[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. This is the next message in our series on the book of John, entitled, Jesus is God.
[0:14] Amen. John chapter number 14. Glad you're back tonight. This morning we're in John chapter number 14, and we talked about the comfort that is brought to those that have a troubled heart.
[0:25] Trusting in Jesus brings comfort. It's the only thing that will dispel fear in the hearts of people. It's trusting in Jesus, and tonight we're going to be comforted more. All through chapter 14, there's comfort brought.
[0:38] This morning, as we reminded you, we saw in verses 36 and 38 at the end of 13, how Peter was saying of his loyalty. He said, Jesus, wherever you go, I'm going to go with you. I love you. I've been with you.
[0:51] And I could not stand the thought of Jesus leaving. And we said that there's an anxiety that comes with separation. If you lose a loved one, if you're separated from a loved one for a long time, that that creates anxiety.
[1:05] But Jesus reminded them of his promises that I prepared a way, I am the way, I prepared a place, and he comforts them with these truths. Well, tonight he is going to comfort with his presence.
[1:17] He says, I am here, even though you won't be able to see me bodily, do not believe for a moment that I am not present. I love that song because it says, you are here, you are here, and in your presence I'm made whole.
[1:31] And could I tell you today, because we don't see Jesus bodily, do not think that God is not among us working. That the person of the Holy Spirit lives inside of us from the point of salvation, and he is here.
[1:43] And it's okay that we don't understand that at times, because we see that in the fact that the disciples had a hard time understanding that as well. Because they were anxious, they said, if you leave us, then who is going to be there with us?
[1:56] And he says, I am leaving, but there is another comforter that is coming, and he will be present with you. And that brings incredible comfort. And you know the work of the Holy Spirit, and we'll talk about it tonight, as we look here in John chapter number 14, verses 7 through 14.
[2:13] Let's read together. John chapter number 14, verses 7 through 14. It says, if you have known me, you should have known my Father also, and from henceforth you know him and have seen him.
[2:25] Let me give you a few thoughts of verse 7. I won't do this on each of the verses, but I think it will help you before we go forward. As he's saying know him here, he's talking about the type of know him in Philippians 3.10.
[2:37] As Paul says, I want to know him and the power of his resurrection. It wasn't that they didn't know him as Messiah and Savior. They had a knowledge of him already, and at this point they were going to gain a greater knowledge, and they were going to go forward with their growing knowledge in him.
[2:53] And he says, you have known me, and if you have known me, then you have known the Father. And they said, you know the Father because you've known Jesus. You know what he would say, and you would know what God would do when you've seen me.
[3:05] And right now you know him, and when I leave, you're still going to learn more about the Heavenly Father by the work of the Holy Spirit and the lives of believers. Now I'm going to read 8 through 14.
[3:17] Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father, and hath sayest thou then, show us the Father.
[3:34] Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
[3:45] Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall ye do also, and greater works than these shall ye do, because I go unto my Father.
[4:01] And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.
[4:12] There are some claims made here that are very strong by Jesus to his disciples. As we've been going through the book of John, he says, I am God. I don't point the way to salvation, I don't just teach about it, but I am the way.
[4:25] In preparing the way, I have laid my life down as atonement for sins, I am the way. And that is a shocking claim to those that would be listening. It is for that reason that the Pharisees took him and wanted to kill him.
[4:38] It was not because he was a good teacher, an immoral teacher, creating a revolution in the land. He was crucified because he said, I am God. And we say it many times in here, there's no middle ground.
[4:48] You cannot say, you either say he's the greatest fraud in history, or you say he's Lord. But there's no way that he was just a good teacher. Because if he was not God, then there was nothing good about him.
[4:59] He also says, you will go on and do greater things. That should have caught your attention. Because how could Jesus walking around with the disciples, healing people, doing miracles, how could anything be done greater than that?
[5:11] And then he ends in verses 12, 13, and 14. He says, anything you ask in my name, I'm going to give you. So there's three shocking things that we find in these seven verses. And what's important to note here is that while the Father was not present, he expressed himself in the world through Jesus, his actions, his words, and his characters.
[5:31] So God does not need to be physically present to act in our world in the person of the Holy Spirit. He says, disciples, I need you to understand.
