John 16:24: Why Should God Listen?

The Men's Study continues again next week, and our verse focuses on Jesus' promise to his disciples that the Father would listen to their prayers:

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. - John 16:24

Jesus is in crunch time. Jesus is aware, as his followers are not, what Judas' earlier departure meant (John 13:30). Jesus is speaking clearly, in private, in a way he has never done before, but his clearly spoken words are making their head spin:

Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying." - John 16:17-18

Jesus acknowledges their question, but doesn't answer directly. First, he tells them three things: 1) things are going to get much worse before it gets incredibly better (vs. 20-22), 2) when that happens, their relationship with the Father will change forever (vs. 23-27) The key sign that the "better" has come is that they will "ask" the Father and they will "receive".

This plain talk is a shift in style by Jesus. The disciples, recognizing this, are overjoyed because they sense that their relationship with their rabbi has been taken to a new level. This shift in Jesus' tone started back in chapter 15: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends..." (John 15:15a). Woo hoo! "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech!" his disciples exclaim. We're in the inner circle. We're in on the secrets.

They only heard half of what Jesus said. But they clearly understood that there was a shift in their standing with the Father. The Father would listen not just to Jesus ("I am not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf") but listen to them directly ("my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name").

We have what Jesus' early disciples experienced. Through Jesus' character and reputation (his 'name'), the Father loves and listens to us.