The John Project

My wife bought a pair of pruning shears the other day, and that act marked a significant turning point in her life. I’m not joking. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but anyone acquainted with the tenderness of that woman’s deeply sensitive heart would immediately recognize that the idea of cutting away part of a living thing, even to promote its greater fruitfulness, goes against her nature. So, for her to purchase and own something designed for that purpose is quite remarkable. But she was ultimately compelled to do it for love’s sake.

I don’t use that word lightly. She LOVES this world God created and everything that reflects his life within it including the plants in her flower and vegetable garden. And although that love struggles a bit with the concept of pruning, it’s also what ultimately caused her to order the shears. One of the tests of true love is its willingness to express itself in actions that are costly to the lover but benefit the loved.

And that’s what we encounter in the first three verses of John 15 as Jesus opens his parable of the vine and branches and introduces his disciples to a form of divine tough love. After identifying the story’s cast of characters – himself as the vine, the Father as the vinedresser, and his followers as the branches – the Lord described two truths about spiritual pruning.

First, he said there’s a big difference between pruning and removing. He told his disciples that unfruitful branches are simply removed while the vinedresser’s careful work of pruning is reserved only for those branches that are already fruitful so they can be more so.

He was preparing them for those times when they would encounter the tender blade of the Father’s loving confrontation. Jesus wanted them to understand that there would be times when they would feel the pinch of God addressing attitudes, habits, and behaviors that need to be trimmed away because they constrict the flow of his life in them and hinder their fruitfulness. But he was assuring them that the short-term pain experienced in those times would be worth surrendering to.

Consider the Bible’s list of the fruit the vinedresser seeks to promote in the branches. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” And I ask you, who wouldn’t want to have more of those qualities flowing from their life?

God’s tender heart is certainly not insensitive to the trauma caused by the cutting away of those spiritually unproductive things we’ve allowed to take root in our lives. But his love compels him to employ his shears from time to time, and we should welcome him to do so.

The second truth about spiritual pruning revealed in this passage is that it’s the natural and unavoidable result of exposure to his words. He told his followers that without even knowing what was happening, the things he’d taught them had already produced in them a measure of cleansing. And in this context, that word is synonymous with pruning.

In other words, he was saying that the word of God, the Bible, among other things, is the vinedresser’s knife. It carefully reveals and deals with anything inhibiting our fruit-bearing. So, developing a regular habit of exposing ourselves to it causes the pruning we all want and need to become less often a painful confrontation and more of an expected and welcomed occurrence.

If you want to see more of the fruit of the Spirit produced in your life, do yourself a favor. Create a well-worn pathway to the Scriptures, submit to their pruning work, and rejoice in what begins to grow as a result.

I simply can’t consider John 14:30-31 without becoming emotional. The profound courage and determined sacrifice embedded in my Savior’s words recorded there always elicit a reaction from deep within my soul.

First, he told his disciples that the time for talk was nearing an end and the time for action was at hand. He said his consummate confrontation with the devil was on final approach. He referred to him as the “ruler of this world” – a title that results from the forfeiture by our sin of the dominion God originally gave humanity. And by identifying him that way, he was signaling what was at stake: sacrificially satisfying the consequences of mankind’s rebellion and restoring God’s intensions for his creation.

Next, Jesus declared, “He has nothing in me,” which meant that because of his sinless life Satan had no claim on him. The coming showdown would not be about securing anything for himself. He said it would be a demonstration of his loving obedience to the will of the Father.

Then, he followed this with a statement many commentators have taken to be Jesus simply concluding the Passover meal and inviting the disciples to join him on his journey to Gethsemane. This interpretation assumes that the content of the next three chapters unfolded along the way. But since those chapters end with John’s record of a lengthy prayer he plainly states Jesus finished before he and his disciples left for the garden, I think the phrase that closes chapter 14 and is rendered by the New King James Version as, “Arise, let us go from here,” was something far more significant.

The original Greek could properly be translated as, “Let’s do this!” And I think that colloquialism better captures the heart of Jesus in that moment. With full awareness of what was coming, why, how soon, and what it would cost him, instead of shrinking back or attempting to postpone it, he leaned in and gave voice to his determination to see it through to completion and the victory over sin it would accomplish for us all.

