Prayer Guarantee (John 14:1-14)

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."  (John 14:1-4 NIV)

Jesus often refers to his relationship with The Father.  As he is teaching and preparing his disciples for the short term future (his death, resurrection, and ascension), Jesus tells them he is going to go home to The Father and prepare a place for them.  His Father wants them to come home, too.

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:5-7 NIV)

Thomas probably wasn't the only one confused by this statement.  They wanted to know the way to eternal life.  Jesus' statements are getting more and more bold now.  He tells them that he is the only way.  He also makes a bold statement about his relationship with The Father.  When they saw Jesus, they saw The Father.  Jesus is that in sync with Him.

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. (John 14:8-11 NIV)

Yesterday we heard Jesus attribute his miraculous word to The Spirit.  Everything he did, he was saying, was actually done by The Spirit through him.  Now Jesus points out who's Spirit this is.  It belongs to The Father.  The miracles not only come through the power of His Spirit, the words he teaches come from The Father as well.  Jesus is explaining how he is operating here on earth.  He was also teaching the Apostles what would happen to them on the day of Pentecost.

Jesus promised them that he would send his Spirit to dwell in them, just like The Father's Spirit was dwelling in Jesus.  The miraculous works would show them that his Spirit was there.  More importantly, though, his Spirit would be the Spirit of Truth, guiding them into all Truth.  His Spirit would give them Wisdom.  His Spirit would show them how to walk together with God.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14 NIV)

That promise came true on the day of  Pentecost.  Not only that, the promise was offered to the people there that day, the following generations, and all nations.  We only need to repent of our rebellion against God and be baptized.  Then, we are promised, we will receive forgiveness of our sins and the gift of His Spirit (Acts 2:38-39).  When we listen to His Spirit, speak what He wants, and do what He asks, nothing is impossible because nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26).  We receive anything we ask for, then, when we ask for what He wants - in the same way Jesus asked for what The Father wanted.  It all goes back to aligning ourselves with the Will of God.

How about you?  Do you align yourself with the Will of God?  Does your relationship with God reflect the kind of relationship Jesus had with The Father?  Have you seen God do "greater things than these" through you?  Do you want Him to?