(Audio version; Music: "Take This City" by: Everfound and "Touch The Sky" by: Hillsong United)
Introduction
It’s been almost
thirty years now since I first met my good friend, Bob, at the prestigious
facility where we both worked. Bob is almost fifteen years older than I am and
held the top management position while I was making sure the bottom of the
ladder didn’t get lonely. For whatever reason, he took an interest in me and
over the years trained me and taught me and kept promoting me until I held the
position that was second only to him. I had never had anyone in my life that
encouraged me the way Bob encouraged me. What was most important to me; what
drove me was that Bob believed in me. We became great friends and remain that
way to this day. When Bob moved on to a much-deserved senior management
position with another company, I moved into his position. Although Bob was no
longer there, his belief in my ability to do the job was by then deeply rooted
in my life. Over the last two decades, I have gone on to start and operate two
of my own companies, complete graduate school, begin this ministry, and begin
my doctoral studies. My point in telling you this is not to try to impress you
in some way. Instead, I want to establish a stark contrast to the way I was
raised. When I was growing up, my father often reminded me that I was “worthless”
and a “dumb jackass.” As a result, achieving and risking were not part of my
character. However, Bob thought highly of me and believed in me and along with
the encouragement of my amazing wife was used by God to guide me along the path
to this point in my life where I have the opportunity to offer encouragement not
only to my own children but also to countless people around the world through
this ministry. I am so very thankful for Bob and his encouragement because I
know how powerful it has been in my life.
The idea of
“belief” is not foreign in the Bible. I know that I’m stating the obvious but
“belief” in God is the central idea of the Bible. But what if told you that “belief”
is reciprocal between us and God? I know some of you are frowning right now but
just stay with me for a bit and I’ll try to explain. We “believe” in God; put
our “faith” in Jesus because of who He is and what He has done in us, to us and
for us. But doesn’t God believe in us in a certain respect? Didn’t God say that
He has prepared great works for us to do (Eph 2:10)? If so, then that must mean
that God “believes” we can accomplish those things. Can you imagine God saying:
“___________ (insert your name) I believe in you!” Wow! Is there anything you
couldn’t accomplish? I mean, the Creator of the universe believes in you! That’s almost too hard to fathom,
but I’ll let you in on a little secret—God does this all the time, it’s just
that we’re not always listening well. I believe God says to those who seek to
be faithful and obedient to Him: “I believe in you! You Will Do Great Things!”
Subject Text
John
14:12-14
12I
tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He
will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And
I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the
Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Context
It
appears from the context that Jesus is speaking these words during His last
meal with His
disciples. Chapter 13 tells us that it was the evening before the Passover Feast
and that Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure. This is important
in light of Jesus’ words to His disciples in our Subject Text. The disciples were witnesses to all of Jesus’
miracles—the exorcisms (Mt 12:22-23; Mk 9:14-29; Lk 8:30-39), healings (Mt
8:5-13; Mk 7:24-30; Lk 17:11-19; Jn 9:1-41), resurrections (Lk 7:11-17; Mk
5:21-24, 35-43; Jn 11:1-44), overturning the laws of nature (Mt 15:32-39; Mk 11:12-14;
Lk 5:1-11; Jn 6:16-21). Why is this an important point? Because Jesus uses the
evidence of His miracles to convince His disciples of the truth of His
teachings and to prove that He is “The Way and Truth and the Life” and that “No one” gets to the Father unless they
go through Him. Jesus has drawn a line in the sand with these words. The Way to
ultimate Truth; the Way to eternal Life; the Way to the Father, is not by
keeping the Law perfectly; not by being a good person; not by going to church;
not by giving money; not by anything we do. The Way is a personal relationship
with Jesus! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).” Can you
imagine what is going through the minds of the disciples at this point? They are
replaying all the miracles now in the context of Jesus claiming to be one with
the Father in the verses leading up to our Subject
Text so that when Jesus gets to our Subject
Text and says “You Will Do Great Things!” they had to be staring at Him in disbelief!
The Lord of all creation; the Healer; the Giver and Sustainer of life; the One
who walks on water, believes in me! Their heads had to be swimming by this
point. Let’s look at our Subject Text
and try to hear what they heard in Jesus’ words.
Text Analysis
12I
tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.
