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good morning everyone welcome back to pre Grace Baptist Church a couple of announcements before we get started this morning our usual service this evening at 5:30 for the next 3 weeks there will be no Wednesday night bible study as Pastor Butler is leaving this week for Africa along with Nathan so there'll be no Bible study for the next three weeks and then remember the conference that's coming up confessing the faith conference keep that in your prayers and in your mind there are still more brochures at the back if anyone needs one or wants to pass some along to some of your friends that's April 26th and April 27th we are hosting it but it's going to be at the free reform church for our call to worship this morning please turn to Psalm 115 Psalm 115 we'll read from verse 9 till the end of the psalm Psalm 115 beginning at verse 9 oh Israel trust in the Lord he is their help and their Shield oh House of Aaron trust in the Lord he is their help and their Shield you who fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their help and their Shield the Lord has been mindful of us he will bless us he will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron he will bless those who fear the lord both small and great may the Lord give give you increase more and more you and your children may you be blessed by the Lord who made Heaven and Earth the heaven even the heavens are the Lords but the Earth he has given to the children of men the dead do not praise the Lord no any nor any who go down into silence but we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forever more praise the Lord amen for our first hymn we're going to sing psalm 149 149 selection b as in bravo please turn with me to 149b and we'll Stand Together As we sing prise the Lord and sing a new song all his s his PR the pr ofor is shall and children of in and joy sing praise to his name for call his Sal in glory of the pr to allil for his word his shall the Earth all and Nations to the glory and praise him [Music] for you may be seated let's turn to the Lord in prayer our gracious and loving Heavenly Father we thank you that we have this privilege to come together as your people into your house to worship you we thank you that you have promised that we're to or three are gathered in your name there you are in the midst we thank you that we have the Holy Spirit who is the comforter that you sent from heaven on your Ascension and Lord we pray that the Holy Spirit would be present and working in our midst this day that he would draw Sinners to to yourself that he would comfort and encourage your Saints we pray oh Lord that you would be pleased with our worship and to that end we ask that you would cleanse us from all filth all iniquity Lord we even as believers we continue to do those things which often we are not even aware of that are displeasing in your sight and we ask oh God that you would give us a tender conscience before you and that you would bring to our mind those things of which we need to repent and we pray oh God that you would cleanse us we thank you for the blood of Christ that is efficacious on our behalf and Lord we pray that this day would be blessed as the word Goes Forth bless Pastor Butler as he comes to the pulpit and preach later we pray oh God that the words that are the Living Word of God would find their mark on our hearts and and bring forth fruit in our lives we thank you again for the good that you are doing in our church here we pray oh God for the conference that's coming up we pray that this would be used mightily in your hand not only in our church and in the in our church plants but in many others we pray for those who are coming from afar we pray that they would feel welcom that they would be received and would know the the blessing of God on their lives as they listen to the teaching as they fellowship with us we thank you for this great opportunity to make connections into fellowship with other believers from across western Canada and various places in the states as well Lord we do pray that you would bless Pastor Butler and Nathan as they make their trip to Kenya this week thank you that you've been gracious to those ladies that are currently there Mrs Butler and Carla and miss Mrs kopman and many others that are serving there helping widows and orphans in Kenya we pray that this would be a a profitable time for them and a blessing to those that they are ministering to and we pray Lord that as Pastor Butler and Nathan gold that we pray that you would give them many good connections Lord we do pray for the work in Kenya we pray for pastor ogallo and the church there in Elder we pray God that your blessing would continue to rest upon them help them as they continue the building project and we pray Lord that this facility would be used by you mightily as they Endeavor to train and send forth Ministers of the Gospel from that place into various parts of Africa Lord we pray that you would continue to gather a great number of souls to yourself on that vast continent where there are so many that are lost and Lord we pray for our own Nation here in Canada we thank you that you have given us many years of freedom and blessing the privilege of being able to gather without any hindrance the privilege of being able to to teach and preach the word of God from pulpits in this nation we pray oh Lord that you would preserve those freedoms not because we deserve them as a nation but because you are gracious and you are merciful and you are building your church and Lord whatever you have for us in the future we pray that you would continue to watch over and protect this church and your people across this land thank you for your mercy and your kindness we pray pray for those who are not able to be with us today we pray that you would encourage your Saints pray in particular for our brother da newfeld Lord I pray that you would be his strength and his encouragement bolster him this day oh Lord we pray we thank you again for our sister churches and pray that you'd be with the congregation that's meeting right now in Su South Sur we pray for the congregation in Armstrong the Brethren out in Ontario Lord we pray that you would continue to build these churches up and we pray oh God that you would raise up more men to come alongside of the elders and deacons in the in the ministry there so that your church might flourish we pray oh God that you would continue with us as we worship you help us Lord to tune out those things that are not conducive to Worship in our minds help us Lord to focus upon Our Risen Christ we ask these things in jesus' name amen if you're turning your Himel now to number 230 we'll stand again and sing together 230 holy holy [Music] holy holy God Al Mighty Theory our s shall rise holy holy holy mer and mighty GL holy holy holy all the glor sh all be [Music] holy holy holy oh the darkness Mighty Holy by Glory may see holy thly and holy holy Lord mighty all Earth holy holy holy and mighty bless you may be seated for our New Testament scripture reading this morning we are now in Matthew chapter 21 it's a longer chapter so we'll read the first half beginning verse one and through to the end of verse 27 Matthew chap 21 now when they knew Drew near to Jerusalem and came to Beth on the Mount of Olives then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them go into the village opposite you and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a Colt with her loose them and bring them to me and if anyone says anything to you you shall say the Lord has need of them and immediately he will send them all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying tell the daughter of Zion behold your King is coming to you lowly and sitting on a donkey a Colt the fo of a donkey so the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them they brought the donkey and the Colt laid their clothes on