Ask Anything in My Name & I Will Do It!

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. This is the word of the Lord. Yes, amen. Pray with me. Our father, we do ask that you would do immeasurably more than we could think for than we more than we can imagine.

We ask that you would do that in this place this evening. Pray that we would hear clearly from your word, and that spirit you would open up our minds and our hearts to receive that. I pray that my words would fall to the ground and blow away and not be remembered anymore. But Lord, may your words remain. And we pray this in the strong name of Jesus.

Amen. I can remember my first disappointment with these words. I was 12 years old, and I was in Vegas. This was before Vegas had the campaign of what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and Vegas was trying to market itself as a little more family friendly. And, my family was in the middle of a 3 week, vacation from Hades, and in which 3 kids in the back seat of a car decided to drive all the way around the United States.

And so we're about halfway through this, and we are in Vegas. And we were at a place called, I think it was the Circus Casino. I don't know if that is still around. But out front of the Circus Casino, they had a a go kart there that was on display. It was high up on this pedestal, and and I I saw that go kart and I was transfixed.

It it was glorious. It was it was red, it was shiny, it it looked fast, and all I knew was I wanted it. I really wanted it. And they were gonna have a raffle, so it was pretty much as good as mine. And so you could enter your name into a drawing.

All you had to do was put your name, address, phone number. You didn't have to pay any money. So my parents let me do this, And so I entered this and I'm not sure if I've ever prayed for anything so hard in my life as as to get this go kart. I mean, I prayed and I prayed. The Lord even gave me visions.

I had visions of of me driving my friends around, picking them up, going to church. Jesus himself, I believe, was promising this to me. Even as a 12 year old, I kind of knew my bible fairly well. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it. And so I was praying, God, give me that go kart. In Jesus's name, amen. I didn't get it. And that began Have you ever been frustrated when you've read these words? I mean, I I know we're we're all Christians here.

Probably most of you brought a bible in, you know, and you're not supposed to ever say that you're you're frustrated. But let me ask you this. Do you do you actually believe Jesus when he says this? Do you believe this? Or are you just disappointed when you read something like this?

Do you hear Jesus saying this, but honestly, it might as well have come from Santa Claus because that's kind of how you view it? You know, Santa Claus, you could go and you could ask him for whatever, and then you're going to get it. But once you grew up and became older, you realize Santa had nothing to do it with it. Your gifts were actually the result of somebody else's hard work. And you kind of do prayer that way.

Yes. You know, I'm gonna pray for healing. And you know, if I get better, that's great. But really, you know what? I went to the doctor. They gave me some medicine. I I became better. I prayed that I might get this job and, and I got it. But you know, the reason why was I went and I just crushed that interview. I did so well on it.

And so I got the job. And so really, you know, you you didn't kind of pray for those things and and you got it, but you're actually you're thinking it was actually the result of some hard work. The other things that I didn't get, I prayed for just as fervently, but God never gave it to me. And so you become frustrated with this. You you don't really believe this verse.

And And so what I want us to do is take an honest look at what Jesus is saying here. And can I just say that these words demand every bit of attention that we can give them? But because besides in John 16, just 2 chapters later in which Jesus repeats these exact same words, this is the only time in the book of John that Jesus teaches on prayer. This is his only teaching on prayer. Personal relationship with God.

Those are many of the themes there. And yet, we never hear Jesus teaching about preaching or teaching about prayer except for right here. And when he does, it's only 3 sentences. Go to Amazon. Look up books on prayer. You're gonna find huge books on prayer. Yet, when Jesus taught about it, 3 sentences. And they get to the very heart of what prayer is. So I want us to look closely at them. Verse 12 begins with the words, truly, truly, or amen, amen.

He doesn't say earlier. He doesn't say, truly, truly, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Or he doesn't say, truly, truly, a new commandment I give you. Or truly, truly, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. He he doesn't say that for those powerful statements, but he says it here, truly, truly.

