Mention My Name Series

Give me your full attention for a moment by allowing me to see your beautiful faces while I ask you this question. Which would you prefer? Walking with Jesus for three years like the Disciples did? Or would you prefer the Holy Spirit inside you, as believers experience today?

Find John 14 with me, will you?

What would you rather have — Jesus beside you, or Jesus inside you? What would it have been like to walk around with Jesus for three plus years? If you could choose between walking with Him in Galilee or having His Spirit live within you, which would you pick?1 The night before the cross, Jesus tells His disciples something shocking: It’s better for you that I go. I can imagine Peter leaning over to ask John, “Did He just say, ‘Better’?” How could losing Jesus be better? That’s what we’re about to discover.

Today’s Scripture

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:12-17).

Remember, this is all happening the night before Jesus is murdered. Jesus is only moments from a sham trial that will keep Him up all night. This will be Jesus’ last time to train the eleven as He is about to send them out into the world. If you had one night left with your closest friends and family, what would you say? These are the last words He wanted burned into His disciples’ memories.

Sermon Preview

1. Living with Jesus’ Abilities

2. Praying with Jesus’ Authority

3. Partnering with Jesus’ Spirit

1. Living with Jesus’ Abilities

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

Jesus begins with a staggering promise, “This is what you’ll do.”

1.1 The Double Amen

That is the double amen formula we have heard from the lips of Jesus so many times in the gospel of John. It’s like when your parents said your full name as a kid. Amen means “truth” or “true,” so Jesus is telling us something super serious here. Jesus says, “This is double truth.” We cannot shrug it off. Every time Jesus says, “Truly, truly,” give Him your full attention. Let’s look at verse 12 phrase by phrase.

1.2 A Promise Made to All Believers

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do…” (John 14:12a).

Notice the word “whoever” in verse 12. That means this promise isn’t reserved for the spiritual elites, for missionaries, or only for pastors. He didn’t say this only to professional Christians. He’s speaking to the mom raising kids at home. He’s speaking to the high schooler trying to live faithfully for Christ among friends. And He’s speaking to the retiree, wondering if their life still matters. Jesus says, “I want to empower the everyday believer” to do great works in my name. That means the Christian life isn’t about being a spectator to Jesus’ greatness—it’s about participating in it. The Christian life isn’t watching Jesus perform—it’s joining Him in His work.

1.3 Every Believer Does Jesus’ Works

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do…” (John 14:12a).

Jesus says in effect, “Everyone of my followers will do MY kind of works.” Jesus didn’t say, “whoever believes MIGHT Do the works I do…” Instead, Jesus says, “…whoever believes in me WILL also DO the works that I do…” (John 14:12a). Jesus says every single one of His followers will do works that point to Jesus.

1.3.1 The Believers’ Uniform

Jesus says these works will be your uniform. You think of these works of love and mercy like a team uniform or a soldier’s uniform. When you see these works, you know what someone is playing for.

1.3.2 Operation Overlord

There was an amazing level of organization for the D Day invasion on June 6, 1944, where Allied troops were putting boots on the ground in Europe to drive back the Nazi’s. During what was known as Operation Overlord, soldiers were trained to use a specific system to identify friendly forces. If you were to say “flash,” a friendly force soldier would say, “thunder.” These code words were even changed frequently as they couldn’t trust that the enemies had not stolen the uniform of the Allies.2 For those who may have seen Saving Private Ryan, the actor Tom Hanks calls out “Thunder” to see if troops approaching him are friend or foe. So many Americans claim to be Christians, and then you look at their actions, and they seem to be acting more like the enemy than someone on Christ’s team. Just as soldiers on D-Day had a code to identify who was on their side, Jesus gives us a mark of genuine faith. Jesus says you can identify a believer by the works they do. Jesus didn’t say believers might do these works. Jesus said believers will do these works. You should be asking yourself, “Am I doing these works of compassion and love?”