Sermons from the Gospel of John

POWER FOR MINISTRY

JOHN 14:12-14

November 12, 1995

The scene of John 14 must have been one of shock and dismay. Though Jesus had been telling the disciples in the weeks and months before of His impending death and departure, they were now faced squarely with His last words to them. Now the time had come for Him to return to the Father. Now they must be prepared for going on without His bodily presence. We must keep the theme of our context in mind as we look at this text. Jesus was preparing the disciples for living, working, and ministering without His bodily presence. They were so accustomed to leaning on Christ, asking Him what to do, waiting for His action. Now they would face the world without Jesus standing bodily with them. Because of this, He was giving them divine consolations so that their hearts might not be troubled.

It is obvious that the disciples had experienced something that none of us are privy to, i.e., Jesus Christ standing with them bodily, speaking to them in an audible voice, and watching Him carry out His marvelous works. They were so in the habit of depending upon Christ bodily, that they struggled with having to depend upon Him spiritually.

The disciples had to wonder if all they had endured, prepared for, and developed over the previous three years was now over! Christ was leaving. What were they to do? Were they to go into ministerial retirement? Were they to call it quits since the true object and focus of their ministry was leaving?

This is why our Lord began with those immortal words, "Let not your heart be troubled." They were all troubled, which is why "heart" is singular rather than plural. They may have had divisions among them from time to time, but now they stood together with one-heart, a troubled heart. So our Lord unfolds for these disciples and all that would follow after them the way to consolation and courage in the face of living the Christian life.

Notice in John 14 how Christ gives consolation to us, first, in setting the focus of our faith in the Godhead. We are not to trust in ourselves or our merits or our strength. Our dependence is upon the living God who has become our Redeemer and Mediator. Second, we have a future in heaven with ample room for all who trust Christ. We can keep going in the present if we understand the future! And that future culminates with the personal return of Christ for His own. Third, we can take courage in knowing that the way to the Father has been singularly mediated by the Son, our Savior. He has satisfied the justice of God for us and has reconciled us to God so that now we are adopted into His family. We need not worry about getting to the Father, Christ has become the way through His mediatorial offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. Fourth, we know the character and ways of God by seeing Jesus Christ who has revealed God to us. He has "explained" God to our ignorant and darkened minds, so that we might have confidence in His works and ways.

Now the question we must return to is concerning our ministry as Christians. The disciples received encouragement and consolation through Christ's words, but they still faced the question of how they could carry on without Jesus being bodily present. That is a fair question for us as well. We are redeemed by the Lord, only to be sent out into the world as salt and light, as lambs in the midst of wolves, as a spiritual army facing a wicked foe, as light in the midst of darkness. Without the bodily presence of Christ leading the charge, giving instructions, displaying divine power, how can we exercise real Christian ministry?

We must take courage as a redeemed and ministering people. Real Christian ministry takes the focus off ourselves, our problems, and the attractions of the world. It points us to the priority of the Kingdom of God, to eternity, to the glory of our Lord. It rests in the Redeemer.

Talking about ministry is one thing. Doing ministry is quite another thing! How can we carry on the ministry of Christ in this world? Our Lord settles this issue for us in our text. Let's see the two-fold answer to this question.

I. The Expanse of Christian Ministry

None of us would argue that Jesus Christ was the greatest Minister that ever set foot upon this earth! He said that He came 'not to be served, but to serve'. That word conveys the idea of one who is ministering to others. We see the perfect model for ministry in our Lord.

Yet, with the three-plus years of ministry after His baptism, Jesus ended by facing the jeers of the crowds and mocking of the religious leaders. Rather than a following of multitudes, they could be numbered easily by the biblical writers: 120 named in Jerusalem and 500 brethren in Galilee. We could actually get that many people in our building, standing room only, of course! But imagine, 620 followers after the most dynamic and powerful ministry ever exercised on the face of the earth! 620 people were committed as disciples of the Lord of heaven and earth who came to mediate the way to the Father. In many people's eyes, that would not have been very auspicious, especially when you take into account the thousands who followed Christ earlier, but fell away.

But our Lord passes the baton on to the disciples. Now the ministry of the Kingdom was theirs to carry out, with this promise: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father." How can we do greater works than our Lord?