them and set him on them and a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out saying hosana to the son of David blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosana in the highest and when he had come into Jerusalem all the city was moved saying who is this so the multitude said this is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth of galile then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves and he said to them it is written my house shall be called a House of Prayer but you have made it a den of Thieves then the Blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them but when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying out in the temple and saying hosana to the son of David they were indignant and said to him do you hear what these are saying and Jesus said to them yes have you never read out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany and he lodged there now in the morning as he returned to the city he was hungry and seeing a fig tree by the road he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves and said to it let no fruit grow on you ever again immediately the Fig Tree withered away and when the disciples saw it they marveled saying how did the Fig Tree wither away so soon so Jesus answered answered and said to them assuredly I say to you if you have faith and do not doubt you will not only do what was done to the Fig Tree but also if you say to this mountain be removed and be cast into the sea it will be done and whatever things you ask in prayer believing you will receive now when he came into the temple the chief priests and the Elders of the people confronted him as he was teaching and said by what Authority are you doing these things and who gave you this Authority but Jesus answered and said to them I also will ask you one thing which if you tell me I likewise will tell you by what Authority I do these things the baptism of John where was it from from heaven or from men and they reasoned among themselves saying if we say from Heaven he will say to us why then did you not believe him but if we say from Men We Fear the multitude for all count John as a prophet so they answered Jesus and said we do not know amen let us pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ and his example we thank you that he was motivated by by righteousness and we thank you Lord that he did what he did because he was fully God and fully man and because he was carrying out the plan of the father to save his people from their sins thank you for the work that he did on the cross on our behalf we ask these things in Jesus name amen for our final hymn please turn to Psalm 22 Psalm 22d as in delta Psalm 22d and stand with me as we sing all the all the of king of [Music] K the Lord of King all of wor shall the Glorious to of king of King right generess work of K King you may be seated well before we begin I just wanted to spend a moment to pray for the Faber family I sent out an email this morning Ted is presently at the emergency room he's got lots of infection in his body and it does not look good so we'll pray for Tad and for Wilma and for the family as a whole so let us pray our gracious and our Holy Father we thank you for the fact that you are over all things that you are sovereign The God Who made the world according to his power and wisdom and goodness the God who governs all his creatures and all their actions and the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who saves us from our sin as we come this morning we are troubled in heart concerning the favors we just commend them to you and to the word of your grace we pray for Ted that he would know that peace of God that does surpass all understanding and that this transition would be uh smooth that it would be to your glory and to your honor as well father we pray for Wilma that you would just uphold her that you would give her grace and compassion and love and kindness in the midst of these things and be with their family as a whole and God we know that you are even over these things so we thank you for that and we pray that you would continue to guide them bless them them and be with with them in the uh Valley of the shadow of death and we pray through Christ Our Lord amen we Contin with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John John chapter 14 John 14 we're in the upper room discourse some have called it the farewell discourse and one of the emphases is that Jesus is equipping his disciples for the mission that they will undertake after his Ascension on high and one of the ways that he does that not just by giving them commands and instructions and exhortations but by setting forth the truth concerning God the Christian religion teaches and confesses that there is but one only the living and true God but this one true Living God is three persons the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit each equal in being in substance having the entirety of the Divine Essence and glorious and worthy to be praised and worship so what Jesus is doing is he's letting the disciples in on that truth we've seen already as emphasis in the section that we considered last Sunday of his consubstantiality with the father that means he's of one substance with the father all that the father is in terms of being God so is the Son and then in this next section we will see the son speak concerning the Holy Spirit who as the father and the son has the Divine Essence so it's a wonderful way for our Lord to encourage his disciples by sort of letting them in on the glory of the Triune God our Focus this morning will be verses 12 to6 we'll pick up in more detail an investigation of the Holy Spirit the next time that we gather together but I do want to read beginning in verse one in chapter 14 let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also and where I go you know and the way you know Thomas said to him Lord we do not know where you are going and how can we know the way Jesus said to him I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me if you had known me you would have known my father also and from now on you know him and have seen him philli said to him Lord show us the father and it is sufficient for us Jesus said to him have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me Phillip he who has seen me has seen the father so how can you say show us the father do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me the words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority but the father who dwells in me does the works believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the sake of the Works themselves most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me the works that I do he will do also and Greater Works than these he will do because I go to my father 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 if you love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the father and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him but you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you I will not leave you orphans I will come to you amen well let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you for this wonderful discourse of our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for the glory of our Triune God even father Son and Holy Spirit as we come to the father through the son by the spirit on this Lord's Day may God be glorified and may you be all in all in the midst of the congregation we pray that you would send the spirit that the spirit would work in the hearts of unbelievers to convict them of their sin to show them their need for the Lord Of Glory and may you by Grace draw them and call them out of Darkness Into The Marvelous Light that they may confess faith in Jesus for salvation as well God for your people we pray that you would build us up and comfort encourage us help us as well Lord God to repent for from our sins we pray even now