He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Everything
about our Subject Text can be desperately
confusing beginning with v. 12. Jesus
says if we have faith in Him then we will be able to do what He has done. But He
doesn’t stop there. No, Jesus goes on to say that we will do even greater
things. Let’s see…we just reviewed Jesus’ miracles and His claims about Himself
in relation to the Father. So what are these “greater things” Jesus is
referring to? Well it’s not really as mysterious as it seems but let’s look at
the first part where Jesus promises that His disciples will do what they saw Him
doing. We don’t have to read too far along to find the fulfillment of that
promise. The disciples, like Jesus, performed miracles: Exorcisms (Acts 16:18);
healings (Acts 3:7-11; 5:12-16; 14:8-18, etc.); resurrections (Acts 9:39-42;
20:8-12); overturning the laws of nature (Acts 4:31; 5:19; 12:10; 16:26, etc.).
Whether or not, in our cynical state of enlightenment, we are able to recognize
miracles in our present age, we must admit that the Scriptures affirm Jesus’
promise to the disciples that they would do what they saw and understood Him to
do. Having established that, we can move on to Jesus’ other promise that the
disciples would do even “greater things.”
What
could be “greater” than relieving someone of their demonic possession? That
depends on who you ask—If you ask the person possessed or the people who had to
endure that person, nothing could be “greater.” But would Jesus agree? What
could be “greater” than curing someone’s infirmity? That depends on who you
ask—If you ask the person who received their sight or hearing or ability to talk
or if you ask the person who is no longer sick, or the people who care for
those who are infirm, nothing could be “greater.” But would Jesus agree? What
could be “greater” than raising someone from the dead? That depends on who you
ask—If you ask the person raised from the dead or the survivors, nothing could
be “greater.” But would Jesus agree? What could be “greater” than being able to
manipulate the laws of nature? That depends on who you ask—If you ask the
person who could steer severe weather away from your home and the home of
others that might be injured, nothing could be “greater.” But would Jesus
agree? I’m purposely being redundant in order to illustrate a point. Jesus and
his disciples performed all these miracles and many more yet people continue to
be possessed by demonic forces; people continue to suffer with cancer, birth
defects and every other unimaginable infirmity; people continue to die at all
ages and people are still devastated by horrific natural disasters. So perhaps
we should reconsider our understanding of the general purpose of these and
other miracles. Perhaps we should begin to understand them as markers or
signposts directing us to something else; something “greater.” Perhaps we
should begin to understand them as a reminder of the way things should have
been and will be again someday; maybe they are a reminder of something
“greater.” What if the “greater” thing that Jesus was referring to has been
staring us in the face the whole time? Pick the greatest thing that Jesus ever
did—could that be the “greater thing” that Jesus was talking about? I don’t
know what you picked as the greatest thing Jesus did but I picked Jesus’
greatest work as making it possible for me to be reconciled to God for
eternity. If the “greater thing” Jesus’ wanted to do was to do more miracles
then wouldn’t that have been His preeminent instruction to His disciples? Go
and do miracles! I would think so, but it wasn’t. Instead, what was Jesus’
primary instruction to His disciples? You can find it at the end of Matthew’s gospel:
“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 (Mt 28:19-20).”
Do you remember
what this is referring to? It is best known as “The Great Commission!” Could
this be the “greater thing” that Jesus was referring to? I believe it is! “Is
the point in view not rather the conveying to people of the spiritual realities
of which the works of Jesus are ‘signs’? All the works of Jesus are significant
of the saving sovereignty of God at work among humankind through the
eschatological Redeemer. The main reality to which they point, and which makes
their testimony a set of variations on a single theme, is the life eternal of
the kingdom of God through Jesus its mediator.”[1]
13And I will do
whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You
may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Although
we have perhaps established some clarity to v.12, we’re now left trying to understand vv. 13-14 which can be even more confusing. Jesus says that He will
do anything for us that we ask in His name. Ok by show of hands, how many of
you have tried this and failed? Yeah, me too! It seems so easy doesn’t it? Just
pray for something, throw in the words “In Jesus’ name” at the end and: Poof!
Stand back and watch the miracles happen! Except when you’re sitting at the
bedside of your child who has cancer, there’s no: “Poof!” Only sickness, pain
and sorrow. When you’re standing over the grave of a loved one, there’s no: “Poof!”
Only grief, anger and loneliness. We pray for a child addicted to drugs and
living on the street to be healed and come home but it doesn’t happen. We pray
that our marriage will be healed and our spouse would love us the way they once
did, but it doesn’t happen. We pray that our lessons and classes would be
easier, but it doesn’t happen. We offer countless prayers “in Jesus’ name” that
are never answered. So we think we’re left with only one of two options: Either
God won’t answer our prayers or He can’t. But what if it’s not that easy?