1. Qualification for Ministry

There is something attractive about Christian ministry in the eyes of many in our world. The thought of doing good for others, giving assistance to people in need, displaying acts of gracious service, all 'push the compassion button' in a lot of people. Many jump on board the work of ministry when they see the worthwhile way that Christianity affects the world. But there is one grave problem in this. Unless a person has come to faith in Christ, they do not have the necessary qualification for ministry.

Having served in church ministry for over 20 years, I have observed many people with good intentions joining the noble cause of ministry. Unfortunately, some of these people have not met the first and primary qualification of being born again. Their acts of service cannot do anything to save them, nor will it ultimately satisfy their deep spiritual need. Service brings delight and ultimate satisfaction only when it springs from a new nature born of the Spirit.

Notice how Jesus repeats this qualification for ministry and spiritual blessing in our text of believing in Christ. We saw in 14:1 that He speaks with an imperative, "Believe in God, believe also in Me!" Then in 14:11, another imperative, "Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me." Now in 14:12, our text, Jesus adds the Amen! Amen! to call attention to the priority of what He is saying, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me,..."

We can do a lot of talk about Christian ministry, describe all kinds of worthwhile opportunities available, and seek to motivate all of us to be involved in ministry. But unless you have trusted Jesus Christ and His mediatorial work on your behalf, Christian ministry is the wrong place for you! It is too easy to trust in our efforts and labors, holding them before our eyes as personal justification before God. Yet, Jesus has stated clearly in so many passages, "He who believes has eternal life" (John 6:47). It is not the one who actively serves or does great feats in the name of Christ that has eternal life. It is not our service or ministry that saves us. It is the work of Christ alone, who 'is the way, and the truth, and the life', who calls us to repent of our sins and trust only in Him for our eternal salvation. Have you qualified for Christian ministry?

2. Comparison in Ministry

While the disciples struggled with the idea that their ministries were over since Christ was leaving, He now stuns them with what He promises: "the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do...." With all that Christ did, how can we do the same and even greater?

First, He says, "the works that I do shall he do also." This can be viewed from a couple of important angles. Our work is His work and the type of works He did we too will do.

Our work is His work when He initiates the work and when it is done for His glory. The only strength and power we have for true Christian ministry is through that which our ascended Lord has provided. Just as the Father was in the Son, working through Him, even so as Christians, the Son is in the redeemed, working through us. A little later in John 14 we see this clearly, "In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." 1 Peter 4:11 puts it, "Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

We also can view this passage teaching us that the type of works He did we too will do. Granted, there are some exceptions in this area! We are not capable of exercising Omnipotence as our Lord did as He controlled nature, redirected the elements, and circumvented natural laws. While there are a few instances of the apostles bringing the dead back to life and bringing about extraordinary healings, this was the exception rather than the rule. Most of the believers we read about in the New Testament carried out the work of the Gospel by proclamation rather than the pre-emptory work of signs and miracles. The focal point of Jesus' work was redemption. If we do the works that He does, then we will be about the work of reconciling lost people to the Father, which is precisely what Paul said we have been commissioned to do (II Corinthians 5). There is a clear example of this in the Gospels, where Jesus had been involved in doing all sorts of miraculous works, then while the crowds were clamoring for more, He said to His disciples, (Mark 1:38) And He said to them, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, in order that I may preach there also; for that is what I came out for." It is a Gospel-work rather than a spectacular work that is the thrust of what our Lord is promising.

Second, He says that "greater works than these shall he do." How can we do anything greater than what Jesus Himself did? Some have taken this verse to refer to all sorts of miraculous acts, giving way to a theology of 'signs and wonders' and 'health and wealth'. But we must ask ourselves, 'What work is greater than the saving of a lost soul?' Is physical healing greater? That is only temporary. Is the feeding of multitudes greater? That too is only temporary. Is bringing someone back from the dead greater than the saving of a lost person? As amazing as that is, it too is only temporary. Only those works which last for eternity can be categorized as greater works.

The question we face is whether we will surpass Jesus in terms of greatness. That is an absurdity! The weight of lexical study on this word, greater, favors the idea of 'greater in scope, greater in proportion, greater in intensity, greater in impact'. Because Christ has accomplished His redemptive work, then the impact of the gospel has greater force. The spread of the gospel has gone to the ends of the earth. While that small band of early disciples could have fit into this building, the millions and millions who have been transformed by the gospel could not be crowded into our whole city! The greatness of the work was the fact that now the disciples would work from the vantage point of the accomplished mediatorial work of Christ. It would be greater because our Great High Priest has passed into the heavens before us, having carried out all of the Father's redemptive plans!

3. Foundation for Ministry

This is why Jesus gives the foundation for ministry in this passage: "because I go to the Father." You must tie your interpretation of "the works" and "greater works" with this clause. It is the key to understanding what Jesus was inferring. Rather than the works which Christ's followers would accomplish being of what we would consider the miraculous and spectacular, it was to be works based upon the finished work of Christ. What is greater: A temporal work or an eternal, spiritual work?

We are not in the business of making people more comfortable, but calling them to eternal life and holiness in Jesus Christ! We have a right to do so because our Lord has gone to the Father, i.e., He has gone to the cross, He has been raised from the dead, and He has ascended to the right hand of the Father on high! We can minister the gospel of Christ and carry out the work of God's kingdom because our Lord has finished His saving work! Charles Wesley captured the essence of this passage in his hymn, "A Charge to Keep I Have."

A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify,

A never-dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill;

O may it all my pow'rs engage, to do my Master's will.

II. The Provision for Christian Ministry

Sometimes it is the little words that provide great interpretational keys. The next verse in this text (13) begins with the conjunction, "And." A conjunction always ties things together. Conjunctions show that themes have not been changed, but are simply being enlarged upon. So, in light of this, we see our Lord giving promise for the expanse of Christian ministry, then adding the Provision for Christian Ministry in the work of prayer in verses 13-14.

Prayer is not just something we are to tag on to our busy Christian service. Nor is prayer simply a time to ask God to bless what we have come up with. Prayer is the means of our accomplishing great works for the kingdom of God, for prayer always places the dependence upon our Lord as the source, strength, and power for ministry.

There are some unbiblical views of prayer that seem to pervade people's thoughts in our day. Many use prayer as 'a lucky talisman' to get what they need. Others use prayer as 'the vindicator of their plans and even their sins' ('Well, I prayed about this...'). Some make prayer a religion in itself. But our text casts aside such spurious views of prayer! Prayer, in the teaching of Christ in our text, is the means of divine provision for Christian ministry.

1. Scope of Prayer

"And whatever you ask in My name...," our Lord tells the disciples, showing the scope of prayer. The scope of prayer, that is, the broad realm which prayer affects, is bounded by two key phrases, "whatever" and "in My name."

Whatever is certainly a broad term! Does our Lord mean that we can use prayer in the same way we used to think of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue? Is prayer the time to bring our shopping list before God and greedily cry out for more and more?

If the word "whatever" is to be taken in its broadest sense, then there is no limit to what I am able to ask in prayer and Jesus, on His part, has committed to do. I can pray for a new condominium on West Palm Beach, maybe one next to the Kennedy's compound! I can pray for a new Ferrari sports car for me and why not a Jaguar for my wife and daughter! I can pray for $10 million to be added supernaturally to my bank account. I can pray for a trip around the world on the Queen Elizabeth II. I can pray for a trip to the Super Bowl. I can pray for perfect health.

Now, is that what is meant by the word, "whatever" as used by our Lord? You probably find something wrong with all these things that I am praying for! What is wrong with them? They are all centered on me! They have nothing to do with the kingdom of God, nor with eternal issues, nor with the glory of God. They relate only to my comfort, my pleasure, my uncontrolled desires. Does that not fall somewhat in the category of asking "that you may spend it upon your pleasures" as James puts it?

All right, if we eliminate my want-list, then what does this word imply? We must see it in the context of what Jesus has already spoken. He has made great promises about the work of ministry through His disciples. They would naturally have had fears and reservations about such work, so He gives them the critical key to carrying out their God-given tasks: "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do...." This "whatever" has reference to those things related to the work of ministry which He has given us to do.

But there is another key phrase in verse 13, "in My name." We normally end our prayers with the phrase, "In Jesus' Name," or "in Thy Name we pray." Is that what He is speaking of? I must hasten to point out that it is certainly appropriate to end our prayers with the phrase, "in Jesus' Name" or some similar wording. But that is not what this text implies.

Instead, the idea of praying or asking in Jesus' name brings the disciple to the point of oneness and identity with the Lord. He has been commissioned to ministry in the name of Christ, now He identifies with the Lord, he joins his heart and mind with that of Christ so that his request is the very thing which Christ Himself would request. To pray in Christ's name is to pray with His authority as if He Himself was making the request. Charles Ross explains this so clearly in his little book, The Inner Sanctuary.

To ask in the name of another is, in ordinary language, to ask as drawing upon his resources, and as if you were one with him. That other is supposed to have, by position or by service rendered, a right and title to what is asked; and he who asks in his name, does so, as being one with him, and as drawing on his resources. And, in like manner, to ask in the name of Jesus, is to ask as being one with him; it is to renounce all merit of your own; it is to ask as one depending entirely on his divine resources. (p. 87)

Do you see the great meaning of those words which we sometime carelessly tag onto the end of our prayers? To pray in Jesus' name is to pray in accord to His desires and to draw from His resources. It is prayer that keeps us focused upon that which pleases our Lord rather than that which is born out of our lusts and untamed desires. Bishop of Liverpool, J.C. Ryle, put it succinctly, "...the things we ask are for our souls' good and not mere temporal benefits" (Ryle, John, p. 187).

Does this mean that our Lord has no concern for our temporal affairs? Certainly not, for we are living in this world and have to deal with temporal things all the time. Our needs should be presented to Him with confidence that He hears and answers. But what we must guard against is praying for those things that will be a detriment to our souls or hinder our work in God's kingdom or draw glory to ourselves or serve only to satisfy our untamed desires.

2. Response to Prayer

Notice that Jesus Himself promised the disciples that since He was going back to the Father, He would attend to their prayers. What a glorious comfort this was to the disciples! I cannot but think of what the writer of Hebrews stated, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." (4:14-16)

That is our call, our invitation: 'draw near with confidence to the throne of grace...'. What a thought! Christ Himself, who is the glorified humanity in heaven, who awaits the gathering of His bride one glorious day, this same Christ hears us when we pray and Himself takes action to our requests. Are you wondering if God in heaven even hears your prayers? Look at this text! See the promise of Christian ministry which He has given you, then see how He has promised to answer our prayers according to His glorious purpose and name. "That will I do," says our Lord, and as if that was not clear enough for the weary ears of the disciples, "I will do it."

We must learn to come with boldness and confidence before Him to ask God-sized requests. We must not fear approaching Him with every need we have as His servants. He cares for us infinitely! He has compassion and sympathy for us in our weakness!

Are you in the practice of regularly approaching the Lord in prayer? Is prayer one of those things you do in case of emergency only? Have you seen that prayer is not a trite religious exercise but the vital expression of our souls to our Lord? Oh, brethren, be much in prayer! The work of ministry depends upon it! The kingdom of God demands it! Our Lord delights in it!

3. Reason for Prayer

Why pray if God already knows everything we need anyway (Matt. 6:8)...and indeed He does? We pray, our Lord hears and answers so "that the Father may be glorified in the Son." We are in the business to glorify God with all of our beings. "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." When we see that Christ has enjoined us to Himself in the whole work of ministry and that He commands us to ask that we might receive, the Father is glorified.

If you think you are to pray just to get things, you have missed the purpose of prayer. Believing prayer, prayer in the name of Christ, brings glory to the Father because it is in concert with His eternal purpose.

If you want to get a good view of biblical praying, take a look at Paul's prayers for the church at Ephesus.

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. (Eph. 1:15-19a)

For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. (Eph. 3:14-19)

Let us glorify our great Lord by doing those works which He has given us to do, by praying in His name, by asking for those things we need to carry on in this life as His servants.

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by South Woods Baptist Church.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy:

Copyright South Woods Baptist Church. Website: www.southwoodsbc.org. Used by permission as granted on web site. Questions, comments, and suggestions about our site can be sent here.