that you would wash us and cleanse Us in that precious blood of the lamb and further conform us under the image of your beloved Son by the by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit we thank you for this time together we thank you for the Lord's day we thank you for your house and for your people and pray that you would be enthroned upon the Praises of your people here and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well in that last section as I've mentioned Jesus is stressing his Unity with the father so Philip asks the question in verse 8 Lord show us the father and it is sufficient for us and then as I said Jesus stresses his Unity with him he says specifically in verse 10 I am in the father and the father in me and then he goes on to say in verse 10 the words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own again that's not because it's uh he's an instrument or he's like a pen in the hand of the father but by unity of essence the word that the son speaks is the word of the Father the word that the father speaks is the word of the son the word that the spirit speaks is the word of the father and the sun they have a Unity of essence in this Divine and infinite being there are three persons but then notice what else he says in verse 10 but the father who dwells in me does the works believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves now having said that he turns his attention to their works and that's what he's going to address specifically in verses 12 to 14 the mission of the disciples and then secondly he will consider the power given to the disciples in verses 15 and 16 so he goes from his works his mission to then address their works and their mission so the work of the disciples is grounded upon the mission of our Lord Jesus if in the fullness of the time God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the lots that foundational mission of the son that sets the stage for say for instance the Great Commission go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations we do that because of what Christ has done we do that because we have the good news of his life his death and his resurrection so Christ's mission is foundational for the mission of the disciples and that's the transition here now now he has stressed his Unity of essence with the father and now he moves to addressing or exhorting them on how they're to function once he ascends on high so as I said the mission of the disciples verses 12- 14 and then secondly the power given to the disciples in verses 15 and 16 but let's look first at the mission in verses 12- 14 before he tells them about the works that they are going to do he reminds them of the essential essentially necessary thing to believe in him notice in verse 12 most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me he who believes in me that's the description of a Christian we ask the question what's a Christian I think there's a lot of answers that people will give well Christians go to Christian churches Christians carry Bibles and hopefully read those Bibles Christians tune in to sermon audio.com Christians read Christian books those are AR necessarily wrong answers but a Christian is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ a Christian is one who by God's grace has come to the realization that I'm a sinner before a holy God a Christian has come to that conviction that God is angry with him because he is a rebel a transgressor and having known his sin by God's grace he then looks to the savior he understands that it's Christ's life it's Christ death and it's Christ resurrection that is absolutely essential for that man to live so if we ask the question what is a Christian again Bible reader Church attender singer of Psalms and pray uh hymns but he is first and foremost One Born Again by the power of the Holy Spirit who looks to Jesus Christ in faith and so Jesus addresses this specifically in verse 12 he makes this amen amen statement in verse 12 and then he says to you where he says I say to you he who believes in me remember the context he's emphasized that in verse one the protection of Christ against Soul trouble notice in verse one let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me but that reality as well of saving faith in him verse 11 believe me that I'm in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves so he doesn't leave that theme he stresses that theme perhaps to remind them that it's by grace through faith in Christ that they not only engage in the mission but it's by the the very Reason by which they're accepted in uh by God so he emphasizes this once again in verse 12 most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me and then he speaks concerning the works of the disciples now conspicuously I've got four sub points here and it's all about Christ first the works of Christ verse 12b second the Ascension of Christ verse 12C third the promise of Christ verse 13A and then fourthly the glory of Christ in verses 13B and 14 so I think that when we approach this particular statement when he talks about the disciples doing Greater Works we need to approach it from the vantage point that this isn't a competition this isn't Jesus saying they're going to do greater things and boy I wish I could have been a participant in that the Greater Works of the disciples are the works of the ascended Christ through the disciples that's the emphasis that's what he is saying that's what he's declaring because we come to this passage and we say wait a minute he's the son of God incarnate he's the word who became flesh he dwelt among us we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth we watch his public Ministry Ministry and he heals people we watch his public Ministry and he raises the dead we watch his public Ministry and he teaches people and then we get to the disciples and his declaration that they're going to do Greater Works is this a competition how could it possibly be that the the disciples would outshine the Savior himself the Savior shines in the works of the disciples the savior is Manifest in the Greater Works of the disciples the Savior demonstrates his power in the works of the disciples and as well in this particular connection there to look at his Works to confirm what I mentioned last week that Mutual indwelling in other words when you look at the signs that Christ accomplished then you'll know that the father is in me and that I'm in the father but as well when you guys you disciples specifically go out and do these Greater Works it'll be a further demonstration of the Divinity of of Christ that he at the right hand of the father has absolute Sovereign power and Glory over all things that the disciples set their their hand to so let's look at what he says to them concerning these Greater Works again first The Works of Christ he refers to his own in 10B and 11 but the father who dwells in me does the works the end of verse 10 and then believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves when it comes to what he says in verse 12 most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me the works that I do he will do also and Greater Works than these he will do because I go to my father so he asserts on his own authority that what the disciples are going to do is going to be amazing but as I said the works of Christ and the works of his disciples are not a competition they're not outshining him the works of the disciples are in fact the works of Christ himself in fact turn to the book of Acts in Acts chap 1 to see something of this according to Luke acts 1 at verse one Luke Friend of Paul friend of the Apostles The Physician wrote the Book of Luke the be the gospel that bears his name and then he wrote the book of Acts in the early Church they circulated as a sort of two volume set they were always or are usually bound together or or brought together so that persons could see not only the