At the Last Supper, Jesus told his disciples, 23"I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."
When we pray in the "name of Jesus," our prayers are like a blank check. Jesus has signed his name and all we have to do is fill in the amount requested. He has given us his own credit card and has told us the PIN number. Our prayers are like a shopping spree! Our prayer joy will be complete!
Jesus did not tell the disciples what to pray for. We can pray for "whatever" we want to. But Jesus said to pray in "his name," so I think our prayers should be something that honors his name, as we say in the Lord's Prayer: "hallowed be your name." We do not want to pray for something sinful that would embarrass Jesus or hurt the reputation of his name! That does not mean that we can only ask for spiritual or religious things. We can ask for "whatever" we want to, because that is what we pray for when we pray "give us this day our daily bread," because "daily bread" means whatever we need for this life, food, clothing, house and home, family and friends, work and hobbies, good health, good weather, a nice church, good government, world peace, and "whatever" else we need and want.
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples on the evening when he was betrayed. When he was betrayed and captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, his disciples left Jesus alone and ran and hid themselves. Jesus foretold that they would be "scattered, each to his own home" (v.32). So, Jesus would probably have suggested that they pray for faith and endurance and courage. This should be our prayer, too. We too are surrounded by things that challenge our faith and obedience to Christ. For example, historians and scientists challenge the Bible. The most recent Bible challenge is about Noah's Ark, whether or not it has actually been found on Mt. Ararat. We have doubts when are prayers are not answered as we expected. We start wondering when we have problems in life. And there are the many and various temptations which would lead us astray and scatter us from Jesus. We worry that we might lose our salvation.
These are the things about which we pray. We worry about these things and it takes away our peace of mind. Jesus promised we would have problems. Nevertheless, we pray that God would take away all our problems. People want to have peace in their minds, peace in their lives, and world peace, too. People come to church seeking an answer to their problems. Jesus knows our worries and fears, our sufferings and failures. Therefore he encouraged his disciples and us to pray. And he gave these beautiful words: 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus has overcome the world! That is the victory of the cross. He overcame sin and the devil. Jesus shows that he is stronger than "whatever" might be in the world. Yes, it seemed that death had conquered Jesus, but he overcame it on the third day. Yes, it seems that death will conquer us, too, but Jesus has shown us that we too will rise from the dead and live for eternity. Therefore we can take heart. Therefore we can have peace. There is peace for us in this world.
In this Gospel passage, Jesus was not talking about world peace or social justice and civil peace or even peace within the family. Jesus was talking about a wonderful peace that we have in the midst of war, in the midst of injustice, in the midst of protests, and in the midst of quarrels. This peace is faith in Jesus. It is calm confidence in the power of God. It knows that Jesus is with us always and will never let us be scattered. There is peace because we know that God the Father always hears our prayers and that we can pray for "whatever" we ask in the Name of Jesus.
Amen.