[5:42] You believe in the Father, and you don't see him. Well, believe that I will be present when you don't see me. Because he knew if their understanding that he, Jesus is God, was lacking, then their understanding that the Holy Spirit is God as well would also be lacking.
[5:58] And they're about to embark on the greatest adventure, the greatest venture of all time, which is sharing the gospel with the world by Colossians 1.20. The gospel gets out, and they need to understand that God is ever-present, and he is there, the comfort.
[6:14] Thatcher said to me the other day, he said, Daddy, is the Holy Spirit really God? I said, yes. Thatcher didn't say that, but it always gets your attention when I said Thatcher says.
[6:26] All right? No, he didn't say that, and I think you guys think I make up stories about my kids for illustration, so I thought I might as well make one up since I didn't have one to fit the bill. But, you know, I hope you do a better job understanding this than I could explain this to Thatcher.
[6:42] Brother Frick, excuse me, we were talking yesterday about explaining this. We're going through this. And so I said, maybe if I go home and explain this to Thatcher, then I'll be ready to present it to the church.
[6:54] Well, my three-year-old doesn't understand this yet, okay? He doesn't understand how Jesus is in us. He doesn't understand how Jesus is working. He doesn't understand those things. He's always asking.
[7:05] He asked the other day, and this is a true story, if he had a baby inside of him like Mommy did because he was told that Jesus lives inside of people. Can you imagine the confusion that comes around with that?
[7:18] And so towards the end of this chapter, we're seeing, if you will, foretelling that the Holy Spirit, the other comforter, is coming. Some dear friends had asked recently, why is it that it seems that the Holy Spirit isn't spoken about very often in our churches?
[7:32] And that's a great question. Many times he's not. I think I could give you an answer that would be given during our Bible expo is that many times in churches, because if you don't go through the Bible, if you get to choose what you're going to preach on, then typically you don't pick a difficult subject like the Holy Spirit.
[7:48] Like most of the verses that I cover when the pastor's gone are not normally on the top of my list. If I chose, you'd hear about David and Goliath every time Brother Austin is gone.
[7:59] But no, if you preach through the Bible. So we would hope as our church that we would talk about the Holy Spirit as often as the Bible speaks about the Holy Spirit. In the next few chapters, he'll be mentioned on many occasions in this.
[8:14] And do not think for a moment that he is any less than God. The Holy Spirit is God and Jesus is God. And in these verses here, we're being taught this.
[8:24] So let your heart not be troubled. Don't let your heart be troubled because Jesus and the Father are one, so that if you have Jesus, you have the Father. Remember that? You know the way to the Father if you know me, because he is God.
[8:38] But also, if you have the Holy Spirit, you have the Father and Son because they are one. And if at the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit came in and dwell your life, and he's inside of you doing a work.
[8:52] And don't allow anybody to tell you we don't have time to go after this. As one preacher said, I not only chased the rabbit, but I went and killed it and cleaned it. I don't have time to cover this. But don't let anybody tell you that the Holy Spirit isn't for every believer and that only a few of them get it and they pray it down upon themselves.
[9:09] The Holy Spirit indwells them. It's our earnest payment. If the Holy Spirit does, if he does not live inside of you, then you are not his. Then you're not regenerated. You're not born again.
[9:19] Let not your heart be troubled because Jesus has come in the Holy Spirit and he is now with you and he will be with you always. And he's not only an observer, but he is a helper, an enabler that is helping us do work.
[9:32] How does Tyler Masters and Gretchen, he likes to say he's from Ohio, she's from Connecticut, they met in Peru, and now they're missionaries in Africa. I think I forgot something there.
[9:42] But how does God put them in a place like that, in a predominantly Muslim area, and they meet together with a handful of believers today and worship Jesus? I know Tyler.
[9:53] I love Tyler. But Tyler's not that good, okay? I tell you, it's the work of the Holy Spirit through Tyler that did that. Isn't it exciting when you get in here, adult Bible fellowship time, and your prayer requests and you hear, we heard this morning, David saying, yesterday at Chick-fil-A, I was able to lead somebody to the Lord.
