Continuing His conversation with the disciples, Jesus provides three gigantic insights. Those insights further underscore the interconnectedness of our faith in Christ. In previous verses, Jesus declared, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me.” (John 14:11a, NASB95) That is followed with, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” (John 14:12, NASB95) While Jesus didn’t describe those greater works, He does give us insight into how those will come to pass.
The ”how” is three-fold. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:14–17, NASB95) If we ask, if we love, and through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus laid down a bold statement, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” And yet it doesn’t seem to work that way. Just because I ask in Jesus’ name for a grander home, a new supercar, or a bulging bank account doesn’t mean it will happen. Many have tried and failed, resulting in shipwrecked faith or self-imposed condemnation. James wrote later, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3, NASB95) Our motives in these works are vital!
Jesus next said something we may not want to hear or embrace with the same gusto as His previous statement. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” But what are His commandments? (see Jesus Says on our resources page https://lambchow.com/resources/) Basically, Jesus’ commands are to love God with everything you are and love others. But if you think about it, really ponder it, Jesus’ commands are a very high standard that seems impossible. You see, those others that we’re supposed to love aren’t always that lovable or desirable. So how do we keep Jesus’ commands?
Jesus gives us the answer in the third declaration – He will give us the Holy Spirit. And in a way, we circle back to where we began. Jesus operated by abiding in the Father. We operate by abiding in Jesus, His Word, and the Holy Spirit – and they in us. Those impossible things that we ask Jesus for are being worked out by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. How do we forgive the impossible to forgive? How do we love the unlovable? How do we truly love God with everything we are? By abiding in Jesus, His Word, and the Holy Spirit abiding in us.
Getting this right changes our desires and focus from ourselves to others. It doesn’t mean that we can’t pray for ourselves – of course we can. But it adds a new priority of praying and caring for others, offering grace to others, and being compassionate (love in action) towards others.
Folks often strive after the greater works. I’ve learned that it is better to strive after abiding in Christ, with love towards God and others, while inviting the Holy Spirit’s presence and guidance. Do that, and the works will follow as the Father wills.
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