In other words, what I'm about to say to you is absolutely true, completely true. You could build your life on it. It is so true. And perhaps, he knew he needed to say these words because what he's about to say is going to sound incredible. Stop right there. Whoever believes in me. Stop right there. Whoever believes in me. Whoever believes in me. What Jesus is saying is that just for pastors.

This is for every Christian. And once again, John never puts a qualifier on belief. He doesn't say, like, whoever really, really believes in Jesus, this is just just whoever believes. This is for every Christian. Normative Christian experience.

This is not an extraordinary Christian spirit experience. What Jesus is putting before us here is what every Christian should experience. Whoever believes in me. So the normative Christian experience is for us to do greater works than Jesus. How many of you read that and were just like, yeah.

Right. I mean, really? I mean, that that's the normal Christian life is we're so I guess I'm supposed to maybe go across the street and feed 5,000 people. You know, pick out a, you know, some few sardines, a few biscuits, and just feed 5,000 people. Right after, of course, I walked across water, maybe healed a few people on the way, opened up the eyes of some blind people.

I mean, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Those were just some of the sign miracles. You know what else Jesus Jesus does? He he he's currently reconciling the world to God. He's satisfying the wrath of God. Save the world. These are some pretty big things. And now Jesus is saying, if you just believe in me, you could top that. You're expected to. You're expected to.

You're expected to. You're expected to. It just seems incredible. So so what is Jesus really meaning here when he is saying these things? Now just about every commentator you read is going to say that Jesus must be talking about the quantity of work and not the quality of work.

He must be. Because we can't possibly do greater works. So Jesus has to be just talking about we're gonna be doing more of these works. And you can look at the church and you can say, certainly, this has been true and the church and his ministry was pretty much limited to just Palestine. And so outside of Palestine, people had not heard Jesus speak.

If he just wanted us to do quantitatively more. He could have just said, more works than I have done. Will you do? You're just gonna do more, but Jesus doesn't use that normal common word that just means more. Instead, he uses this word greater.

And I think that when Jesus uses this word greater, he means mightier, more powerful. See, it's still, once again, this hits us. Like, how? I mean, you you might be a stay at home mom who spends your entire day just changing diapers and trying to stay awake. Like, and I'm supposed to do greater works than Jesus.

Or I just stare at a cubicle all day. And now Jesus says the normal Christian experience is for me to do greater things. How is this possible? Jesus tells us. He says that we can do greater works, because he is going to the father. You get that? It says because he's going to the father. And so what Jesus is talking about is his ascension of him sitting on the throne. He's saying, when I ascend, I'm gonna move into a different role. I'm gonna move into a more glorious role.

And in this new role, I'm going to be doing greater and more glorious things. And I'm going to do them through you. I'm gonna be ushering in a new age. My kingdom is breaking through. And of course, we see this when we come to the book of acts. Before Jesus ascended, he essentially led a small group bible study. He had 12 people in it, and it didn't go too well. Perhaps some of you can relate. So he's he's just pouring himself into these 12 men for 3 years. And they they don't really get it.

2,000 people are converted. And he just preaches. And 1,000 are genuinely changed. Their heart is changed. And Peter is not preaching anything different than Jesus had already taught. Jesus had already taught about who he was, his death, and his resurrection. He had already taught about the spirit, and Peter just laid those things out again.

In verse 13 and 14. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the father may be glorified in the son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Greater works happening through the church, it's because we are not praying for greater works to be happening through the church. Prayer is how Jesus is going to do these greater works through us.

Notice in verse 12, Jesus says that we are the ones doing the works, but now he says it's going to be when we ask him, he's gonna be the one doing the works. So who is it? Is it us or is it him? And the answer is yes. Jesus will be doing the works through us because of our prayers. Jesus says whatever you ask. God puts no cap on the number there. He doesn't he said, doesn't give you a budget. He gives you a blank check. He says, whatever you ask, Jesus said it and he means it.

There is no limit to what we can ask him. A matter of fact, the more we ask of him, the more we honor him. I shared this story a number of years ago. It's probably fictitious or legendary. It's about Alexander the Great, but it's a really good story, so I'm gonna share it again.