And although it’s a deeply flawed comparison, what I feel when I read these words is somewhat like the sense of grateful pride many of my countrymen experience when they recall the day in June of 1944 that our troops joined with those from Britain and Canada to storm the beaches of France’s Normandy coast and confront Hitler’s plan for world domination. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t our fight. It wasn’t our nation that was under threat from Nazi invasion. Still, our brave soldiers answered the call to advance into that arena of terrible suffering for the sake of others. And I can almost hear them cry out from their landing craft as they came ashore, “Let’s do this!”

Some friends of mine are currently traveling in Europe. And a much-anticipated part of their itinerary is a visit to the D-Day invasion sites. They’re going to what is often referred to as sacred ground to pause in silent reflection and honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives there in defense of liberty.

How much more should we regularly visit the holy terrain at the foot of the cross in worship and there glorify the one who boldly determined out of his love for the Father to face head on, with immeasurable sacrifice, the suffering that purchased our spiritual freedom and gained for us his presence as our destiny. Eternally offering our praise from sincerely grateful hearts is the only appropriate response for so great a salvation. Let’s do this!

I’ve reached the stage of life where my hearing is not as sharp as it was in my youth. More frequently than I’d like, I find I’m asking people to repeat themselves, and I sometimes have to turn up the volume on my TV to not miss passages of dialog. So, audiology is on my mind.

God designed us with two ears strategically located on opposite sides of our heads. This array provides our brains with a staggering amount of auditory information. It places us in a 360° sound stage within which our sense of hearing facilitates our interaction with the world around us. It also allows us to pinpoint the physical origin of noises in our environment through what’s known as sound localization and makes it possible for us to determine if an object is moving away from or coming toward us and how quickly. But if illness, injury, or aging causes a person to suffer single-sided deafness where hearing is lost in one ear, their brain can't receive the full spectrum of data required to assemble this complete picture.

There’s also something called selective hearing that can create a similar problem. This is when a person consciously or unconsciously chooses to only listen to what they think is relevant to them and ignore what isn’t. We’ve all experienced times when we’ve chosen to process only a select part of what we’ve heard. But when we do, we can miss important details and end up with an incomplete understanding.

We see this play out in John 14:28-29. While continuing the pre-crucifixion preparation of his disciples, Jesus reminded them of two things they’d previously heard him say. He’d told them he would be both departing from and returning to them. But it’s clear they chose to listen with only one ear, so to speak. They fixated on the part about him leaving, and their concerns about that deafened them to the hope-filled news that he’d be coming back.

As a result, they didn’t experience the benefit of these twin promises that were intended to provide them with both the emotional security they would need for their own souls and to make it possible for them to appreciate the joy a return to the Father meant for Jesus. Instead, all he could do was confront their lack of empathy and assure them that eventually their faith would benefit from what was about to happen.

But sadly, practicing selective hearing when it comes to the Word of God can not only cause us to miss out on intended benefits, it’s spiritually dangerous. In his farewell address to the Ephesian elders recorded in Acts 20, the Apostle Paul pointed to his practice of declaring “the whole counsel of God” as an example they should follow in caring for the church. That’s because when we pick and choose from God’s declared principles and precepts as though they were merely an assortment to select from, we can end up assembling an image of the will and ways of God that’s not only warped but contains nooks and crannies of error from which the devil can ensnare us.

As an example, the passage before us contains a controversial quote from Jesus. In verse 28, while attempting to describe the indescribable – the anticipated joy of the Son’s return to the Father – he made the comment, “My Father is greater than I.”

There are those who insist, based on this, that Jesus meant for us to understand he was either not divine at all or lower down a hierarchy within the Trinity. And these false interpretations have formed the foundations for cults that have led many away from a saving relationship with Christ. But these positions can only be supported if you hear his statement with one ear and discount everything Jesus had previously said about his being equal with the Father.

So, let’s determine to always listen with both ears when it comes to what God has said. Let’s contend for an approach to the Scriptures that places a high value on embracing input from its entire sound stage.

Years ago, I was in the process of preparing a Christmas message series, and I posed a question to my wife while we were out for a walk one evening. I asked her to consider all the people in her life – our family, our neighbors, her friends at work, the people in our congregation – and describe her sense of their deepest desire for that holiday season. Without the slightest hesitation, she answered, “peace.” She said, “They long for peace in their lives.”

