Call to Worship – Psalm 37:1-7; 39-40
- Hymn # 419 I Need Thee Precious Jesus
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
God's Will for our Lives – Hebrews 12:1-17
Hymn # 258 The Spirit Breathes upon the Word
Scripture: John 14:12-17
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you asking my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever - the spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him or knows him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
Sermon: Greater Things
Sermon Notes
When you think of people doing great things what do you think of?
Do you think of good leaders, peacemakers, good deeds?
Jesus tells us who is great. Those who believe in him.
Who is Jesus talking about? He speaks of anyone who believes in himself.
This makes no sense to us who live such ordinary lives.
Jesus spoke these words to comfort his disciples. He had told them he was leaving them they were distressed.
1. Jesus spoke these words to all of us, not just the apostles
2. This is not about miracles.....it is about the spiritual. Because Jesus focused his attention not on deeds but on thought and faith. Jesus always looked to the life people had in Christ.
The word preached brings salvation.
The miracles don't bring as many people to faith...it brings some, but not as much as the word preached.
From the 500 in Jesus time to the thousands in the life time of the apostles to the millions of people today. This is the action of God living in us.
So how do we do this?
1. Prayer .... when you pray it has affect...what we pray for you get .... it doesn't mean we can pray willy nilly asking for ranging and everything. We need to pray in keeping with who Jesus is. If we pray like this, our prayer has affect.
2. Our prayer needs to be specific
3. We need to not lose heart, to be persistent
4. We need to live in obedience to Christ. To live this obedience in love.
5. Jesus will ask God to give us a helper who lives in us. This is key to our living and doing for Christ. The holy spirit was sent to us. The holy spirit lives in us.
And so we can do the same works and more than Jesus did. The holy spirit dwells in us. Rest in this knowledge. Trust the actions of Christ.
- Hymn # 118 O Saviour, Precious Saviour
- Hymn # 295 The Ends of all the Earth Shall Hear
- Hymn # 7 Now Blessed Be the Lord our God