Whatever You Ask Series

When I was a kid, my mom used to send me to the store with very specific instructions.

She’d say, “Go get a gallon of milk. Don’t forget… I want 2%. Not whole milk. Not skim milk. 2% milk.

And don’t get the expensive brand.

And make sure it’s not close to expiration.

And don’t get distracted. And come straight home.”

And she wrote it all out on a list. And I said… “I don’t need a list. I’ll just get whatever you told me to get.”

She said, “No… you’ll get whatever you want.” And she handed me the list… Because she knew something I didn’t yet understand: nobody really trusts a kid with whatever.

“Whatever” is dangerous in the wrong hands.

Give a teenage boy “whatever” at the grocery store, and he’ll come home with Mountain Dew, frozen pizza, Resse’s Pieces, and somehow… no milk.

Give a man “whatever” at the hardware store, and he’ll come home with $300 worth of tools and still not fix the problem.

Give a church committee “whatever,” and you’ll have 12 meetings and still no decision.

We like the word whatever… but we don’t trust it very much.

Because whatever sounds unlimited. Unrestricted. Wide open.

And yet in John 14, Jesus looks at His followers and says something almost shocking: “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it.”

Not some things. Not safe things. Not small things. Whatever.

Welcome to week #2 in our series, “Whatever”. Over the next few weeks we are going to be taking a look at some of the passages in the Bible that contain the word “Whatever.”

Last week, we talked about “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it in my name.” This week we turn our attention to prayer and see what Jesus had to say in John 14:12-14.

Where Jesus says… whatever you ask in my name. Or anything you ask in my name… I will do.

Now… I know that there are certain individuals who have taken this and ran with it, and are misleading people into a name-it and claim-it theology.

But this is not what Jesus is saying here. So… as we dive into this, the first thing that we need to see from this passage is this…

1. The invitation is bigger than you think

When Jesus spoke these words, He wasn’t speaking to a stadium full of spiritual giants. He was speaking to just ordinary men in a small group.

And these were the same men who had doubted and misunderstood Him. The same men who would soon run away in fear.

And yet… Jesus looks at them and says something staggering:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works… You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it.”

Notice the word He uses: anyone.

Not just preachers only. Not just the spiritually elite or those who have it all together. Anyone who believes.

That means this invitation is not limited to a select few. It is extended to every single person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Which means this invitation includes you.

And I think many believers miss the magnitude of what Jesus is saying here. We tend to shrink this promise down to something small, manageable, and safe.

But Jesus did not speak these words to give His followers a small life. He spoke them to invite them into something far bigger than themselves.

He says, “You will do the works I have done… and even greater works.” And that’s pretty hard to comprehend… because Jesus healed the sick. He gave sight to the blind. He calmed storms.

He raised the dead. He changed hearts. He transformed lives.

And now He says that those who believe in Him will continue His work in this world.

How can we do greater works than healing and raising the dead and calming storms.

You know what I think is greater than those things… A life that has been changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 28, Jesus said…

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Through His death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus would make it possible for His followers to live connected to God the Fahter.

They would not be limited to their own strength, their own wisdom, or their own ability. They would now have access to Him.

And this changes everything. You are not just trying to survive life. You are not just trying to get through the week. You are not just trying to manage problems on your own.