I’ll bet you can relate to that longing. And although I’m tempted to think it must be more true for those of us dealing with the multiplying fears, stresses, uncertainties, and complexities of our time, I’d be wrong. The yearning for peace – personal, relational, political, and global – has defined humanity throughout history. And its pursuit has been the driving force behind most of the choices and actions – good and bad – of all people everywhere for all time.

And it was true for the disciples of Jesus as they wrestled with the unsettling news that he would be leaving them soon. That’s why John 14:27 contains the words of his very precious promise to leave them with the gift of peace. He carefully described it as, “my peace,” and lovingly assured them it wouldn’t be the shallow, transitory type the world offers.

His peace is not a mood, state of mind, feeling, or the result of a trouble-free life. It’s not contingent on internal or external conditions. It doesn’t come and go or ebb and flow. It’s a changeless extension of who Jesus is. In fact, the prophetic messianic birth announcement recorded in Isaiah 6:9 declared that the Promised One would be named, Prince of Peace.

So, when Jesus went on to tell the disciples not to allow their hearts to be troubled or become fearful, he wasn’t expecting them to create their own state of peacefulness. He wasn’t suggesting that they could experience it by any act of self-centering or adjustment of their circumstances. He was saying that the gift of his on-going presence in the person of the Holy Spirit would make it possible for them to live within the embrace of his peace as a choice.

And this was not a promise that applied only to those first disciples. Philippians 4:6-7 makes it clear that all Christ-followers can choose to live without anxiety by stepping under the canopy of his presence through prayer and enjoying the “peace of God” that defies explanation.

It can properly be said that peace is a person. The settled rest of mind and heart we all crave can be found only in a relationship with God through faith in Christ. If peace is not anchored to the unshakable security of the one who is unchangeable and immovable, any attempt to attain it will ultimately collapse in the shifting sands of circumstance.

So, if my wife was speaking for you while walking with me under stars that winter night when she said, “They long for peace,” it’s time to abandon everything that falsely promises to satisfy that longing. Instead, make the choice to trust the care of your troubled heart to the one who is peace personified. Hear him speaking to you from Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Since 2004, I’ve had the privilege of teaching Bible students from around the world who travel to the nation of Taiwan for a five-month Discipleship Training School held there twice a year. I get to be with them for one week of their enrollment and conduct a three-hour, daily lecture.

Every day, before introducing new material, I review the previous day’s curriculum and try to address any questions that developed overnight as these students processed the instruction they’d received. They’re exposed to a lot of content during class, so I always look forward to this opportunity to repeat and revisit things I’ve taught that they didn’t fully grasp. But even then, I know there’s only so much they’ll be able to absorb.

That’s partly due to the limits of my communication skills, but also, because the deepest form of learning happens as information gets applied, and there’s really no shortcut to that process. It takes time. And when I conclude my week of teaching, I always find myself wishing there was a way I could stay with my students through their journey of application that only daily living can make possible.

So, I love what Jesus told the Twelve about the process of their spiritual development in John 14:25-26. Having just emphasized the importance of not only hearing his words but living them, he reminded his disciples they would not be abandoned to go it alone. He reiterated his promise from verses 15-18 that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to remain with them, reinforce his instructions, and enable them to recall what they’d been taught as their lives provided the opportunity to apply his teaching.

I believe you’re reading this because you want to be a faithful, diligent, and engaged student of the red ink – the color that many versions of the New Testament use to display the words of Jesus. But as you’ve probably already discovered, there’s a lot of it. And I know it may seem a bit overwhelming. You may even be tempted to feel shame or embarrassment about what you perceive to be your slowness to absorb and grasp the Lord’s instructions.

But don’t surrender to that. The Holy Spirit is a wise and patient teacher working within our uniqueness, enabling us to learn and live in the life-altering words of the Savior. As believers, each of us has access to a divine tutor guiding us in understanding and assimilating the truths Jesus taught. And he’s not limited to a week of lectures. The Holy Spirit is with us 24/7/365 to ensure we’re growing in the knowledge we need and can apply it in every circumstance we encounter.

