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Daily Devotions

John

John 
Day 
Day 197

Promise upon promise

Text: John 14 : 12 - 30

PROMISE UPON PROMISE

We need to keep in mind the context of the teaching of Jesus as we read this text. The Disciples were deeply concerned about the imminent death of their beloved Teacher. They could not of course try and dissuade Him from fulfilling His destiny! Peter attempted that and was soundly rebuked for that. This was clearly recorded in Matthew’s Gospel.

“From that time Jesus began to show to His Disciples
that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things
from the elders and chief priests and scribes,
and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying,
‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!’
But He turned and said to Peter,
‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me,
for you are not mindful of the things of God,
but the things of men.”
Matthew 16:21-23

Jesus used every means to comfort and encourage His Disciples. He took time to explain things. He gave them precious promises. He told them that His going away would not be detrimental to their well being! They would still be able to look forward to doing great works for God, just as He did!

Another wonderful promise was given to the Disciples! He wanted them to know that He was just a prayer away! He would be there to hear and aid their prayers made to the Father. What a wonderful promise Jesus made to His Disciples in the context of prayer.


“And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it.”
John 14:13-14

STANDING IN AWE OF THE PROMISES OF JESUS

Once again, we must school our hearts to stand in awe of any promise found in God’s Word! And the greater the promise, the more the heart must be hushed in absolute wonder and amazement!

Let us not be children in understanding. It is so easy to look at the word “whatever” and then imagine that we have the key to open the vaults of heaven’s banks. We do not!

Jesus did not give to His Disciples a formula to use in prayer. How easy it is to focus on the phrase, “In My Name” and then employ it as a formula to claim foolish things from God!

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

The Disciples, being Jews, were of course brought up to respect and honour the name of God. His Name was sacred and must never be taken in vain. Moses learned about how God regarded His name. This was well captured in the following text.

“And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’
And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel,
“I AM has sent me to you.” ”
Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say
to the children of Israel:
“The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.
This is My Name forever, and this is My Memorial
to all generations.”‘”
Exodus 3:14-15

Jesus may have introduced His Name in a quiet and gentle way, but that does not mean that it is less powerful or less significant in any way! Moses needed to know the awesome power and majesty that went with the Name of God. The Disciples had an even greater privilege. They knew the Son of God personally. They were His pupils. They were His friends! However, they had obviously not appreciated the full significance of what it meant to know Jesus the way they did!

The prospect of being able to do the works of Jesus was a heady and thrilling thought! But how were they able to do that? The Disciples remembered that on one occasion they had failed to chase out a powerful demonic spirit from a young lad (Mark 9:14-29). Crestfallen, they approached Jesus and said,

“Why could we not cast it out?
Mark 9:28

Jesus replied,

“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
Mark 9:29

Prayer was the key! Jesus had urged His Disciples time and again to deepen their prayer-life! Prayer was not just utterance of words to the Father! Prayer represented many things. It spoke of a living faith in God. It spoke of a vibrant relationship with the Father too.

Jesus now introduced prayer with reference to Himself! He was involved each time the Disciples prayed to the Father! What a development of thought! Jesus had first taught His Disciples how to pray to the Father in Heaven. Now He taught them that they could pray, using His Name! And His Name would count in their prayers to God!

This was a new and glorious truth that Jesus imparted to His Disciples! The death of their Saviour, attempting of greater works, and answers to prayer be inextricably related! What deep and profound truths indeed!