In His Name part 4
In all honesty, the verse I'm going to share tonight was always a little bit confusing to me. Especially with the whole "WWJD, What Would Jesus Do?" movement. And I'm not trying to say anything bad about WWJD. I think that anything that helps us focus on our true identity (Jesus, God in the flesh, love in a body... God in our flesh, love in our body) is a good thing. However, I think that trying to figure out what Jesus would do in a given situation, and then trying to do that thing... is a lot of trying. When what we should be doing... is resting. Letting what's inside--the love of God--come out naturally. By filling ourselves to overflowing with what we have already been filled with. So. Look at John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father." Things that make you go "Hmmm." Or, at least, made me go "Hmmm." Because it seemed, I don't know, weird? to me for Jesus to say that not only would we do the same things He did... but greater things. Like... how am I supposed to do greater things than what Jesus did. He took away the sin of the world. Died for all of mankind so that all of mankind could live. Like... how am I supposed to top that? But then I had a pretty strong revelation. It went like this, "I'm not supposed to change THE world... but by loving someone I can change THEIR world." Jesus was only one man--in a sense--right? And He lived in a certain time and a certain place. So while in the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life concept of the thing He DID affect everything and everybody. But on June 23, 2020 there is no one single person named Jesus Christ walking on water, and flipping tables over, and turning water into wine. Which is why the "because I go to my Father" part of our memory verse is so important. Jesus as one person went to the Father. And filled all people with His Spirit. So that when we act in His name... HE is acting in us, and through us, and as us. We do greater things than He did because we are all over the world, affecting everybody we come into contact with. By loving them. By spreading the gospel (and even using words to do so, if absolutely necessary). By spreading His name (by spreading His love). I've said this many times, some of the best conversations I've ever had about Jesus were conversations where the words "Jesus" or "God" never even came up. Because we were talking about love. And whether the other person knew it or not... God and love are the same thing. Maybe a little sneaky, in a sense, but you have to meet people where they are. You can't shove Jesus down someone's throat and expect them to not choke on it. So. Doing things in His name--His nature, His character, and His authority--is how we do the same things He did and greater things. By letting Him do what He is of a mind to do... in you, and through you, and as you... is how we experience the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of God. Not by trying to live His life... but by letting HIM live His own life in us, and through us, and as us!