gospel but also the book of Acts which explains how that gospel is preached disciples are made and churches are planted it serves as a great bridge to the Epistles if we didn't have the book of Acts we'd get to the New Testament letters and we'd say well where did they all come from how did there get to be the gospel in Corinth or in Ephesus or in Philippi or in uh uh uh uh uh uh colasse how how did that all happen we've got the gospel records Matthew Mark Luke and John you've got the Epistles but you got that bridge called the book of Acts theological history demonstrating the power of the Risen Christ in fact one man has a commentary on the book and he calls it the acts of the Risen Christ it's not the apostles that are the emphasis in the book of Acts and I want you to notice something in verse 1 one or chapter 1 verse vers one the former account I made O theophiles So Luke refers to the gospel the former account that I made to this man called Theophilus that's a reference to his gospel record and then notice of all that Jesus began both to do and teach so if the Gospel According to Luke records all that Jesus began both to do and teach the book of Acts records all that Jesus continues to do and teach in other words the uh stars of the show in the book of Acts and I know it's called The Acts of the Apostles and that's not bad I'm not suggesting we wrench it out of the Bible but the emphasis is upon the Risen Christ the ascended Christ the Christ at the right hand of the father who had spoken to his Apostles very specifically here in the upper room discourse to prepare them for that time frame so in verse 12 he who believes in me the works that I do he will do also which again confirms the Divinity of our blessed savior and then he says and Greater Works than these he will do one man says these words not only show the power of the Divinity in Christ but also the power of Faith right if you believe in me you'll do my works and if you believe in me you'll not only do works but you'll do Greater Works than I've done and so this man says these words not only show the power of the Divinity in Christ but also the power of faith and the union of Christ with those who believe for just as the son acts because the father dwells in him by a Unity of nature so also those who believe act because Christ dwells in them by faith it is the necessary reflex in terms of those conquered by Sovereign Grace that they will serve the Lord now Brethren our service is going to look a bit different than the Apostles these men that turned the world upside down in the first century these men who launched the missionary Enterprise and and canvas thousands and thousands and thousands of miles these men who made disciples and planted churches and took the gospel throughout the Roman Empire at that particular time I suggest there's going to be a quantitative difference qualitative difference as well in terms of their Ministry and our ministry but the fundamental abiding principle is simple if if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you're going to serve the Lord Jesus Christ he mentions that in verse 15 if you love me you will keep my Commandments not so that you may be saved it's not the consequence of our of our of our obedience that we're saved but rather the obedience is the consequence as of as of as of us having been saved so in this particular instance the great works are on display and if we ask the question well what were they well we can answer very simply that they did miraculous signs you see sort of uh uh reference to that in Mark 16 and verse 20 acts 5 and verse 12 and then Hebrews chap 2 and verse 4 in fact turn to the acts 512 passage is just one sort of demonstration of that acts 512 and through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people and they were with all one Accord in or all with one Accord in Solomon's porch so they did these great works in terms of signs wonders demonstrations of power but again that's Christ it's Christ at the right hand of the father it's Christ as he says and we'll look at in just a moment in his position of authority wherein he enables them by the spirit to engage in these Mighty works so notice he speaks of the works of the of Christ verse 12b and then he speaks turning uh concerning the foundation of this at the end of verse 12 because I go to my father the Greater Works of Christ through the disciples is predicated on his Ascension in fact look at chapter 16 specifically at verse 7 you've probably read this before and wondered how could this ever be the case notice in 167 nevertheless I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away imagine you're one of jesus' disciples you're sitting there with him in the upper room and he tells you that he's going away you've already heard that in Chapter 13 and it's troubled your soul it has brought perplexity such that in 141 he has to say let not your heart be troubled believe in God believe also in me but he says here it's to your advantage that I go away well look at the expl explanation there in verse 7 for if I do not go away the helper will not come to you but if I depart I will send him to you so Christ says the Greater Works that you're going to do they're predicated on the fact that he's not only going to die but he's going to be raised again and then he's going to be ascended on high and from that position of Sovereign Authority and Reign he's going to send the spirit this other comforter or paraclet or helper that is going to enable and equip them to do these signs to do these wonders and to preach his glorious gospel so it's predicated on his Ascension to the throne of God most high remember when we worked our way through Ephesians chapter 4 the giving of gifts in that section from seven on and the gifts are not prophesying and tongues they're men given to the church to function as prophets uh Apostles prophets pastors and teachers evangelists that sort of a thing but what is it founded upon it's founded upon Jesus who ascended on high who led captivity captive and gave gifts to men so you see Christ is preparing the disciples he has told them that he's going to die he's also told them that he's going to be raised again and here he's telling them he's going to go back to his father's Throne he's going to take that position of power and Supremacy at the right hand and as a result of that he's going to send the spirit and they're going to be equipped to not only do his works but to do Greater Works than what he did when he was present on the on the earth now that doesn't mean the atonement of course that's the greatest works that have ever happened but in terms of persons addressed Jesus went to the lost sheep of the House of Israel where do the disciples go all throughout the Roman Empire how many people came to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus during his Earthly Ministry I don't know I don't have a counter but I know on the day of Pentecost 3,000 Souls were saved but again no competition those 3,000 Souls saved on the day of Pentecost is a work of Christ it's not a work of Peter it's not the power of Peter it's not the ability of Peter it's not the Savvy of Peter it's not the theology well it is the Theology of Peter but it's not his it's the Lord Christ so he predicates this Greater Works thing on his Ascension to the right hand of God the Greater Works of Christ through the disciples is initiated at Pentecost Joel to was a promise concerning the power of the spirit coming upon the church in a great measure what do we get in Acts chapter 2 we get in Acts chapter 2 the Apostle Peter telling them that this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel when the Holy Spirit came upon the church there when the Holy Spirit came upon them and they preached the power of Christ turn back back to John 7 John 7 we see already indicators of this in the life and Ministry of the Lord in the gospels notice in 7:39 but this