The middle purpose
Main point You will do great works via prayer in my name [and so assure you hearts that you know God...
Published June 11th, 2014
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Notes
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Notes
2014-05-30 06:03:07
2014-06-10 12:59:02
Main point You will do great works via prayer in my name [and so assure you hearts that you know God through me], to the glory of the Father in me. How is it that a believer will do greater works than Jesus?! First, Jesus is certainly not referring to his greatest work of redeeming the world through his death and resurrection. Rather, he is talking about the good, powerful works he has done up through this point that authenticate his words as from the Father. Still, how could I do greater than that? I am helped by asking a further question: Authenticate for whom? While we could certainly apply this to evangelism (i.e. authenticate for the world), this does not seem to be the point here, as seen from context. Rather, the answer seems to be to authenticate for us as believers. In John 15:7-8, answered prayer is to authenticate the fact that we belong to Jesus. In John 16:22-24, answered prayer is to give us joy by authenticating the facts that Jesus is alive, the Spirit is in us and we can come to the Father. Jesus has finished the work of redemption. But he has not finished this sort of working, the work of authenticating that we truly know God through him. Rather, he actually intends to step up the intensity of this authenticating work, as he answers our prayers prayed in his name from His command center of the Father's side. Finally, it should be noted that this authentication is not disconnected from the Spirit dwelling in us. That is why Jesus turns to this subject next... What is meant by "in my name"? As my representative / in affiliation to me (It can also secondarily include the idea of "by my power", "by my will" or "for my glory".) [[ These are my initial conclusions after a quick review of search results. Obviously, a lot of room is left for a more in depth study of this phrase with references to back up my conclusions. ]]
11401429787488 1401429786989 Notes 2014-05-30 06:03:07 2014-06-10 12:59:02 Main point You will do great works via prayer in my name [and so assure you hearts that you know God through me], to the glory of the Father in me. How is it that a believer will do greater works than Jesus?! First, Jesus is certainly not referring to his greatest work of redeeming the world through his death and resurrection. Rather, he is talking about the good, powerful works he has done up through this point that authenticate his words as from the Father. Still, how could I do greater than that? I am helped by asking a further question: Authenticate for whom? While we could certainly apply this to evangelism (i.e. authenticate for the world), this does not seem to be the point here, as seen from context. Rather, the answer seems to be to authenticate for us as believers. In John 15:7-8, answered prayer is to authenticate the fact that we belong to Jesus. In John 16:22-24, answered prayer is to give us joy by authenticating the facts that Jesus is alive, the Spirit is in us and we can come to the Father. Jesus has finished the work of redemption. But he has not finished this sort of working, the work of authenticating that we truly know God through him. Rather, he actually intends to step up the intensity of this authenticating work, as he answers our prayers prayed in his name from His command center of the Father's side. Finally, it should be noted that this authentication is not disconnected from the Spirit dwelling in us. That is why Jesus turns to this subject next... What is meant by "in my name"? As my representative / in affiliation to me (It can also secondarily include the idea of "by my power", "by my will" or "for my glory".) [[ These are my initial conclusions after a quick review of search results. Obviously, a lot of room is left for a more in depth study of this phrase with references to back up my conclusions. ]] notes
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