Somebody came to Alexander the Great, so one of his generals, and asked for money, for a wedding for his daughter. Weddings for daughters are a lot. I've got 3 of them coming up. I probably needed to be saving when they were born. So Alexander the Great, he says, that's great.

I'll give you what you need. Just go talk to the treasurer, and we'll set you up. So the general talks to the treasurer. The treasurer immediately, he comes to Alexander, and he says, hey, did you know that the general was asking to borrow money from you? And Alexander says, yes, I sent him to you.

And he goes, but do you know how much? This will be the biggest wedding Greece has ever had? This is a huge amount of money. And Alexander the great just smiled and he says, well that's wonderful. That means he he thinks I am both benevolent powerful.

Because this honors me. This is how God responds. Like the more we ask of him, the more we go with these huge requests, God is honored. He says, thank you for thinking so highly of me tiny condition to our asking. We have to ask it in his name, in his name.

Now, let me just put this out there. Y'all do know that that means you just can't add in the name of Jesus to whatever you want, and he gives it to you, all right? You can't just, you know, ask for maybe a go kart and just like, I'd like a go kart in Jesus's name and he's gonna give it to you. I mean, I remember when when I prayed for that, and I was saying in Jesus's name, and and I didn't get it, or another day would go by. I didn't know if I'd want it or not.

So I began praying some more, and I said, okay, God, maybe I should compliment him some. Almighty God, you who made things, you know, I was kinda new at this. Who made these wonderful things, and you are so, so good. Give me that go kart, please. In the name of Jesus. Amen. In the name of Jesus, amen. I mean, we we we kind of we we snicker at that. We mock at that, We do. Our prayers are filled with all these compliments only in order to get to the request to the things that we really want.

And so we see God as this kind of celestial vending machine, You know, almighty father. You are benevolent and gracious and good. It's a big request. It's got I mean, I gotta dig in deep. You are totally awesome. Now you get what you want. In the name of Jesus. You know, you push that button in the name of Jesus and you're waiting for for what you really wanted to come on out, and it doesn't come out. And you're looking at it, you're like, what in the world? I mean, I I did the thing.

I mean, I did it. You know, well, maybe there needs to be another comp, you know, compliment. You are the creator of the entire universe. You know, you put that in there, and you're like, still nothing. So now you start kicking it.

You start rocking it, thinking what's wrong with this? And then finally in frustration, you just walk away saying it doesn't work. That's that's how a lot of us have approached prayer. We we did the formula. We prayed the right things, we said, in the name of Jesus, but we didn't get what we want.

And we're like, see, that's why I'm frustrated with this. And so we walk away. For things in his name. And he means 2 things by this, to ask things in his name. First is this, he means that the focus of our prayers need to be all about him and his glory, the focus of our prayers.

At his renown, at his mission. That is what we're gonna aim for. And then if we see the things that are necessary in order for that to happen, that's what we're gonna ask for. But what we are shooting for is his glory. And this is exactly how Jesus taught his disciples to pray that we read in Matthew and in Luke when he says, our father, who art in heaven, how would it be thy thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Those aren't just compliments. These aren't just praises. Those are the focus of the prayer. That's Jesus just narrowing that vision. He wants to hollow the name of God.

Even when he prays, give us this day our daily bread, it's all with the focus of God's name being hallowed, his kingdom coming. This is why Jesus did not teach us to pray for things like give us this day our daily chocolate. Give us our daily lobster, give us a new car, give us this day a better, more fulfilling job. He says, no, give us this day our daily bread. He doesn't ask for luxuries, he's not asking for comforts here.

He says, just give me what I need to live, so that I might hallow your name. I might glorify you. The the reason that we pray for just bread instead of other comforts and luxuries is because we ultimately, we see Jesus as our comfort. We see Jesus as the treasure that we want. That's why we don't have to pray for the other treasures.

He's what we treasure. He's where we are satisfied. Hear me. When the bulk, the bulk of your prayer time is spent for praying for things like another job, or a relationship you're in, or better health. Those are the things you hallow.