he spoke concerning the spirit whom those believing in him would receive for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified that doesn't mean at all David had the Holy Spirit Isaiah had the Holy Spirit Abel had the Holy Spirit When You Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you get the holy holy spirit is the seal and guarantee of our of our Redemption and inh inheritance but there was something unique about the day of Pentecost as it was prophesied by Joel and accomplished in Acts 2 it was when the spirit came in a powerful way to equip the church to engage in the Greater Works that Jesus speaks of here the Greater Works being make disciples in all the nations and once those disciples are made put them into churches so that they can learn to obey all that I have commanded and lo I'm with you always even to the End of the Age so when you see the great work say for instance of a Peter or of a Paul or of the other Apostles in the ministry in Acts give glory to Jesus they're The Works of the Risen Lord Jesus that's the emphasis so when we look at his statement in John 14 he predicates these Greater Works upon his Ascension the Greater Works of Christ through to the disciples is a result as well of the Holy Spirit he's going to speak of the father giving another helper one just like Jesus he's going to speak concerning the paraclet as I said we're going to investigate that fully God willing next time when we we gather together again if not we'll see on the other side but uh when it comes to that that's what's happening the spirit of God is poured out by the Son of God according to acts 2:33 and it's that that demonstrates or sort of confirms or illustrates rather what Jesus is talking about in this particular instance so I mentioned the signs and and the Wonders and the the Miracles that the disciples did you know what there's something even more miraculous in the apostolic preaching there's something even more amazing in the apostolic preaching you sort of see it in the ministry and example of our Lord Jesus Remember in Matthew chapter 9 our our Lord is teaching and the place where he's teaching is filled to the brm nobody else can get in and so these fellows have a fellow that is bedridden he's paralyzed and so they open up the roof and they lower that man down and what does Jesus say to him get up walk kick your heels go dance no he says son your sins are forgiven you so of of course the scribes and the Pharisees those cheery fellows that they were start to reason in their heart to but God Alone could forgive sin and of course Jesus knows what they're reasoning in their hearts because he's Jesus and he says to them which which is easier to say to the man your sins are forgiven you or to say to the man take up your palet and walk well Brethren if you think about that it's easier to say you're your sins are forgiven you right CU we can't see that we can't touch that we can't feel that we don't have an an empirical way to confirm that he said it we know it's true but it's one of those things that's easier to say well on the heels of that he then says to the paralytic rise take up your pallet and walk so what does the man do he rises takes up his bed and he walks now the Intriguing thing is is that we look at the walking as the miracle we look at the healing as the miracle the walking SL healing was the confirmation of the miracle of forgiveness because that's what Jesus says he says but that you may know that the son of man has power on Earth to forgive sins he said says to the man rise take up your bed and walk in other words that external healing in terms of his legs confirm the internal reality that the son of man has power on Earth to forgive sins so when we move through the book of Acts statements like acts 5:12 shouldn't be done away with it's an amazing thing it should be you know we should stand it on again give glory to Christ because they didn't have this power in themselves the power had been given by Jesus through the spirit in order to enable them to engage in the Greater Works but it's that response to the gospel it's the Acts 2 repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and and we find those men saying s what must we do we we see that turning of 3,000 Souls on that day to come to the Lord Jesus Christ in other words the sign the miracle the Glorious truth of conversion is a demonstration of the greater work of our Lord Jesus Christ in the saving of Sinners what does Jesus teach in The Sermon on the Mount it's better to go to heaven maimed or blind it's better to go to heaven than uh uh with uh lacking eyesight or lacking the use of a limb than go to hell whole so again let's make sure we appreciate the Healing Ministry of not only the Lord Jesus Christ but of the Apostles but let's not do that to the to the neglect of the spiritual Healing Ministry of our blessed savior over the hearts of men listen to John Gil he kind of summarizes what the Greater Works means he mentions you know the amount of people he mentions the amount of signs and all that sort of thing and then he says the conversion of a sinner is a greater work than any of the Miracles of raising the dead for this includes in it all miracles listen to this he says here we may see a sinner dead in trespasses and sins quickened one born blind made to see one who was deaf to the threatenings of the law and to the Charming voice of the Gospel made to hear so as to live and one that had the spreading leprosy of sin all over him cleansed from it by the blood of the Lamb yay though a miracle in nature is an instance and proof of divine power yet the conversion of a sinner which is a miracle in Grace is not only an instance of the power of God and of the greatness of it but of the exceeding greatness of it and the rather one may be induced to give into this sense of the passage he says the same thing tongues amazing and it wasn't gibberish Acts chapter 2 they weren't just blah blinding you know I've always thought to way you know if you found yourself in a tongue speaking church and you didn't know how to do it I got a simple phrase I bought a Honda should have bought a Yamaha you just say that quickly and they'll think you're speaking in tongues that's not what the tongues were in Acts 2 they communicated the Glorious works of God in the languages of the people that were present and again beautiful wonderful display to see the The Acts of the Apostles of the acts of the Risen Lord Jesus through that it's all amazing to see when the apostles Paul does uh you know the spotlight takes up him in the latter half of the book Peter prior to that it is glorious but when it comes to say the charismatic or the Pentecostal movement they they sort of complain about us that we don't have a doctrine of the holy spirit because we don't speak in tongues anymore Brethren the holy spirit is active and powerful and miraculous and glorious in the salvation of sinners regener generation of a dead soul is glorious just like the resurrection of a dead body we need to understand and appreciate that the Greater Works of these disciples are a display of the Greater Works of our Lord Jesus Christ notice then thirdly in verse 13A he says and whatever you ask in my name that I will do whatever you ask in my name that I will do brethren we need to look at this promise in the context because you know we take passages like that and say well I I need a new job I need a new car I need a boat I I need a house I I need you know whatever it is I need well Jesus says whatever you ask it's a pretty tight context here I'm not saying the principle doesn't abide but even then it's not a blank check but in terms terms of the context he's got the apostles he's dismissed the betrayer after identifying him so he's got the 11 men 11 men that are going to be tasked with turning the world upside down they're going to receive the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18 to20 