[10:11] Yesterday at Chick-fil-A, the Holy Spirit through David was able to lead somebody to the Lord. Jesus is always the hero of the story and he is doing the work. And at the end of these verses, if you don't understand him, then you're not going to understand some of the claims that are made.
[10:26] God is one, the three persons are holy, divine, and co-equal. While it's true that one member may temporarily be subordinate to another one, but others to accomplish some end, it does not mean that at any time any of them are inferior to the other.
[10:43] They are one and they make up the Trinity. And that's what's being taught here to the disciples at this time. And Pastor uses a great illustration of it, the closest illustration that we would have of it, and the relationship inside of the home, that the role I play in the home and the role that my wife play in the home are not the same, that it does not make her inferior to me because we are one flesh.
[11:07] And do not think forsaken that the Holy Spirit is not doing the work, and that he is not God, nor that Jesus is God. So in verse number eight, we look at what Philip has to say here.
[11:18] Verse number eight, Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Let me tell you what that is a response to in verse number seven. If you had known me, you should have known my Father also, and from henceforth you know him and have seen him.
[11:34] He says, if you have known me, then you've known the Father. They want to see the Father. As we said, they believed that Jesus had power to show them God. They understood that if he wanted it to happen, it would happen.
[11:45] And he says, if you've seen me, then you've seen the Father. But then in verse number eight, Philip says, Lord, if you would just show us the Father, it would suffice us.
[11:55] He's pleading there. He's like, could you just show us? I don't know what he had in mind. I know that he understands the Old Testament and that other people had seen. And Moses, in Exodus 33, he had asked to see God.
[12:06] He didn't see him directly, but you know the story that happened there. John 1.18 says, no man had seen God at any time, only the begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, which he had declared.
[12:17] 1 Timothy 6.16 says that we cannot behold his glory. We only have immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto him, whom no man has seen nor can see to him be honor and power everlasting.
[12:32] Philippians 2.11 says the only way that us as humans can see God is that he is going to be cloaked in a robe of flesh. He made himself of no reputation and took of him the form of a servant.
[12:43] It was made in the likeness of men. Jesus saying, Philip, you want to see the Father and you have seen me. Me and the Father of one. I am in him and he is in me. But Philip there needing that.
[12:55] As we said, his faith here was weak in the fact that he thought he needed more evidence. And Jesus is saying, it's not that you lack evidence. It's that you're lacking and believing in me because he was growing in the knowledge of who Jesus was.
[13:08] Philip wanted confirmation from God. Philip thought he needed God to confirm that Jesus' claims were given eternal life. Philip had a desire to know the Father. As we said earlier in Philippians 3.10, this is a natural desire of a believer that he may know him in the power of his resurrection.
[13:26] Philip wanted to know God more fully. He wanted to know him more. But he was missing that he would know the Father more fully by what he had seen in Jesus. He says, if you have known me, then you've known the Father.
[13:38] If you've been watching me live, if you've been watching me speak, every utterance of my mouth is what the Father would have me to say. Every work that I do is what the Father would have me to do. You're looking at him right now.
[13:50] And what's exciting, all of us up to this point understand that, I believe. But then he says, not only is that true, not only have you learned about the Father in the past by watching me, not only are you learning right now, but when I leave through the work of the Holy Spirit, you're going to continue to learn about the Heavenly Father.
[14:08] It's a burning desire of every believer to know God better. You know, Philip, he, somebody here, he's having a problem with his spiritual eyesight. He's not seeing here, seeing Jesus.
[14:19] He said, if we see God, that would suffice. And Jesus said, seeing me should suffice because I am God. But this is the same Philip that in John 1, 46, he's the one that invites Nathaniel and says, come and see, we have found the Messiah.
[14:32] He said, can anything good come out of that? One of my favorite chapters. And he said, just come and see. He knows if you see him, then you will recognize him as God. He knew that in John 6, 7, he saw Christ feed the multitude.
[14:45] He had seen the works that he had done. And the Greeks had told Philip in John 12, 21, it says, we would see Jesus. Philip was staring at God while asking the question.
[14:55] He was looking at God. John 12, 45, he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. What chapter are we in tonight? John chapter number 14.
