February 23, 2021

John 14:12-14, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

There are a couple of majorly fascinating parts to this text. The first is that Jesus claims we will actually do greater works than he has done if we believe in Him. And his reasoning for this statement is that he is “going to the Father.” Jesus would ascend 40 days after his resurrection. The work of Christ in the world then is carried on through the church, powered by the Holy Spirit. Will we do greater works than Christ? It’s marvelous to think about - but the answer is yes! The gospel will go further, convert millions more, and change the world in a way that many would have thought unthinkable at the time of Christ. The second fascination is in this promise that whatever we ask for in his name, he will do it. “In Christ’s name” is the operative phrase here. We ask for things all the time with our own motivations in mind; we’re always a mix of sin and sincerity. We further don’t know the will of God, so sometimes things that are temporarily bad can prove to be good in the kingdom of God. The emphasis here from Jesus is on the asking - that we would seek the Lord, and ask for his guidance and provision as we seek to do his work in the world.

Prayer: Jesus, be our guide as we seek to make decisions in line with your will. Help us to trust in you when things don’t go our way, and trust in you when calamity arrives. Let us take seriously the privilege we have in this promise that your church will take the gospel to the ends of the earth, and will be the cause of salvation for many who trust in your name. Let us rediscover the joy in that privilege and let us be sobered by the truth that you would accept us as we are. Amen.

40 Days of Joy: Oatmeal Creme Pies. ‘Nuff said.