they're going to be bid to go out and engage in these Greater Works so what do you think he's speaking about in verse 13 when he says and whatever you ask in my name that I will do it's about the Greater Works that they're going to undertake it's about the that is Theirs to go out and preach the gospel to go out and make disciples to go out and plant churches this isn't blank check sort of word faith uh uh uh uh heresy this isn't well you know Jesus you said whatever I asked and I've asked for this new boat and I didn't get it so I'm going to mope I'm going to snivel and I'm going to whine and then I'm going to tell people God really doesn't answer prayer oh yeah he does you just don't like know for an answer but when it comes to this passage it is very tight contextually so notice in verse 13 whatever you ask in my name that I will do that the son uh that the father may be glorified in the son so specifically whatever you ask is associated with the works of ministry the Greater Works of verse 12 but as well the whatever you ask is always according to the will of God persons will ask that sometime we have these sort of generous promises in scripture concerning prayer to our god well it's not disconnected from his will in other words if you pray to God to bless your sin that's not going to happen because that's not according to his will now if you've sinned and you've confessed and you've repented and you say to God could you please overrule all the consequences of that and help me to sort of sorted out then I think you have his ear because he's in the business of sorting out but this whatever you ask in my name is always conditioned it's always governed by the will of God and of course in context it certainly is the will of God that they go out and do the Greater Works of Miracles and signs and wonders and the calling of Sinners out of Darkness into marvelous light that is God's will but as well notice in a parallel passage the specific thing that he envisages that they'll ask for is the holy spirit turn over to Luke 11 11 Luke 11 again a passage dealing with prayer and certainly we learn from it certainly it's appropriate and applicable to us I just want you to notice something in Luke 11 if you've ever wondered the asking and the seeking and the knocking just think of the word ask ask seek knock sometimes we fumble that up knock and seek and no no it's ask ask seek knock look at in verse 9 so I say to you ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you for everyone who re who asks receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be opened again Brethren that's a general promise of God to his people but it's always conditioned by according to his will well I you know knocked on this door to this Fortune 500 company and I wanted to be the CEO and I asked you for it and you wouldn't let me again that's not that's not a proper use of prayer texts if you want more on prayer come back tonight we're going to look at Paul's admonition at the end of Ephesians but then notice verse 10 if for everyone who asks receives he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be open now I would suggest that's good news to an unbeliever what do you mean by that well we know that it's the will of God to save a great multitude that no man can number so be assured an asking and a seeking and a knocking of God most high for salvation is according to the will of God in other words don't say well you know that's only confined to a certain class in the Christian church and I'm not going to invoke that principle because Butler said so no Butler said whatever is according to the will of God and the will of God is a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe every tongue every people every nation you may not know a lot about then this Divine and infinite being there are three persons or subsisten the Father the word or Son and the Holy Spirit having the Divine Essence yet the essence undivine you may not get all that but get this Jesus came into this world to save Sinners God the Father sent him into the world to save Sinners the Holy Spirit proceeds from the father and the son to empower the disciples to go out and tell people guess what that God so loved the the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life so in other words if you're an unbeliever don't let texts like this scare you away may they incite you may they evoke may they promote in you and earnestness in going after Jesus say with Peter and John 668 Lord to whom shall we go you you have the words of eternal life now back to the text texts like these shouldn't scare believer or unbeliever they should invite prayer they should invite us to come to the throne of grace now notice the sort of argument that Jesus gives in verse 11 if a son asks for bread from any father among you will he give him a stone I hope not I mean we might joke right my my brother-in-law one time has this was when many many years ago we went to the store and one of his children said can you get me a treat from the store so he got a potato and put it in a bag and brought that home to the child it was a joke he he didn't really mean that but but you see what Jesus is doing here he he's appealing to what is common among men your child asks for something and it's in your power to give the child that something don't you give it to them yeah you you do sometimes even if it's not in your power to do it you'll do whatever you can to try and make sure they get that if a son asks for bread from any father among you will he give him a stone or if he asks for a fish will he give him a serpent instead of a fish or if he asks for an egg will he offer him a scorpion now note the implication of the Declaration of vers 13 if you then being evil what's the point there you're not even righteous fathers you're not even decent human beings now maybe I'm amplifying a bit much but I don't know how you can dance around these words if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children look at the final statement how much more will your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him sometimes Brethren powerlessness in the church powerlessness in the Christian Life can be charged by James in this way you have not because you ask not I'm really trying to deal with this sin I know it's God's will that I deal with this sin well have you invoked the power of the Holy Spirit have you asked the father and the son to send the spirit so that you may resist it well this is Jesus Point here in this sort of mission of the disciples he tells them they're going to do Greater Works and then he tells them in verse 13 ver uh specifically whatever you ask in my name that I will do and then that brings us to the glory of Christ in 13B and 14 he says that the father may be glorified in the son the father's glory is in the son notice in chapter 12 at verse 27 now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father saved me from this hour but for this purpose I came to this hour father glorify your name and then the same thing in John 13 at: 31 so when he had gone out Jesus said now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him so those two statements point to the Cross those two statements demonstrate the glory of the father in the son when the son goes to the cross for us men and for our Salvation the statement he specifically addresses here is connected to the mission so when the spirit comes on the day of Pentecost Jesus is praised Jesus is glorified Jesus is honored and exalted and in that the father is glorified in him I mentioned earlier The Works of the disciples and the works of the Lord Jesus there's no competition there well there's no competition between the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit remember Mutual indwelling you see me you see the father it's not like Jesus is trying to strip a bit of Glory from the father or the spirit's trying to you know sort of wriggle his way in