[15:06] And in John chapter number 12, he had said, he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. He had already given the answer to the question that was going to be given.
[15:17] But Philip needed to be reminded of that truth as he was growing in that. On Monday night, I go to the financial peace class here at the church. A funny story came across that illustrates this point that Dave Ramsey went into.
[15:29] And those in the financial peace class, we just all kind of shivered hearing the name Dave Ramsey for a second. And Dave Ramsey, when he went into a place and saving money, he went in and he said he was going to buy this major appliance.
[15:43] And they said, you need to get the two-year warranty on top of the warranty that the manufacturer gives. And he said, no, I don't buy the warranty. I don't think it's a good investment.
[15:54] And the man selling it to him said, Dave Ramsey says it's a good idea to buy these two-year extended warranties. Well, Dave thought he was joking and said, no, I know Dave and he doesn't say that.
[16:06] And the guy said, no, really, three weeks ago he was in here and he purchased this appliance. And Dave Ramsey bought the extended warranty. And then Dave reached in his wallet and pulled out his license and said, I am Dave Ramsey and you're lying.
[16:20] And he walked out of the store. What a horrible place to be in. He says, I know Dave Ramsey and you're not Dave Ramsey. I am that person. And just a comical illustration that Philip is looking at God manifest, God in the flesh.
[16:33] Jesus is saying, I need to see God. And Jesus is saying, you are seeing him. You have seen him. And you're going to continue to see him and the work of the Holy Spirit. The deep belief of the Trinity was necessary for the disciples to continue the work that Jesus had started and redeeming the world unto the Father.
[16:51] Verses 7 through 12, he's just saying, believe me. The answer was not to look with his eyes, but to look with his heart in belief. He was looking out to see something and he needed to look in what he was already taught.
[17:04] Philip, look, he is here. Verse 7a, he had known me. He should have known. If you have known me, then you have known the Father also. In the seven, from henceforth you know him and have seen him.
[17:15] Verse 9 at the beginning, in response to Philip's request to see the Father, Jesus said unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me? Philip, I've been with you all this time and you don't know the Father?
[17:29] At the end of 9, he that has seen me has seen the Father. And how sayest thou then, show us the Father? 10, believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me?
[17:40] 11, believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me. He makes it so clear. And remember, what's the purpose in chapter number 14? He is leaving them.
[17:51] He started washing their feet. We talked about the characteristics of a committed disciple being the last one, that they are loyal and he is leaving and their hearts are troubled. And we know that because Jesus says, stop letting your heart be troubled.
[18:04] He tells them to stop it. I know it's happening. So we know that their hearts are troubled. And he is telling them that I am going to be ever present with you. And they are growing in their knowledge of this.
[18:14] They will know the Father like never before. They've learned of the Father by watching Jesus. And they will learn of the Father by watching the future events that are about to unfold. The Father will give his Son to death, raise him, and then seat him on the right hand.
[18:31] So we see here, he says, not only have you seen him, but you're about to see him in a way that is greater than you could ever imagine. Ephesians chapter number 1, verses 19. You might want to turn there.
[18:42] I'm going to read several verses there for you. But you're going to see that the Father, in the next few events, in order here, they're going to see the heart and mind, and they're going to see God in a greater way than they've ever seen him before, in what takes place with Jesus Christ.
[18:59] Ephesians 1, 19 through 23. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also that which is to come, and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head of all things to the church.
[19:29] He is learning about the heavenly Father by watching what is about to happen to Jesus. God will have Jesus send the Holy Spirit. John 14, 26.
[19:40] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. Did you catch it when we read there in verse number 14? At the end in verses 13 and 14, he says, And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
[19:59] Verse number 14. If you shall ask in anything in my name, I will do it. You know, there's much to be said about how to ask and what to ask for, but the emphasis there is that he is going to perform what needs to be done.
[20:12] And we get the answer here. If you will turn to the last couple verses in Mark. At the end of Mark, it says this. And in verse number 19. Remember, Jesus has already told them that he's going to send up in heaven.
[20:25] And then in the verses that we just read, he says, Whatever you ask, I'm going to do it. Whatever you need, I am going to provide for you. And the question you'd ask is, how is that going to be possible?