What if it’s not “either/or”? “To pray ‘in Jesus’ name’ is to pray in union
with Jesus’ person and purpose because the ‘name’ of a person symbolized his
essence and destiny.”[2]
During Jesus’
time, officials and wealthy landowners would send representatives to do
business on their behalf. In the process of doing this business, the representative
represented the official or landowner’s name as though the official or
landowner had themselves been involved in the business dealing. As such, the
representative wouldn’t or couldn’t do something contrary to what the actual
official or landowner would or could do. It’s kind of like this when we pray
“in Jesus’ name.” Let me illustrate: What if we prayed, “in Jesus’ name,” to be
able to break the law without being caught? When the prayer goes unanswered, is
it because God can’t or won’t answer? Neither and both! It’s because the prayer
misrepresented the name of Jesus. A prayer was made in the name of Jesus that
Jesus wouldn’t have made! This illustration is rather obvious but the same
principle applies to all prayers offered “in Jesus’ name” even if they seem
completely legitimate. God hears all prayers but answers those that are in
accordance with His will whether we think it’s fair or not. Ultimately, all
answered and unanswered prayers will serve to bring glory to God at all times.
What then does it
mean to pray in the name of Jesus? “This is not some magical formula. It
signifies that the suppliant takes the posture and attitude of Christ toward
God and toward the world. To pray ‘in his name’ is therefore to pray in a
manner consistent with our new identity effected by the reconciliation of God
and humans in Jesus Christ. That is to say, the use of Jesus’ name in prayer is
effective not as some sort of password that can be used indiscriminately by
every petitioner. It is only effective to pray ‘in Jesus’ name’ if we are truly
living in the name of Jesus. This
phrase, then, has more to do with the identification of the person who prays
than it does with right methods or conditions of prayer. Such prayer guards
against a misreading of God’s nature and will, and saves prayer from human
selfishness and presumption.”[3]
So
are these verses bound together in an unbroken circle that includes the
“greater things” of spreading the Gospel message and praying in Jesus’ name to
be able to do the “greater things” of spreading the Gospel message and nothing
else? Are all other prayers offered in Jesus’ name, if they do not have the
fulfillment of the Great Commission in mind, irrelevant? Yes and no. Sorry, I
wish it were that basic but the two are bound together in the everyday life of
believers in ways we don’t always realize. “Yes,” because spreading the Gospel
message is always the “greater thing.” “No,” because we don’t just pray “in
Jesus’ name” for the opportunity to do the “greater thing.” We pray for many
different things yet God always seems to use our various prayers to accomplish
the “greater thing” anyway. Let me try and illustrate.
During the 2nd
century AD, the Roman Empire experienced what some believe was the first
recorded appearance of smallpox in the west. The pandemic was so devastating
and widespread that it is reported that at least one third of the empire’s
population died over a fifteen-year period. At its height, it is reported that
as many as 5,000 people were dying each day. In the midst of this, unbelievers
who could, were fleeing the empire while Christians remained behind to care for
the sick and dying at the very real risk of being infected themselves.
Dionysius wrote:
“Most
of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing
themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took
charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in
Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy; for they were infected
by others with the disease, drawing on themselves the sickness of their
neighbors and cheerfully accepting their pains. Many, in nursing and curing
others, transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead…The best
of our brothers lost their lives in this manner, a number of presbyters,
deacons, and laymen winning high commendation so that death in this form, the
result of great piety and strong faith, seems in every way the equal of
martyrdom.”[4]
Nevertheless, the
mortality rate for Christians was far lower than that of unbelievers because
Christians cared for Christians and others who grew sick until they grew strong
enough to care for themselves while unbelievers cared only for themselves until
they were too sick and weak and would eventually die. Dionysius continued: “The
heathen behaved in the very opposite way. At the first onset of the disease,
they pushed sufferers away and fled from their dearest, throwing them into the
roads before they were dead and treated the unburied corpses as dirt, hoping
thereby to avert the spread and contagion of the fatal disease; but do what
they might, they found it difficult to escape.”[5]
So what, I’m sure
you might be wondering, does this have to do with our Subject Text or your everyday life? I’m getting to it. I surmise
that it is quite likely that these Christian caretakers prayed for healing for
those who were in their care. In fact, we shouldn’t be surprised if they
offered those prayers in Jesus’ name. Not all survived but many did. So what
was the point then? How does this relate to the “greater thing” Jesus was
referring to? “For one thing, if, during the crisis, Christians fulfilled their
ideal of ministering to everyone,
there would be many pagan survivors who owed their lives to their Christian
neighbors. For another, no one could help but notice that Christians not only
found the capacity to risk death but were much less likely to die.”[6]
The result of these actions by Christians during this particular crisis was
instrumental in the significant expansion of Christianity during and after
those years of disease, death and restoration. Ultimately, the “greater thing”
was accomplished even if that was not the overall objective of the caregivers.
