Gospel of John - Upper Room Discourse Pt. 2 - Doing the Works of God in Jesus' Name -

       

 Upper room Discourse

Doing the Works of God in Jesus’ Name

John 14:12-14

Many are the works of God that Jesus had done. John at the end of His gospel said, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25  

We will be studying the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ promise from the Father for the next three or four weeks. So let’s begin with the first portion of the text, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

The disciples were still in shock about where Jesus was going and that God the Father and Jesus were one. Jesus was preparing them, and he knew that this was way above their pay grade right then. But Jesus wanted them to look back at the tangibles, the miracles, the times of prayer, the time of evangelism in the villages (Luke 9:1-2, Luke 10:1-18), where they came back excited in doing healings, driving out demons, and preaching the good news. Jesus used the tangibles in their three year excursion with him to enlighten them. Then, Jesus lifts the bar a little higher, you “...will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” 

Now Jesus had raised the bar another notch, all of this was only be possible through them because He was going to the Father, and would send the Holy Spirit. They must have sat there spell bound and dumbfounded, for Jesus had just said “they will do even greater things than these.” In their minds it must have seemed inconceivable, how were they going to be like Jesus in doing the works of God, even surpass the mighty wondrous works of God that Jesus had done? To them without Jesus this was impossible. 

Jesus wasn’t talking about the greater quality of the works of God performed during his three years with them: ability to change nature, authority over nature: the wind storm and the cursing of the fig tree, etc.. Jesus was telling them of the greater quantity of works. They are going to do more deeds and acts of miracles because they will be sent out to the world with and by the promise of God. 

Application - I don’t know about you, but I know there are limitations to what I can do in the flesh, even in my own mind. Jesus has given us the very thing that we need to do the works of God. I remember when I first came across this verse as a young Christian. I thought, “All right!!” Then I began to find out I didn’t get everything I wanted because, like the prodigal, it was more for me and my glory than the work of God and his glory. Jesus gave each believer the same promise as the disciples, the Holy Spirit when they believed. Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jn. 20:21-22 

But the Holy Spirit is much more than the seal of our salvation, “...in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Eph. 1:12-14

He is the power of God, the third person of the Trinity. And Jesus knew that the Father knew how to give good gifts, “...how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matt. 7:11 And when Jesus said we are going to do even greater works (quantity, not quality) it is because of the Holy Spirit’s power (more about this in future lessons). 

I don’t know if you have seen miracles, they happen everyday. God’s power is at work through the name of His Son, and these miracles happen at unplanned times, for it is the power of the Holy Spirit to decide what gifts will be used to the Glory of the Father through the Son.  “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:4-11) More about these is future lessons.

So when Jesus says, we will do greater works of God it is because of the promise of Jesus. 

Next, Jesus put his name on the line, not only his but the Father’s as well. Let’s look at the last portion of the text, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Jesus wasn’t giving them a blank check, like the prodigal to go out and have a great time in the worldly way. He wanted them to know, he was giving them whatever they needed in order to do the works of God. He was giving them His name, and he was not limiting it to just the villages of Galilee this time. He had told them during the sermon on the mount, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matt. 7:7-8

Every demon and the devil knew the name of Jesus, the Son of God, and feared it (James 2:19). Nothing that the disciples asked for or needed would be off the table in order to do the works of God, and the Father would be glorified through his Son. The disciples knew that everything that Jesus did was for the glory of the Father, and now Jesus wanted the deeds and actions of the disciples to bring glory to the Father through the Son.

At that moment, none of the disciples had a clue that Jesus would ask the Father to give them the good gift of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 7:11), the third person of the trinity, the power of God. John later wrote “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14 to show how the disciples learned to ask for those things that not only glorified the name of the Father through the Son, but were all according to the will of the Father.

Application - The name of Jesus, all authority in Heaven and Earth, to go and do the works of God the Father, Jesus came to give all disciples the same commission after his resurrection. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt. 28:18-20

In the name of Jesus, the Son of God, we have authority to do the will and works of God the Father for his glory, not ours. It would be interesting to see over the span of two thousand years, all the miraculous healings, the souls saved through the preaching of the Good News, and the demonic hordes that have been bound for final judgment. All for the Glory of God the Father through the name of the Son, Jesus the Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit “And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Acts 19:11-12) But there have been many who have tried to use the name of Jesus for their own glory, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (Acts 19:13-16) 

Even today, churches and people are trying to use the name of Jesus to bring God’s glory upon their ministries, actions, and works, but the works that they do will be tested by fire, “...each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Cor. 3:13-15) and God will be glorified through the name of His Son, Jesus. Many believe that if they ask in Jesus’ name it has to be done, but what they don’t understand is the working of the Holy Spirit, who will only follow the Father’s will, “But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.” (Jn. 16:13)

Jesus has given every believer the same promise, and we are held to the same authority, the name of Jesus. We can use his name for the works of God and all the glory should go to the Father through the Son. Jesus wants us to ask, seek, and have the doors opened so that the world will see and know through our works, deeds, and actions that it is only possible by the authority in the name of Jesus according to the will of the Father, by the determination and power of the Holy Spirit. For example, later Peter and John will suddenly stop and heal a lame man at the gate beautiful at the Temple in Jerusalem. They will be arrested and asked by whose authority they did this miracle. It was by the name of Jesus. In this miracle, the Father is glorified through the name of the Son, by the workings of the Holy Spirit. And in this miracle many believed in the name of Jesus, and became believers. (Acts 3)

The promise hasn’t changed, and we who believe and walk by faith, can do even greater works today for the glory of the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit.

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I am developing a new webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today.  Thank you

http://uss-warfare3.webnode.com