[20:36] You've already told us that one of us is going to betray you, and that you're going to die on a cross. How are you going to still continue to do these things? Because you will not be present. Because you will be crucified, and you will die, and you will leave us.
[20:49] And he says, that is not the case. I will be present. In verse number 19. So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up in the heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
[21:00] Verse number 19. After he had received up in the heaven, he sat on the right hand of God. Where is Jesus in verse number 19? One answer. After heaven, it's always a safe bet.
[21:11] Okay, he's in heaven. Verse number 20. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs and following. And he went forth, preached everywhere.
[21:22] Where does it appear that he is right now? On heaven or on earth? Where? Teenagers, help them out, okay? Where does it appear that he is at?
[21:32] In verse number 20. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the words with signs and followings. Where is he at? Earth. Thank you, teenagers, for bailing the adults out here tonight.
[21:45] In verse number 19, it sends into heaven. In verse number 20, it says he's working with us. He says that if we pray, he's going to provide for us and that he is going to do the work. How is this possible? Because there's another comforter that is coming.
[21:57] The Holy Spirit has promised to them. And so in his comforting of us, in our current circumstances, he says not only the promises made earlier and not only the provision in him being the way, but he says my presence is with you always.
[22:13] I will always be with you because the Holy Spirit is coming. God will send the Holy Spirit reasons to believe. He goes on to tell us that his words were not his own, not his words only, but they were the words of the Father.
[22:28] They speak as one because they are one. Jesus need not say, thus saith the Lord, because he is the Lord. When they heard him speak, they said this is a man speaking as somebody that had authority, meaning that Jesus did not have to cross-reference anybody.
[22:44] He did not have to give any end notes to what he was saying. He did not have to have a permission slip saying that in this person's authority, I do this because he was God, because he was a person of authority, because he is God.
[22:57] His works show that the Father works in and through him. He works alone, his works alone, even before the resurrection, were enough, even in the eyes of the Pharisees, to recognize that he was God.
[23:12] John 11 and verse number 47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council and said, What do we? For this man do with many miracles. And if we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him.
[23:25] And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation. That his works and his words establish each other. That he is telling them here, that through watching my works and listening to my words, you should know that I am God.
[23:42] Because we are being taught that Jesus is God. Don't be troubled, but trust, because of the very Father who has a place for us and is with us eternally, and he is with us now.
[23:55] He is here, he is here, and is his presence. I made whole. That is as true then as it is now. Verses 12 through 14. In my name.
[24:07] What is important here to know is that the Father is present, and that even though he is not physically present today, that the Holy Spirit among us. Christ continues his work in this world.
[24:17] He is working with us. As we saw there in verse, in Mark at the end of it, it says that he goes about working with us. He is present. And how it happened in the voice of the villages, with the MP3 player, as conviction was brought in the heart of the person.
[24:31] It happens with Tyler. Acts 13, 32. Paul and Barnabas were separated, and it said that they were separated by the Holy Ghost unto the work. That he is actively involved in the mission that he has given us to do.
[24:45] The Holy Spirit is helping us see and communicate with the Father today. Verses 16 through 18. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, that we are able to communicate to the Heavenly Father by the Holy Spirit.
[25:06] He is living inside of us. Romans 8 and 9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so, be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not a none of us.
[25:18] He is not of us if he does not have the Spirit. And if he does, he is of the household of God, the Bible tells us. It is not to be overlooked as the further work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the individual.
[25:31] In Ephesians 1, he tells us that he is the down payment. That one day we have a future inheritance, and that the Holy Spirit is inside of us, and we will never lose that God is inside of us doing a work, that he is stirring us and doing that.
[25:46] Maybe the older generation would say, he is stirring us to do a work. A younger generation would say, he's roaring like a lion. However you express it, he is alive. The living God is alive inside of us through the Holy Spirit.
[26:01] Jesus is God. The Holy Spirit is God. Walking in the Spirit gives victory over the lust of the flesh, we're told in Galatians. So the Spirit is helping us, enable us to have victory over the flesh.
[26:13] The Spirit sheds his love abroad in our hearts, in Romans 5.5. The indwelling presence gives assurance, not only of our salvation, but also of our future resurrection, we're told in Romans 8.