And that’s not even close to the full measure of the Spirit’s mission in our lives. As we explore the next chapter of this Gospel, we’ll discover a much more expansive description of his role. But for now, let’s choose to soak in, with gratitude, the light of this one aspect of his ministry to us. With grateful and responsive hearts, let’s commit to being good students.

My prayer life includes me asking a lot of questions. Many arise out of my Bible reading, and others just erupt from my daily experiences. But I’ve learned the importance of finding a quiet place and bringing them to the Lord in prayer even though I know some of them won’t be answered or at least not yet. In those cases, I know it’s not that the answers don’t exist or that God is deliberately withholding them from me. It’s usually because I don’t have the frame of reference required to comprehend the answers, like when a four-year-old asks where babies come from. Other times, it’s because I don’t even know how to ask the right questions. Still, even when I don’t get an answer to the question I've asked, the act of asking it helps deepen my relationship with Jesus and my understanding of his ways because it provides an opportunity for me to interact with him.

His goal is always deeper communion with us. And that’s why one of the things we learn about Jesus in the accounts of his life and ministry is that he welcomes queries and at times even intentionally raises them. So, not surprisingly, this is the approach Jesus used as he prepared the Twelve for his crucifixion. And after having fielded comments and questions from Peter, John, Thomas, and Philip earlier in the chapter, John 14:21-24 contains his response to a question from another of the disciples.

After saying that those who really love him naturally engage in keeping his commands as an expression of that love, he went on to promise that he would manifest himself to those who do as an expression of the love he and the Father have for them.

This prompted the question from Judas – not Judas Iscariot who would betray Jesus but the other disciple with the same name who was also known as Thaddaeus. He asked, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

The text then says, “Jesus answered…” But the Greek word translated as answered here can also refer simply to a reply that follows a question, not necessarily the answer to it. Now, it’s unclear whether Judas was asking about the mechanics of how the Lord would be able to reveal himself to his followers without being seen by others or about the reason why he would do that. Either way, the Lord didn’t provide him an answer.

Instead, before clarifying the obvious – that those who don’t love him demonstrate that by choosing not to keep his commands – he reiterated what he’d just said about the importance of showing love for him by obeying his words. But this time around, rather than simply repeating his promise to manifest himself to those who do, he amplified it by saying he and the Father will make their home among them. This was a different facet of the same promise, but the Lord’s language here and its implications are even more profound.

So, even if Jesus was unable to answer Judas’ specific question, the interaction that ensued because he asked it resulted in him being offered a gift of understanding he wouldn’t even have known to ask for. And that’s been my experience too. A sincerely posed question to Jesus will always lead to rich engagement with him if we’re willing not to insist he answer the one we’re asking. And it can often escort us into unexpected revelation as well.

Please don’t deprive yourself of these blessings. Do you have questions for Jesus? Go ahead, find a quiet place, and ask away.

With his arrest in Gethsemane now just hours away, John 14:19-20 records Jesus telling his disciples they would soon experience three things. They would see what others don’t, come alive in a new way, and understand a mysterious reality.

First, he said people would be divided into two groups: those who see him and those who don’t. He said they would, and the world won’t, clarifying that belief would be the determining factor. But the word translated as 𝘴𝘦𝘦 in this text is not the one for the physical experience of sight as when you just happen to see something. He used the word for the second glance you take to examine more fully something you’ve previously only casually observed. It involves intentionality and investigation. He clearly meant that even after he was no longer physically with them, there would still be much about him to be 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 by those ready to explore with eyes of faith. Like a work of art that continues to reveal more of its beauty, meaning, and impact the longer you carefully consider it, their perspective on his stunning glory would keep expanding the more they gave themselves to pursuing the depth of his majesty.

Second, he said that because he lives (present tense) – not had lived (past tense) or would live (future tense) – they could experience life in a way they hadn’t yet. He wanted them to understand that although his imminent crucifixion would result in the death of his body, he would not cease to be. He would continue living the spiritual life that has belonged to him eternally. And once he’d paid the death penalty owed for human sin, in his resurrection, he’d be able to impart that life to them, a life of another kind, his kind.

Third, he said that once this happened, they would be able to grasp a truth he’d witnessed them struggle with. He told them, “You will know that I am in my Father.” And the word translated as 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 here is about the kind of understanding that results from relationship rather than instruction. So, what follows is significant because it describes the environment of relationship that would provide the understanding they needed. He said they would finally comprehend the mystery of his unity with the Father because they would be experiencing a similar oneness with himself. They would be in him, and he would be in them. Their lives would be entwined with his in a way similar to his with the Father’s.