Those believers cared deeply for the health and welfare of those who were sick
and dying and that was a great thing. But the “greater thing” was that some of
those who became well (and maybe even some of those who didn’t) through the
care and prayers of believers became Christians themselves.
Simple, everyday
Christians were instrumental in making that happen! If I have established that
this is the “greater thing” Jesus was referring to then it is truly amazing
that He “believes” in us enough to include us in the process. It is no small
matter to encourage someone to do great things and this is exactly what Jesus
was doing with His disciples and what countless Christians do every day with
believers and unbelievers alike. With the exception of convincing someone that
they are loved, I’m not sure there is anything more powerful than the
encouragement of hearing the words, “I believe in you! You Will Do Great Things!”
Application
Like
most of his friends, Alfred grew up in a home without a father and was raised
by his mother. His passion in high school was to play in the marching band.
However, he was big and strong even for his age and his high school football
coach eventually convinced him to give up marching band and try out for
football. In a very short time, Alfred became a star high school football
player in Houston, Texas who caught the eye of many college football scouts. He
eventually agreed to play college football at the University of Colorado. Alfred
was recruited by then head football coach, Bill McCartney. Well actually,
according to Alfred, McCartney recruited Alfred’s mom by promising her that he
would take care of her son.
Alfred tells the story that he didn’t really
take his opportunity to play college football very seriously and like many
18-year olds, he took his talents for granted. After some time, Coach Mac (as
everyone affectionately knows him here in Colorado), a devoted Christian, took
Alfred aside to speak with him privately. Alfred says that Coach Mac looked him
in the eyes and said: “Alfred, I believe in you. You are going to be a great
football player.” Alfred recalls that this singular event spoke to the very
core of his being. People had simply used his skills to accomplish their goals
but this was the first time someone believed in him for his sake. Alfred
Williams went on to be a consensus All-American in 1989, a unanimous
All-American and Butkus Award winner in 1990. He was the captain of the 1990 University
of Colorado National Championship Team and was inducted into the College
Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He was drafted 18th overall in the
1991 National Football League draft out of 334 players drafted that year. He
was selected as an All-Pro defensive end in 1996 and was an instrumental part
of the Denver Broncos championship football teams of 1997 and 1998. Of the
countless stories Alfred has shared about his career, being told that someone
believes in him and believes he will do great things, he says, was the
transformative event of his life.
We
won’t all have the opportunity to encourage a football champion but that shouldn’t
stop us from encouraging the people in our lives that we believe in them. This
is not just a matter of words. This is a process of being deeply involved with
people so that your words of encouragement carry weight in their lives. Let me
just add a few practical suggestions to help you in this regard. First, if you
come across someone who is an encourager in your life, hold fast to that person
and don’t let go because those people are few and far between. Then, if you
have been the beneficiary of encouragement, cultivate a relationship with
someone in need of encouragement and be the person in their life to lift them
up and inspire them to do “great things.” Additionally, move outside your own
age demographic. If you are young, find someone older than you are to encourage.
At times, older people require more encouragement than do younger people
because older people, at times, believe their value has diminished. If you are
older, find a young person to encourage. You know very well how discouraging
life can be. Be there for a young person so when the difficulties of life begin
to wear away their confidence. You can be there to lift them up and encourage
them to do “great things.” If Christ believed in us to do “greater things” than
he did, it is incumbent on us to regularly encourage those we are in
relationship with by telling them, “I believe in you! You Will Do Great Things!”
[1]
George R. Beasley-Murray, John, Word
Biblical Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p.
254.
[2]
Bruce Barton, Philip Comfort, Grant Osborne, Linda K. Taylor, and Dave Veerman,
Life Application New Testament Commentary,
(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), p. 436.
[3]
Walter A. Elwell, ed., Baker Theological
Dictionary of the Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996), p. 624.
[4]
Rodney Start, The Rise of Christianity,
(Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1996), p. 82.
[5]
Ibid., p. 83.
[6]
Ibid., p. 90.