[26:25] It produces fruit in our lives that validate the mission that he has given us. He is a sanctifier setting us apart for his own will and for his own purpose.
[26:36] The Holy Spirit is active and working today. Real quickly, the pastor will get through it, but in the next few chapters, we're going to see here the purposes of the Holy Spirit.
[26:47] In John 14, he says that he will abide in you and he will dwell inside of you. Until that point, Jesus had dwelt with them, but they would soon experience God's presence in a new way through another comforter.
[26:57] The Spirit would teach them all things and bring what Jesus had said into their remembrance. The Spirit would also bear witness of Jesus. Later, Jesus said of the Spirit that he will bring glory to me.
[27:10] In John 16, 14, he shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and he will show it unto you. We may note here that the Holy Spirit centers his attention upon Jesus Christ and he consistently points our hearts back to Jesus and being one.
[27:28] For the Spirit would convict or convince those that were not believers of the three things of sin and of righteousness and judgment. No one can come unto Christ without this ministry.
[27:39] The young man that accepted Christ with David Gardner yesterday could not come to a knowledge of his sin and need of a Savior if it was not for the work of the Holy Spirit working in this world today.
[27:50] He is ever-present. And so we will pray according to his name. It's not a magic formula. Tyler Masters, which we saw earlier. Some of you may be familiar with this story. But Tyler was on the phone as missionaries.
[28:03] They call many people. And Tyler was late. One day he was getting tired and he was leaving messages on the phone for pastors. And so at the end of a conversation, well, it was a conversation.
[28:15] It was just leaving a message. Towards the end of it, he said, Pastor, thank you for your time. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. And then he said, wait a second, never mind. I didn't mean that.
[28:27] Can I take that back? But since he was on an answer machine, he couldn't take it back. He could have driven to the church and spiked it on the ground, which I felt like that's what I would have wanted to do, but he couldn't take it back.
[28:37] So he was saying, Pastor, in the name of Jesus, according to the purposes of God in this world, you are supposed to give me a meeting. That's pretty convincing, isn't it? I have no doubt that I'm supposed to come there.
[28:49] So when we pray in the name of Jesus, it's talking about his purpose here in this world. It should raise our level of prayer knowing what we are saying when we say in the name of Jesus of what we are asking.
[29:03] We are really saying that, God, according to your glory and for your purposes in this world, we're asking that this will be done. As in so many prayer requests, we do not receive because we ask amiss.
[29:16] We ask upon our own fleshly desires in James 3 that it says, but when we pray in the name of Jesus, we are saying according to your will in this world, we're asking that it would be done.
[29:28] So how in verse number 12, I said he had some shocking things that he said in verse number 12, he said that there's greater things that are going to happen. It's not conditional. He states, it says it's going to happen. Not it might happen.
[29:38] He says that it will greater because in miracles, we see the power and goodness of God. But as believers with the Holy Spirit working in us all around the world and seeing souls saved that the glory of the grace of God in Jesus Christ is shown and it's happening as I've been standing here that God has been glorified because the Holy Spirit through people around the world has shared the gospel, the story of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has done a work and the believer sharing it has done a work inside of the person hearing it, has convicted their heart and it's greater because it's taking place and that God has taken fallen people like us and redeemed us and now allows us to do something that is absolutely amazing.
[30:25] And as it's been said, all the resources of the Godhead are at our disposal to do the work that He has given us to do. He will continue to do the work. The emphasis in these verses is that He will do the work there.
[30:38] The greater works than you should do because I go to the Father and whatsoever you ask my name that I will do that the Father may be glorified by the name and should you ask anything my name, I will do it.
[30:48] For this cause, for His glory, I am asking this for Jesus because it will bring Him glory. John 14, 26, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name.
[31:02] Do you see that being used again? That the Father is sending the Holy Spirit to this world, and this is Jesus speaking here, in His name, according to the purposes that He set out on this world to accomplish for Him to be glorified.
[31:18] We pray only what should be consistent with the purposes of Christ. Could I challenge you to evaluate your prayer life in reflection to that? That's why we say, Heavenly Father, I'm asking you to do something.
