Saturday, May 9
John 14:27-29
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
Devotional
“I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”
Buying or selling a house is a strange experience. You almost never meet the buyer or seller directly. Instead, you work through a real estate agent—someone who mediates the relationship on your behalf.
The disciples Jesus is speaking to in this passage would have understood that idea well. In their world, priests served as mediators between God and the people. If you wanted to approach God, you went through the priesthood. But in this moment, Jesus is revealing something they may not have fully grasped: he is the true mediator. He is stepping into a priestly role that redefines how people relate to God.
Later, the book of Hebrews—written after the resurrection—develops this idea even further. There, Jesus is named our “great High Priest,” the one who perfectly represents us before the Father. In other words, Jesus is not just a priest; he is the only priest we ultimately need.
Just like in real estate, it can be confusing to know who should be “in the middle” of your relationship with God. But as Lutherans, we celebrate the good news that there is only ever one mediator: Jesus Christ. Pastors, mentors, and spiritual leaders are gifts—but they are not the ones who make you right with God. Jesus does.
So the next time you wonder whether you’ve got the right representation in your relationship with God, the answer is simple: yes.
You have Jesus.
And he is all you need.
– Pr. Jason
Let us pray: Jesus, thank you for being our Great High Priest who makes a way for us into a relationship with your Father in heaven. Amen.
