“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.” John 14:12-14

Jesus here tells His disciples that those who believe and trust in Him as the Son of God and their Savior will continue to carry out His works here in this world, even after He has ascended to the right hand of God the Father in heaven. Jesus’ work of gathering souls into His everlasting kingdom would not come to a close when He died on the cross to redeem us and then rose again and ascended into heaven. Jesus would work through those who believe in Him to carry the saving Gospel to the ends of the earth so that many would turn to Him in faith and be saved and added to His church and kingdom (cf. Mark 16:15-16).

And, because Jesus made full atonement for our sins by His death on the cross and then returned to the Father to rule over all things, pour out His Holy Spirit on believers, and intercede for them, the one who believes in Jesus is privileged to do even greater works than Jesus — to proclaim the redemption Jesus accomplished for all when He suffered and died on the cross and then rose again on the third day. And the Holy Spirit, working through the proclamation of the Gospel, raises up those who are dead in sin to faith in Christ, giving them God’s pardon and the blessings of life eternal in communion with God through faith in Jesus. Consider the mighty works done through Jesus’ disciples on the day of Pentecost when “about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41).

Jesus said, “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.”

This is not a blank check to ask anything our sinful hearts desire but, rather, a promise that when we ask in Jesus’ name — meaning that we ask in accord with Jesus’ will and to further His kingdom and bring Jesus glory — Jesus Himself, our God and Savior, will do it.

James warns against praying for the sinful desires of our hearts when He says: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:3-4). John writes in his first epistle: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all and rose again in triumph. After many appearances to His disciples, Jesus ascended to the right hand of God the Father in heaven. But His work goes on! He continues to build and establish His kingdom and church, made up of all who repent of their sinful ways and look to Him and His cross in faith for mercy and forgiveness.

Though we no longer see Jesus with our earthly eyes, He has not left us but dwells in those who believe in Him by His Spirit. And He works through those who trust in Him. He empowers them to proclaim salvation through faith in His name, and He works through the proclamation of the Gospel to raise up the spiritually dead to spiritual and eternal life through faith in Him and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world.

Dear Lord Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, grant that I see my sin and guilt and look to You and Your cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness, and use me to carry out Your ongoing work in this world by empowering me to share the Gospel that others, too, may hear and believe in Your name. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]