there to take some of the glory no the spirit brings glory to the son who brings glory to the father it is this blessed wondrous demonstration of our God our Triune God who is from Everlasting to Everlasting who made the world who governs the world and who's going to redeem his elect out of the world he does display that glory in specifically Redemptive categories and that's what's going going on here the answer to prayer and the accomplishment of The Works notice it's executed by the son verse 13 whatever you ask in my name that I will do how can he say that hopefully those who have been with us to any degree of time can say well the hypostatic union one person two Natures Divine and and human Thomas says note it is the same person who asks that the pericle be given and who gives the pericle he asks as a human being he gives as God so in verse 13 whatever you ask in my name that I will do that the father may be glorified in the sun it is the Blessed prerogative of Our Redeemer to not only be man who prays but to be God who hears and answers prayer and the works of God external to God are ascribed to god father Son and Holy Spirit we call this Doctrine Inseparable operations because they have the essence they have the will they have the power it's not three working it's one work of God outside of God and it displays that Majesty That Glory that excellence and that Wonder causing the children of men to stand in awe well it occurs to me that we're about to run out of time so we're going to quickly move to the power given to the disciples I just want to take up at least verse 15 we'll take up verse 16 to 18 God willing in a few weeks but notice so in this section he's already talked about the mission of the disciples verses 12 to 14 and now the power given to the disciples in verses 15- 16 verse 14 he just reconfirms again what he's already said if you ask anything in my name I will do it not trying to slide by that but it's a restatement of what he said again to encourage them with a boldness at the throne of grace but then notice in verse 15 he speaks of The Obedience of the disciples why do you think he does that well I'm going to try to offer at least two answers first it demonstrates the difference in relation that obtains between the father and the son and the Son and the disciples we've talked about this Mutual indwelling the father is in me and I in the father again that's by virtue of the unity of essence they each have the Divine Essence now Christ is going to tell us that the spirit is going to take up residence in our hearts and he's going to abide in us forever well you need to appreciate that the mutual indwelling the father in the Son and the son in the father is not on the basis of obedience Jesus loves the father nobody will ever deny that but in the in the Divine godhead Jesus position there isn't one of submission it's not characterized by obedience now in the economy when he takes on our Humanity when he lives for us when he dies for us when he's raised again for us there's subjection to his father my meat is to do the will of him who sent me but in terms of our Triune god father Son and Holy Spirit they're not disting uish by grades it's not that the father is the biggest G God the son is a little G God and then the spirit is a lesser G God in this Divine and infinite being there are three persons each having the whole Essence yet the essence undivided it's not partitioned out father 33 son 33 Spirit 33 so the difference in relation in terms of the son to the father in theology is not predicated on his obedience but the relationship of the disciple to our Master is predicated on obedience notice what he says in verse 15 if you love me keep my Commandments now that can be a puzzling statement because sometimes people hear it and say well I better keep God's Commandments better I better love him more so so that I can be saved well as you might guess I have three observations on this particular statement in verse 15 first something having to do with salvation is Jesus teaching salvation by love and by works in verse 15 no he's not he's already stressed belief in Jesus in verse 12 he's already asserted that the only way to the father is through him it's not through our wordss it's not through our love it's not through our obedience he's talking to justified by grace through faith Believers in him so in the realm of soteriology or the doctrine of salvation it does teach us that obedience in terms of practice love in terms of response follow on the heels of us having been Justified our confession States it well it speaks of Faith being the alone instrument of justification but it says but it's not alone in the person Justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving Graces and is no dead Faith but worketh by love so Jesus in verse 15 is not teaching the way to Salvation is by loving him and by obeying his Commandments and then he'll reward you with salvation no he's saying that salvation comes through belief in him salvation comes through faith in him which again is good news if you're an unbeliever here because my instruction is not go out and get a whole lot better go out and love a whole lot more the instruction is very simple believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved that's why it's gospel that's why it's good news it's not good news for me to tell you you better work your fingers to the Bone and when you're dripping with blood and sweat hopefully God will reward you with salvation that's your idea of good news I don't want it I like the kind of good news that we sing from time to time nothing in my hand I bring simply to thy cross I cling or the kind of good news spoken of by the prophet Zechariah in those days there will be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness that him that at least I think has that statement in the background when Sinners plunge beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains we're not saved by our love and obedience we're we're saved unto love and obedience it's kind of like election in Ephesians chapter one he shows us in him before the foundation of the world that not because that we should be holy and Without Blame before him he doesn't choose us because we are he chooses us so that will become by his grace and for his glory the theological connection here is justification and sanctification we are Justified freely by God's grace through faith in Jesus and as a consequence of that we enter the life of sanctification where we love God where we seek by grace to obey God and the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to enable that it's the Gratitude response to the grace that has been given to deal with our guilt but as well in terms of the law this speaks concerning the normative use of the law 1 Timothy 1:8 Paul says we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully what does Paul mean there's a lawful use of the law and an unlawful use of the law you know what an unlawful use of the law would be for me to say go out fix yourself get a whole lot better and bring yourself unto God to see if he's going to save you that's to butcher Souls that legal spirit in preaching is killing its tens of thousands we preach Grace we preach blood we preach Jesus righteousness now when Sinners by that Grace come to him and Avail of his blood and righteousness then Jesus tells us this is how you're supposed to live that's the right use of the law or the normative use of the law and that's what Jesus is referring to here if you love me keep my Commandments and then I would suggest practically in this context why does Jesus say what he says I would say that loving obedience to Christ is going to be the impetus for their mission he gives them command he'll Supply them the spirit but what is going to motivate them in terms of going out and pounding the pavement it's going to be their love for Jesus in fact look at John 21 which is something