to the Lord's glory and for the promotion of His kingdom among us and others; 2. what is the point? a. we are heard, . most certainly, .the Lord says it, .the Lord assures it with His two-fold "truly", . always2 ("He will give it to you...you will receive." God is always more ready to give as we to receive. We do not always receive what we ask, we receive something more useful. God gives more than we ask), b. we are filled with joy; 3. how does one learn this? When the Holy Spirit a. teaches us to recognize our need3 ("Until now you have asked for nothing, etc." Luther: "They felt no need that drove them to ask; they could consider themselves, because Christ was with them, they needed nothing and had enough of everything" etc.4), b. teaches us rightly to recognize Jesus Christ, the Risen One5 ("On the same day" etc. Luther: "Because you shall have not only reasons to ask in some distresses, but also to see and to know what is My Name
Psalm 27:8. John 16:23-24. 3 John 16:24. 4 Erlangen Edition, Vol. 12, p. 147. 5 John 16:25-26.
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and why you should stick with Me; because the request you are asking you do not now understand" etc.6 c. pours out the love of God in our hearts, so that we, who love the Lord Jesus and confess faith in him7, enjoy the love of the Father, Whose Son has purchased us by His going away to the Father8, and never more must purchase us anew9 ("I do not say that I am going to the Father" etc. Luther: "How lovely and sweet can the Lord speak and entice us to Him and to His Father. Here He explains Himself, as it must happen, when one wants to ask in his name" etc.10 G.

Erlangen Edition, Vol. 12, p. 148f. John 16:27. 8 John 16:28f. 9 John 16:26. 10 Erlangen Edition, Vol. 12, p. 148.
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