## A Praying Heart

## John 14:8-15

JESUS HAD BEEN PREPARING THE DISCIPLES FOR HIS DEPARTURE. HE TAUGHT THEM CONCERNING HOW TO KEEP THEIR HEARTS CLEANSED, AND HOW TO MAINTAIN A CALM HEART IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY. AS HE CONTINUES TO INSTRUCT THEM, HE TURNS THEIR ATTENTION TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES HERE ON EARTH. HE GAVE THREE PROMISES CONCERNING THEIR ROLE. THE SAME THREE PROMISES CAN EASILY BE APPLIED TO YOU AND I THIS MORNING. HE TOLD THEM THAT THEY WOULD:

1) DO THE SAME WORKS AS HE;

2) DO GREATER WORKS; AND

3) WHATEVER THEY ASKED IN HIS NAME, THEY WOULD RECEIVE.

I. GREATER WORKS.

A. "THE WORKS THAT I DO SHALL HE DO ALSO... " V12

1. WHAT WORKS DID JESUS DO?

a. PEOPLE WERE HEALED OF INCURABLE DISEASES.

b. DEMONS WERE CAST OUT.

c. THE DEAD WAS RAISED.

d. WONDERFUL MIRACLES.

2. JESUS SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO THE SAME WORKS ALSO.

a. THE BOOK OF ACTS RECORDS THE FULFILLMENT OF THIS SAYING.

b. NOTE: ACTS 5:16

c. GOD EMPOWERED THE APOSTLES TO DO THE SAME KIND OF WORKS THAT JESUS HAD DONE.

B. "AND GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL HE DO..." V12

1. HOW COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE?

2. "BECAUSE I GO UNTO MY FATHER."

3. IN WHAT WAY WOULD THEY BE GREATER?

a. GREATER IN KIND.

1) THE SKIN OF THE LEPER WHOM CHRIST HEALED WOULD AGAIN BE WRINKLED WITH AGE.

2) LAZARUS WOULD HAVE TO DIE AGAIN.

3) BUT WHEN A SINNER IS TURNED FROM HIS WAYS, IT RESULTS IN EVERLASTING LIFE!

4) THE PAIN FROM WHICH SALVATION DELIVERS MEN IS GREATER THAN THAT WHICH ANY DISEASE COULD EVER INFLICT.

b. GREATER IN EXTENT.

1) CHRIST ESSENTIALLY MINISTERED WITHIN THE BORDERS OF ISRAEL.

2) THE RESULTS OF HIS MINISTRY WAS THE 120 IN THE UPPER ROOM.

3) BUT THE LOCAL CHURCH WOULD CARRY THE GOSPEL AROUND THE WORLD AND LITERALLY REACH MILLIONS FOR CHRIST!

c. GREATER BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S FINISHED WORK OF REDEMPTION.

1) WE CAN GO THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN CONFIDENCE.

2) THE WORD OF GOD IS NOW AVAILABLE IN MORE LANGUAGES THAN ANY OTHER BOOK.

3) EVEN IN COUNTRIES WHICH ARE HOSTILE TOWARD MISSIONARIES, BELIEVERS CAN BE FOUND AND THE GOSPEL IS BEING PREACHED!

II. A GREATER PROMISE.

A. "IF YE SHALL ASK ANY THING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT. " V14

1. ". . IN MY NAME... "

a. THAT MEANS THE REQUEST MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH CHARACTER OF CHRIST.

b. TO DO SOMETHING IN THE NAME OF ANOTHER IS TO ACT AS HIS REPRESENTATIVE.

c. WHEN WE SPEAK IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, WE MUST BE SUBJECT TO THE WILL AND PURPOSES OF CHRIST.

2. "...THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. . ."

a. OUR PRAYERS MUST BE SUBJECT TO THE WILL, APPROVAL, AND GLORIFICATION OF GOD.

b . GOD'S GLORY SHOULD BE THE MAIN PURPOSE OF OUR PRAYERS.

B. PRAYER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST AND FOR GOD'S GLORY IS DIFFICULT.

1. IT EXCLUDES OUR SELFISHNESS.

2. IT FORCES US TO TRUST THE WISDOM OF GOD.

3. PRAYER IS NOT ASKING FOR WHAT WE WANT; IT IS DEVELOPING TRUST THAT CAN HANDLE THOSE MOMENTS WHEN THERE IS NO MIRACLE.

4. PRAYER IS GETTING TO KNOW GOD WELL ENOUGH THAT WE CAN DISCERN HIS WILL AND ACCEPT HIS PURPOSES.

CONCLUSION: THE NEED OF THE HOUR IS FOLKS WITH PRAYING HEARTS. WHY DON'T WE PRAY MORE OFTEN THAN WE DO? LOOK AROUND AT THE NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS WHO ARE FACING TRAGEDIES IN THEIR LIVES. MANY BELIEVERS HAVE NO VICTORIES IN THESE SITUATIONS. NO WONDER THE LOST PEOPLE WE TRY TO WITNESS TO DOUBT US WHEN WE TELL THEM THAT GOO IS A GOD OF MIRACLES THAT CAN DELIVER THEM FROM SIN! THIS WORLD NEEDS TO SEE CHRIST IN US! FREDRICH NIETZCHE, AN ATHEISTIC GERMAN PHILOSOPHER, MADE THIS REMARK TO SOME CHRISTIANS ONE DAY: "IF YOU WANT ME TO BELIEVE IN YOUR REDEEMER, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK MORE REDEEMED."

WE HAVE GREAT PROMISES FROM OUR LORD. WE NEED TO HAVE CLEAN HEARTS, CALM HEARTS, AND WE DEFINITELY MUST HAVE PRAYING HEARTS IF WE ARE GOING TO SERVE THE LORD IN SUCH A WORLD AS WE ARE LIVING.