of an epilogue in the gospel record notice in John 21 at verse 15 there's no difference here in terms of the words used for Love sometimes preachers say well he's just asking for the bare minimum he can't get the full Monte just giving them no no the the the terms love here are used synonymously don't get hung up on that weirdness look at 21:15 so when they had eaten breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter Simon son of Jonah do you love me more than these what's the more than these fishing equipment Nets I don't think so fellow disciples probably I don't think he's asking it in competitive ways Peter do you love me more than John does I I think he's saying that if you want to Be an Effective minister of the Gospel or an apostle of the Lord Peter your first priority is the Lord he's got to be everything he's got to be preeminent because it's that love worship adoration and praise for him that's going to move you to go love your neighbor as yourself to go take the gospel to your fellows notice he said to him yes Lord you know that I love you he said to him feed my Lambs he said to him again a second time Simon son of Jonah do you love me he said to him yes Lord you you know that I love you he said to him tend my sheep he said to him the third time Simon son of Jonah do you love me Peter was grieved because he Lo said to him the third time do you love me and he said to him Lord you know all things you know that I love you Jesus said to him feed my sheep I think that's the connection here in verse 15 it's loving obedience to the Lord on the part of the justified by faith alone Believers that is going to help them in the midst of the opposition in other words when they go from town to town and City to City the Apostle is you know drummed up on false charges and brought or hauled before the civil government he loves he worships he Praises his savior he wants to obey he wants to honor he wants to glorify and as well it moves him to love Sinners so that he'll go to those Sinners so they'll be saved so loving obedience to Christ is the impetus for their mission I would suggest secondly loving obedience to Christ and this is where we're going to end this is your practical application here loving obedience to Christ is the fruit of one's having been justified by faith in Christ let me just read that again loving obedience to Christ is the fruit not the cause not the reason I've thought a lot of problems in theology could be solved if we just knew the difference between a cause and a consequence if you don't get the difference between a cause and a conse consquence you're going to be a Roman Catholic in your soteriology You're Going To Be A New Perspective in Paul in your soteriology you're going to be a federal visionist in your soteriology causes and consequences what's the cause of our Salvation or the the the instrument the causal means by which we come it's grace through faith what's the consequence sanctification loving obedience doing what the Savior calls us to do not so that we can be saved but by virtue of the fact that we are saved so loving obedience to Christ is the fruit of ones having been justified by faith in Christ Ma on Galatians 5 he says concerning verse 6 love according to the New Testament is not the means of salvation but it is the finest fruit of it a man is saved by faith in order that he may love that's Jesus point in other words he's not your typical boss okay troops well your typical military commander hopefully if you business owners have employees under your employee you don't talk to them the way that military people talk to their subordinates or at least they used to everybody's dancing around now I doubt that's really going on in the the at least the US military but they didn't kind of give you incentives enticements they didn't you know try to coax you into observance in terms of your duty and responsibility they said pick up your stuff and go do what you're supposed to do but but you think you butt but in a milit no you don't but butt you just do what you're supposed to do and good news if you don't do what you're supposed to do we will put you in jail okay so when you look at this Commander that's not the way he rules it's not the way he governs now get out there and start evangelizing all these lost souls no if you love me you'll keep my Commandments and and to Aid you in that because you're going to fail miserably even in that I'm going to ask my father and he's going to send the paracle so that he can dwell or abide in you forever this is a a tightly beautifully argued piece of of Revelation designed to encourage the disciples at the Ascension of the Lord to receive the Holy Spirit and then to go out and do what he calls them to do if you love me you'll keep my Commandments it's a blessed thing John tells us in his first epistle the Commandments are not burdensome it's not a a ball and chain this is something that that God is about and I'm going to Supply the spirit so that you will comply and that you will do those things and then I would suggest the final thought in terms of practical is that loving obedience to Christ is the Gratitude I've already kind of alluded to this for all of us we're not in the upper room we don't have this direct causal relationship with Jesus at Apostles day of Pentecost go out and make disciples and found churches but what he says here in principle is the very essence of our Christian Life why do we do what we do in terms of singing in terms of Bible reading in terms of praying in terms of The Fellowship of the Saints because we have to no we love him and we want to do what he calls us to do that's why David says in Psalm 122 I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord they didn't have to put his arm behind his back and say come on David we're going to get you to the house of the he's glad to do that why because gratitude to God's grace that dealt with our guilt produces from the people of God loving obedience that's not legalism that is a lawful use of God's law in the realm of the normative use you do what God command calls you to do he empowers You by his grace and spirit and this is a means whereby you bring glory to the son which brings glory to the father that this idea is somehow considered unbiblical shows the efficiency in the modern Church era preach the law lawfully the normative use of the law is lawful if you love me Jesus says you will keep my Commandments why do we love him uh Galatians 4 or uh 1 John 4 because he first loved us and this is the reflex this is the response this is our reasonable Service as Paul calls it in Romans 12 so for unbelievers the argument stands ask seek knock God's will is to save Sinners if you're a sinner then you are savable Believers if you love me not me Jim but him Jesus keep my Commandments gratitude appreciation praise worship and Glory given to the father and the son empowered by The Spirit Well let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you you for your word we thank you for our Lord's clear instructions to his disciples give us Grace to receive these things give us Grace to Heed These Things and give us Grace to glorify and honor you each and every day bless the work of the church all over the Earth may she go therefore may she make disciples may she plant churches and just continue to duplicate and replicate these wonderful Christ blessed efforts to advance the cause of God and Truth here on Earth and we pray through Jesus Christ Christ Our Lord amen we'll stand and sing our closing song will be 564 I think 564 God the god of is with Glory [Music] Glory bless his glorious to all his glory [Music] glor the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen go with us now Lord God we pray that we would know your peace your nearness as our good in this life and may we seek by your grace to glorify you in this present evil age we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation