I'm not a big fan of the prosperity gospel out there. Not big on the name it, claim it lie. But I, in my finite mind, am trying to digest something. Jesus says to His disciples in John 14:14:
You may ask anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV)
He reiterates this in the next chapter (although He did not speak in chapters). So here me thinking and guide me if I seem to go astray. Jesus was talking to His disciples (11 of them at this time). He was preparing them for an enormous ministry of taking His gospel to the world after He was no longer here. For this reason, He was also encouraging them to remain in Him. We know that Jesus did many great works/miracles and that the apostles did the same (Acts 2:43). He also said that they would do even greater works the He did. I understand that this talks especially of the spreading of the gospel to many nations and tongues.
But are we to take this discourse as instruction to us as well, and if so, why aren't we performing great signs. Or are there just parts of this discourse that we are to apply to our lives (love one another) and if this is the case, how do you pick what applies and does not?
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Whatever you ask in My name
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2 comments:
Ahhhhh.... This is where good ol' hermeneutics comes in.
Let's look at the verse in a more literal translation (not knocking the NIV).
You may ask anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV)
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (ESV)
Now let's set the verse in it's context.
Jesus was talking with His disciples concerning His death and was encouraging them in what was to come and not the moment that was now at hand. The Lord's encouragement was basically to pray or in here He says "ask".
Also, note the invoking of His name. This is an indication that it is definitely not "us" who will be doing the "greater works" mentioned in verse 12. Besides can any of us raise the dead, walk on water, instantly heal the lame/mute/blind?
So how is it that Jesus says we will do greater works? The answer here lies within the body of Christ or the church of the living God.
A little farther down in verse 26 Jesus says that the Holy Spirit would be sent "in His name". In Acts 1:8 Jesus said that they would "receive power" when the Spirit came on them. Of course this was not their own power, but the power of the Spirit of God based on the work and name of Jesus Christ the Son.
Later in Acts we read that Saul(Paul) is persecuting Christians and Jesus speaks to him on the road to Damascus. Remember what Jesus said to Saul? "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"(Acts 9:4)
Was Paul persecuting Jesus or Christians? Jesus was in heaven right?? Jesus was making it clear that He is alive and well here on earth as well and working through the his body here the church.
So.....
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (ESV)
In the context of prayer, we invoke the living God through the power of the Holy Spirit by the atoning work of the Son Jesus Christ.
But I still cannot walk on water or raise people from the dead!!! Why not????
How are we to pray?
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (ESV)
So, when Jesus says "ask (pray) Him anything" then Jesus must mean that we are asking of Him according to the will of God.
If we are asking according to the will of God, then we are seeking to only magnify and glorify God and not ourselves.
I know this.... If I could get anything I asked by invoking the name of Jesus, I would most certainly be abusing His magnificent name to satisfy my own selfish desires which would not exalt the magnificent name of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father.
Help or confuse????
I thought I was about to have to start commenting to myself. I've been hanging out in this discourse the last several days, not thinking I will discover how to begin working miracles, but just to have a clearer understanding of what Jesus is saying and who He is saying it to.
I believe that the key is in what you said about seeking God's glory, not ours.
Something else sticking out at me is Jesus' statement in (John) 15:7-8...
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (NASB)
So obedience is first and foremost necessary. And if we obey, we will seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, not our own self improvement.
This also seems to be linked to bearing fruit...much fruit at that, so that...God will be glorified. This should draw someone away from thinking that this asking would imply material things at all.
Finally, a 'mega-theme' if you will,of this discourse is love. Jesus says at least 6 times through 3 chapters that the disciples are to love one another. And love, as we know is a fruit given through us by the Spirit. It seems that it is necessary for the Spirit to give it, because hours later (if that long), Jesus was arrested and the disciples deserted not only Him, but each other as well.
Anyone else...
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