[31:30] I'm asking you to do it according to Your will and for Your purposes and Your plan because we do not know. You know, we're told that if somebody is sick that we can anoint them with oil, that the medicine of the day has been used, but then we just pray for them.
[31:43] And we say, God, if it's Your will, we're asking that You heal them, but nevertheless, not our will be done, but Your will be done because we want what to happen to be happening because it is Your will and Your purposes in this world.
[31:55] And that is praying in His name. And that's where those two promises, He says, as you continue to go about doing the work in My name, I will do the work for you. And as you pray in My name, I will provide what you need.
[32:09] You find that in Jesus. He's even providing meals for the disciples, that He is taking care of some of the arrangements of what's going to happen. He was the leader of this. Secular writers would make it look like that when Jesus left, that the band was breaking up.
[32:23] Jesus went His way and they went their own way and they all went and did their own thing. Well, that is not the case at all. He'd never left them. He was ever present with Him. And when He went to sit on the right hand of the Father, the other comforter, the Holy Spirit, came and worked and continued working alongside of them, as it said at the end of Mark.
[32:43] And He was answering prayer requests and He was providing needs that they had and the furtherance of the gospel was happening and He was doing the work. And it wasn't just occasionally them asking for something.
[32:55] I'm very busy. I'm doing all this work and in Jesus' name will you take care of it. Everything they were doing was being done as a work of the Holy Spirit inside of their lives. He was ever present.
[33:05] Are you aware of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life today? Are you thanking God when something happens that He did that inside of you, knowing that? Because our knowledge of our Heavenly Father is growing as we see Him working.
[33:20] We have the Word of God. As we see there in Jesus, it says that we know more of the Heavenly Father because we saw His works that were done. We also had His Word. Well, today we have His Word and I'm holding it in my hand.
[33:32] I know more about the Heavenly Father. And the Holy Spirit inside tells me when I see things happen, we see somebody loving, we see somebody caring, we see the fruits of the Spirit. And they say, wow, if you think that person is self-sacrificing and if you think that person is loving, that's only possible because God, through the Holy Spirit, enabled that to happen.
[33:53] And I'm getting a glimpse of how loving and how self-sacrificing my Father is. That today I'm learning more about the Father. That's what He told the disciples. He says, if you've seen me and if you've been watching me, you didn't just see me one time, but if you've been watching me, then you've been learning about the Father.
[34:10] If you're watching me right now, you're learning about the Father. And as I go, in my last hours, you're going to learn more about Him. And then as I leave, the Holy Spirit's going to come and He is going to be your teacher and He's going to continue because that is the work we've been giving us, Paul said, is to know Him more.
[34:29] Our pastor laid out a wonderful, beautiful sermon maybe a year ago about what our greatest pursuit in life is and it is the know Him. Any ministry goals or plan we have are only secondary to knowing God.
[34:42] And it's in the ministry we get to know more about Him. But we want to know the Father more. As Philip said, could we just see God? It would suffice us to see it. Moses wanted to see it.
[34:53] I want to see it and we want to know Him more. In His Word, reading about Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit convicting you and your repenting of sin and Him urging you through the Word of God, you are knowing Him more.
[35:06] If you want to know the Father more, then know His Word more and know the work of the Holy Spirit inside of your life. Are you living a life in His name? More so than are you just simply praying in His name?
[35:19] Are you really asking things that would be in accordance to His name? And are you living a life in accordance to His name? Many times people think prayer as it's been said it's asking and receiving, which would be a good definition.
[35:32] But it's also said that prayer is a walkie-talkie for those that are in the warfare of life. In the middle of doing the work that He has given to us, He is going to provide what we need to get the job done that He has for us to do.
[35:47] And are you actively comforting people knowing the Holy Spirit inside of you is able to do greater things? As you're pretty much aware, as you are aware, I'm not a very large person in stature.
[35:59] And if there was a natural emergency that took place, I would be the person best equipped to call 911. I'm probably not running to the scene of an accident. I'm not the one that would be put on the front line.
[36:12] Cornwell's, we are not known for anything famous in history that I know of. Necessarily, we just don't go get hurt. That's what self-preservation, my lizard brain, keeps me alive.