So, what does all this have to do with us? Well, nothing if these words are just part of the historical record of some of the Lord’s final instructions to his original disciples. But if you believe, as I do, that Jesus was speaking beyond his inner circle gathered there that day to an audience that includes every Jesus-follower, then the impact for you and me is staggering.

Please, don’t miss this! He has invited us into a relationship with him that results in our eyes being opened to the deeper dimensions of who he is; in his eternal life transforming our mere material existence; and in an experiential knowledge of what it means to be in him as he is in the Father. And the magnitude of just these three aspects of the grace lavished upon us in Christ so overwhelms my ability to comprehend, I’m…I’m struggling to know how to finish this sentence. So, pardon me while I pause here, slip to my knees before him, and attempt to find some way to give voice to my gratitude.

As they processed what he was teaching them in preparation for his cross, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus understood the fear of abandonment the disciples were confronting. So, in John 14:16-18, he lovingly assured them they would not be orphaned. And he began preparing them to embrace the presence of the one he said the Father would provide to remain with them when he was gone.

This initial introduction to the person and work of the Holy Spirit set the stage for the remainder of Christ’s final instructions to the Twelve. But since the indwelling and overflowing of the Holy Spirit are essential experiences in the life of every believer, all of us need to pay close attention to what Jesus meant when he used two richly significant phrases to describe him.

The first of these is found in verse 16 where Jesus called him 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘳. And each of the Greek words behind this English phrase is important to consider. The word translated as 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 refers not only to a second person, but to a second person of the same sort as the first. The Lord was anticipating the hesitance his disciples might have for welcoming the Holy Spirit if they thought he would behave unpredictably. And that can be true for some of us today who are comfortable with Jesus but a little uncertain about the Spirit. So, this simple word that could be easily overlooked was intended to help all of us securely rest in the knowledge that everything we know about Jesus is also true of the Holy Spirit.

Then, with the word translated as 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘳, Jesus introduced the unique ministry of the Holy Spirit. The original word means 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱. It’s used to describe someone who draws close to offer aid, provide comfort, or serve as an advocate. And that definition is packed with meaning for all Jesus-followers because the Holy Spirit is all of that to us. He’s the one who is always near, standing with us in every situation; the one who is our limitless resource, supplying whatever the need requires; the one who is our emotional shelter, assuaging our heartaches, bearing our burdens, and relieving our fears; and the one who is our defender, confronting and defeating every assault leveled against us.

The second of the phrases Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit is found in verse 17 where he referred to him as the 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. The literal meaning of the word translated as 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 is 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. And the word for truth is less about a fact and more about the realty supporting that fact. So, a translation of the language behind this phrase could easily be 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. And it reveals the Holy Spirit as not limited by the constraints of a physical body as Jesus’ messianic mission required. So, he can be fully present with each of us in every place all at the same time. But his invisible presence is anchored to a reality that can be experienced. Although unseen with human eyes, he's more substantial than anything we can observe.

If this happens to be one of those days when circumstances are tempting you to feel abandoned, I pray your heart will be encouraged with the truth that you have not been orphaned. And I pray you’ll sense the powerful presence of the one who comes alongside to help.

During a speech she gave at an event I attended five months ago, a friend made a request as a passing remark in an illustration she was using. But earlier this week, I had the opportunity to fulfill that offhand request, and I did it while quoting what she’d said on that occasion word for word. When I did, she responded incredulously saying, “You were listening,” and I answered, “Of course, I was.”

I did what I did and said what I said because one of the primary ways we honor others is by listening to them, and not just to hear their words, but to understand what they meant and, more importantly, how to be responsive to them. For instance, although it took me longer than it should have, over the years of our marriage, I discovered the importance of expressing my love for my wife by being fully present when she has something to say, asking clarifying questions to make certain I’m truly understanding her, and then being careful to respond with appropriate action.

So, I get what Jesus was saying to his disciples in John 14:15. He was trying to help them understand that the affection they had for him should result in obedience to all he’d taught them. And since that clearly applies to us too, let’s make sure our sincere loving translates into deep listening and careful doing. And let’s make sure we engage in that process beginning right here with this verse by paying close attention to what he meant. To do that, we need to take a closer look at some of the words he used.

