May 23, 2026

Today's Reading: John 14:8-21

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 20:22-21:9; Luke 20:45-21:19

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Let’s be honest. At first glance, this is a difficult reading. 

First, there’s Jesus’ criticism of Philip, who made a very pious-seeming request to see God the Father. “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (Jn 14:9) Maybe a little stung, would our self-talk reply, “C’mon, Philip! Don’t bring your silly requests to Jesus! You should know better!”

Then Jesus makes the connection between loving Him and obeying His Commandments. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (v. 15) And again, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (v. 21). Again, consciences pricked by the Law, our poor record of keeping the Commandments makes us ask how sincerely we love Jesus.

So, do you really know Jesus? Do you really love Jesus? Not very well, it seems.

And yet, in the very middle of this reading is a promise from Jesus: He will ask the Father who will send the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Spirit of truth.

We confess in the Catechism, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His Gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

On our own, we cannot know Jesus. On our own, we cannot keep His Commandments. But we are not on our own. Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to be with us forever. It was not up to us to make ourselves Christian. It is not up to us to keep ourselves Christian. The Spirit does for us what we could never do for ourselves. And He does not abandon us once He has given us the Gift of faith. He both gives the Gift of faith and enables us to live as faithful people. The Helper remains with us forever. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Almighty and ever-living God, You fulfilled Your promise by sending the gift of the Holy Spirit to unite disciples of all nations in the cross and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. By the preaching of the Gospel spread this gift to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for Pentecost Eve)

Rev. Jeffrey Hemmer, pastor of Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, IL and Signal Hill Lutheran Church in Belleville, IL