As a matter of fact, it is the things that we hallow that ultimately drive us to prayer. The things that we hallow ultimately drive us to prayer. So if you hallow your health and all of a sudden you get sick, you're going to fall to your knees and cry out and pray. God, can I get better? Prayer.

If you go to God in prayer, and you're praying with all your heart that God might give you another house or that he might give you some different job, what you're saying is, I need that. Father, I need that in order to be satisfied and happy. And God, he doesn't give it to you. He doesn't give it to you, and you're wondering why. And God says, it's because you're asking me for an idol.

You're asking me for an idol. You're putting your heart in something else other than God. You're hallowing something else instead of me. Is is the focus. And we're gonna look at this next week when we look at the peace that Jesus gives. How do we get peace into our lives? Is it by praying for peace that that's the focus of our prayer? Some of you have done that. It's like I'm a stressed person. I'm an anxious person.

I'm just gonna pray and pray towards that end. And I say in the name of Jesus, and I'm not getting it. It might be because what you're hallowing above all else is peace. That's peace as the world gives. But if you hallow all else the glory of Jesus, then your peace will not be based on any circumstance, Because you see how Jesus can be glorified in all circumstances, and you rest in that.

But that'll be next week. You know, when Lauren and I first became parents, we decided we wouldn't be like all those other lame parents out there. We we had this resolve to us that we were gonna be the parents who said yes. The parents who didn't shoot down their child's dreams every day, always saying no. We were gonna be the ones who just always said yes.

Now we knew we would have to say no. I mean, you have to say no some, but our resolve was this. We want to say yes more than we say no. 95% of the time, you have to say no just to keep your children alive. So it's no, you cannot play with the ax. No. Gas put the gasoline down. You cannot play with gasoline. No. You cannot climb up on the roof.

No. You can't have matches. What it means to be a good parent here. But can I just tell you that, So what it means to be a good parent here? But can I just tell you that I still long deep within my heart to say, yes? I long to say yes. And anytime one of my children, they give me a request, you you kind of get this feeling. He's like, ask me anything. Ask me whatever, and I'm gonna give it to you. Come on.

Ask me. I want to say yes. But I'm not going to give you anything that's going to hurt you. I'm not going to give you any idle. But if my glory is your aim, and my glory will be for your good and your joy, man, then I will gladly give it to you and know that I don't have any cap on my resources.

God's gonna give us everything we need to glorify him, everything we need to carry on his mission. And most importantly, he is going to give us himself. This is why immediately after this text, Jesus begins talking about the spirit of God that he's gonna give to his church. He's going to give the gift of his presence. I love it.

And, the gospel of Luke, Jesus, he says, even a evil father, well, like, can give his child some good gifts. Even an evil father will give his child bread. He goes, how much more will my father in heaven give you the holy spirit if you ask? He's a good God, and this is the greatest thing you can ask for. Ask, and he will give it.

2nd thing that Jesus means when he says that we are to pray in his name is that we do not dare ever approach the Father with any request in our own name. Let me put this simply. None of us here have the credentials we need to make such a request. We do not merit God ever saying yes to anything we might ever ask. But through Jesus, we can actually approach the father with our request.

And because we are we are in Christ, we are in Jesus, God the father treats us as his son. And we are able to boldly go to his throne and to ask our father for whatever.

One for greater works. Jesus gave us a blank check, whatever you ask. So we wanna ask that the spirit will come, that he will move in power, that we would see people come to know Jesus. We want to pray that we would see his kingdom advancing mightily in power. And we want to ask boldly because God has no cap to his resources.

And then we want to ask in his name. Meaning, we want the hallowing of the name of Jesus, hallowing of the name of the father to be our heart's desire. And we want God's spirit to shape that to where really what we're shooting for is the glory of God. And so I want us to take time to pray for those two things. What I want us to do is break up groups, 8 to 10 people or so, and I use this time to pray.

I mean, we could we could talk later afterwards, but take this time to pray through those things, and then we'll close in