By beginning with the conditional particle if, he wasn’t questioning the sincerity of his followers’ love but the type. The word translated as love in this verse is the one the New Testament uses almost exclusively to describe the kind God has. It’s a sacrificial love defined more by what it does than what it feels. Oh, it’s replete with feelings, but it’s not satisfied until those feelings motivate a costly offering of itself. Jesus wasn’t demanding action as proof of their love. Instead, he was inviting them into the kind of love that results in action.

Then, there’s the word translated here as keep. The original Greek is less about doing as instructed and more about how those instructions are valued. It’s not describing obedience for the sake of obeying, the kind required of a servant. It refers to the sort of careful attention and diligence one gives to carrying out the directions of someone held in highest regard like the requests of a dear friend.

And that’s what’s at the heart of this profound, one-sentence verse of Scripture. Jesus wasn’t acting like an immature teenager saying, “If you really loved me, you would do what I say.” He was welcoming those closest to him into a deeper form of relationship. In fact, being responsive to the loving commands of our precious Savior is so tightly integrated into the fabric of the kind of relationship he wants with us that it’s an indispensable part of what defines it. 1 John 2:3 says, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

So, I think this is probably an appropriate moment to evaluate how responsive we are to the Lord’s commands. And if that reflection reveals an approach that’s more casual than careful, we need to be honest with ourselves about what that might be saying regarding the nature of our love for him. But the beauty of John 14:15 is that it extends to all of us the opportunity to enter a deeper way of knowing him, one that naturally produces an obedience born of true affection.

In my early twenties, I was hired by a company that installed solar pool heaters. But I quit after only a few weeks because they repeatedly sent me out in the company truck to do installations without first ensuring that it was stocked with the parts, tools, and supplies I would need for the job. I’d show up at the homeowner’s property as an authorized representative of the company but without the resources to fulfill anyone’s expectations. It was embarrassing for me, disappointing for the client, and shameful for our firm. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise when I tell you the business went bankrupt soon after I resigned. But I think that episode in my employment history may help us better understand something very important Jesus taught his disciples in John 14:12-14.

He’d just validated the importance of displays of his miraculous power as pathways to faith by inviting Philip to a belief based on his works. Then, he used that invitation as a bridge to introduce another of the truths he wanted to equip his disciples with as he prepared them for the aftermath of his cross and resurrection.

He told them their faith would enable him to dispense miracles through them. In fact, he said they would be vessels for even greater works than they’d seen him perform precisely because he would be ascending to the father. And although his reference to greater works was surely not about magnitude – they’d seen him raise Lazarus from the dead, for goodness’ sake – it was about quantity. He was describing the multiplying impact that would result when his physical presence was no longer a limiting factor, and he could, from the platform of his heavenly glory, pour out his power through all his followers.

And if that statement wasn’t mind-blowing enough, he followed it with a real zinger. Jesus told them that he would do anything they asked in his name and that his Father would be honored as a result.

Did he really mean that?

I think it’s clear he did, but I also think it’s clear that we need to be careful not to misinterpret what he said. He wasn’t giving his followers a blank check to receive whatever they desire if they just remember to close their prayers with a certain phrase. He was being very specific about two things that were prerequisites for the fulfillment of his anything promise.

First, praying "in Jesus’ name" does not mean using that phrase as a kind of spiritual incantation to unlock God’s favor. It means that our requests flow out of and are in sync with our assignment to serve as his representatives. Unlike my former employer, when we're acting as his agents or in his name, we are never under-resourced. He has promised to provide all that’s needed.

Second, Jesus said the kind of request that unleashes his miraculous response is the kind that's focused on glorifying the Father. Whenever we approach God in prayer, it’s wise to consider the motives behind what we ask of him. It’s important to honestly confront any selfishness and align our motives to reflect honorably on him.

Are these just caveats that let God off the hook or provide him an excuse when we don't experience the miracles we ask for? Absolutely not! The Lord of Glory prefaced his promise with the phrase, “Most assuredly, I say to you.” And that's an expression that means nothing is more true than this. He went on the record with a pledge we can absolutely count on. And that means you can trust him to do anything you ask in his name.