[36:22] And so physically, I am not very able to do much in that area. If you ask me to come over, help you build something, I would be comic relief. If you ask me to help you carry something, I'll do a very good job at finding two people that would help you carry something because I would be no help.
[36:40] But I am very much aware that the Holy Spirit lives inside of me. And at the point of salvation, He came and He dwells me. He dwells inside of me and inside of you. And that He will abide with me all of my time on earth.
[36:52] And it was given to me, the Father, as I accepted Jesus Christ, I confessed my sins, I repented of my sins. He lives inside of me. And I will never be absent of His presence, not for a moment.
[37:03] And I will leave here and I will go dwell with the Father and the mansion and the dwelling places we talked about this morning. And so there will never be a time that the Holy Spirit is not enabling me to do a work.
[37:15] And can I tell you, that's true of you as well. And you know what the ramification is? Even though I am not running to go save somebody in a burning building, but if there is a person in need, emotionally, spiritually speaking, and that the Word of God could do a work, then I know because of the Holy Spirit I am equipped to do something.
[37:35] Can I challenge you Christians in here that Jesus Christ is the living God, that the living God lives inside of you, and that you are equipped to do big things in this world.
[37:46] And that you need to stop cowering away from problems in this world, knowing that He lives inside of you. The next time you're over here at the office, somebody's going through a hard time, next time there's an opportunity to make a difference in this community.
[38:00] Do not think for a second you cannot make a difference because the God of the universe lives inside of you through the Holy Spirit, and He is more than able to answer your prayers and to work according to His name and provide whatever is necessary.
[38:16] We have made so little of Him. The disciples said, Jesus, we know you're God, but we still have a few questions, and they were kind of wavering on those points. Their knowledge was growing, and at this time that's really growing, and our knowledge knowing Jesus is God.
[38:29] The Holy Spirit that lives inside of you is God, and He is still performing wonderful, greater works today, and lives can be changed. And please do not belittle His work in your life because He says that when I leave, you're going to see greater things, and you're going to know Him more, and I'm still going to meet it.
[38:47] It didn't misstep. And what happened? I know that you're going to say that He was buried, and for three days He did not come back, and that the comforter didn't come until the upper room. What did the disciples do for those three days until the Holy Spirit came?
[38:59] They did absolutely nothing but waited because that's how much we can accomplish without the Holy Spirit. But when He arrived, things took off because they knew they were more than equipped to turn the world upside down.
[39:15] There's no waiting. He is here. He is here. In His presence, I made whole. He is here. And because of that, I can make a difference in this world because He's working through me to do something.
[39:28] I know He ascended up to the right hand of the Father, but I also know as I go about doing my work, He is right there beside me and beside you. And it's greater because when we leave, we are not pulling to bring Jesus with us bodily, but He leaves with every one of us inside of us as the Holy Spirit.
[39:47] And that brings wonderful comfort. For those of you who have lost loved ones and that will soon, His presence ought to bring comfort. For those of you that see an obstacle this week and you think, I can't make a difference, His presence ought to bring comfort and boldness and courage to do something different.
[40:04] Do not let anything or the accuser of the brother that tell you that you cannot make a difference in the life of somebody because the Holy Spirit is here to provide comfort to you and to bring comfort to troubled hearts in this community in this world.
[40:19] With every head bowed and every eye closed. Heavenly Father, thank You for the Word of God, Lord. We thank You that the Holy Spirit is living among us and the message that was given to the disciples that Jesus is God, that He is living among us, that His presence is so real today and that Jesus being God and the Holy Spirit being God and You live inside of us that we can make a difference in this world.
[40:44] And we want a growing knowledge of You. We want You to do something great inside of our lives. Lord, I'll be the first to admit tonight that many times I do not recognize that You are still doing a work in this world and I lose sight of that.
[40:58] I lose sight of the fact that the Holy Spirit is God working in this world and that You want to work in and through my life. Lord, I pray that You'll be with other believers here that have come to that same conclusion that they have forgotten that Jesus is ever present through the Holy Spirit and that He is comforting and making a difference in this world.
[41:21] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfred, Georgia. For more information, log on to www.visionbaptist.com where you can find our service times, location, contact information, and more audio and video recordings.