Home Making

by Patrick Gretzinger

Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. –John 14:22-24

Jesus manifests himself to those who love him. Judas asks his question because he is still hoping for an earthly kingdom. His concept of Jesus ministry is still in the context of public miracles and a permanent dwelling with all the people of the earth. Because of this he cannot grasp what it means for Jesus to manifest himself to his saints and not to the world.

Jesus, however, has already explained that the world lacks the faculties to know him. Even when he walked amongst the world it did not know who he was. It saw his miracles and heard his word, yet it refused to recognize him. His presence in the world would make no difference to its ability to see him. Seeing him was then, even as it is today, a matter of faith.

Many of us still wonder why Jesus does not make himself known to the world. We forget that the world does not know him because it does not want to know him. Knowing him means seeking him in word and deed. It means sacrificing our time and energy to the study of his Word and to prayer, and living out what he has commanded. This in turn means imitating him by sacrificing ourselves for each other. The world hates sacrifice. It only wants to consume; which is why it refuses to see Jesus – it does not want to go to the places where he can be met. But going to those places – places of sacrifice – is what strengthens our faith, and enables us to see him. We fail to meet Jesus because we do not want to do what he has commanded. We are told that when we love him he and the Father will make their home with us. In this text we have been told where he and the Father live – the problem is we do not always like the way to the house.