Loving Jesus - Part 1 of 2

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Our box 17 old, 37, Cincinnati, OH 45217. If you were asked the question, do you love Jesus, what would your answer. Hopefully you would answer yes I do love Jesus but it's possible to make that correction to sing the song. Oh how I love Jesus to go through various activities in the Lord's name and still be lacking in love for him. A person may live in upright moral life because they want to be respected by other, they may make great personal sacrifices because they want the honor that comes as a result person may be very active in religion but the motivation is not because they love Jesus but because they want to be observed by others impress others as to their commitment and dedication we come to a passage this morning in the words of Jesus himself, learn what it really means to love Jesus. John chapter 14, began reading in the 12th verse. Verily, verily I say unto you that believe upon me, the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go under my father and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do that the father may be glorified in the son if he shall ask anything in my name I will do it if ye love me, keep my commands loving Jesus that previously we looked at this remarkable promise where Jesus tells his disciples that after he is gone they will do greater works than he had done. Remember that these followers are disturbed because Jesus is Ptolemy's going away.

They have not been able to fully grasp all that he has talked about his sacrificial dad's burial and resurrection, and from the very first verse of this chapter. Jesus has been comforting them and reassuring and so when he tells them that you're going to do greater works than these, because I going to the father saying you need not be so disturbed and greedy that I'm going away because something positive is coming out of. As a result of my going to the father, you're going to be able to do greater works because it did not indicate although there were miracles that they perform because they had the gift of performing them. In the New Testament time but those Americans did not supersede go beyond what Jesus had done. Jesus had said the multitudinous and walked on water can raise Lazarus from the dead. So what is in view when he says you're going to do greater works. It is not just talking to those who work is disciples at that moment's promise to all who believe.

So it's a promise to his people today, believe that the reference is to the fact that while Jesus administered primarily to the Jews and the place where the gospel was active at that point was in Jerusalem that was soon going to be an amazing expansion of that the Gentiles were barely brought in the gospel is going to be circulated all the world text chapter 1 verse eight but you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and under the uttermost part of the here's something that is beyond what they had ever envisioned they were thinking of an earthly kingdom, located in Jerusalem and among the Jews and now he is talking about his kingdom which is a spiritual kingdom being expanded in the gospel going to the ends of the earth in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John, verse 20. As he prayed to the father. He said neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word so that on the multitudes that will believe on me through the word that they deliver.

Think of. Here's this small group of people Judas has betrayed Jesus so there's only 11 of the apostles and at the time of Jesus death was possibly 500 believers but now they Pentecost number 3000, there were added.

A short time later the 5000 and the gospel is been circulated� In so many parts of the earth today, and his promise was in Matthew chapter 28 in what is commonly referred to as the great commission that as you go preaching and baptizing and instructing. I will be with you on to the end of their and then we looked briefly at those next versus it says, and whatsoever he shall ask in my name, that will I do it that the father may be glorified in the son. What a promise. Whatever you need.

Then, with regard to the expansion of this kingdom. The proclamation of the gospel in circulation in distant places where he asked in my name, I would.

What does it mean to ask in Jesus name. It's not just words to be added on the end of a prayer.

It concerns our whole outlook. Our whole attitude in prayer influences what we're praying for in the gospel of Matthew chapter 6 verse 10 Jesus is giving the model prayer and says here's how to pray, thy kingdom come by will be done in earth, as it is in heaven means then that if we bring in Jesus name.

We are praying for his will to be done. Whatever is going to be ticket his glory and his honor thy will be done. John chapter 15 in the seventh verse.

If ye abide in me and my words abide in you each will ask what you will and it shall be done to. This doesn't open up the opportunity for any kind of a selfish request to be made in the assumption being because Jesus said, whatever you ask.

I'm going to granted that he will just give you your whim of the day. No, this promise belongs to those who are abiding in Christ. They would ask what you will. If his word is abiding in you.

In other words, your thought, your interest, your concern is that his name be honored.

You're acquainted with what he taught and so what you're praying for is in harmony with it. Pray in Jesus name, is to acknowledge our unworthiness. The words were not coming in our own name, saying, Lord, look at my record. Look at my accomplishments with what I've done with you blessed me because I'm entitled to it.

We come acknowledging as Jacob Holt said I'm not worthy of the least of his mercies.

So we're admitting we're undeserving, but praying that we will be blessed for Jesus said Matthew chapter 5 verse three Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, so that means that you come acknowledging your poverty, your unworthiness, your need and looking for the blessing to come for Jesus sake. Furthermore, means to pray with a desire for God's glory. Verse nine tells us that our interest must be the glory of his name. Chapter 6 that is Matthew chapter 6 verse nine. After this manner therefore pray ye how her father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

That's why Jesus says we are to begin a prayer.

I think we have a tendency because were burdened about many things the Russian to prayer begin to lay out our requests, but to put things in the proper order. We need to begin here where Jesus says we are to begin our father which art in heaven how wonderful to know that we are praying not to a God who is at such a distance that he would be unacquainted with us or with our need, but the God who is our father. Therefore he loves us, has great interest in our welfare.

But where praying not selfishly, but praying hallowed be thy name.

May thy name be praise and I name be set apart when I name be honored that changes the whole outlook from advocate. The idea that if you just have enough faith to doesn't matter what you asked for God will give it to the health, wealth and prosperity doctrine that is popular in many places brings people with that concept that whatever I determine. I walked if I can just generate enough faith I can be assured of having left, we are reminded that our selfishness must not be in the picture. James chapter 4 verse 3E ask and receive. Not because he asked me us that you may consume it upon your lusts you are asking something just because you want more money.

You want bigger and better things.

It's just something that is a selfish request.

He says don't be surprised that you don't get it, you asked what you don't have a because you're not asking the right spirit for the right reason you're not praying that God's name may be glorified as Jesus makes this promise, then that encourages prayer. It is interesting to follow through in the early church and see that prayer is essential to doing great works of the promise is that you want to do greater works than that, that I have done. And prayer is vitally connected with it in the book of acts chapter 1. This is prior to the day of Pentecost. The people were mapped to pray. Acts chapter 1 in the 14th verse.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brother than you come to chapter 2 in verse one of on the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. So then the blessing of the spirit of God came upon them. Peter preached in power and 3000 souls were converted as look at chapter 4 verse 31 and when they had played the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they speak the word of God with what was the proceeded this blessing speaking the word of God with the very place where they met was shaken, the power of the Holy Spirit. They prayed they were prayerful.

How easy it is in the busy rush of life to neglect prayer or to let it hold only a minimal place of importance in our daily activity in the sixth chapter of the book of acts we find them selecting men that we believe to be the first deacon in verse six says, whom they set before the apostles and when they had prayed, laid hands on them, what was the result. The word of God increase in the number. The disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great company of priests were obedient to the faith. The point being that before these times of special blessing.

The outpouring of the Spirit of God upon them and numbers of people believing there was prayer. They were cleaning the promises of God that if you ask anything in my name is asking it for the glory of the father. Then I will grant so then we come to these words of Jesus as he continues speaking to them, preparing them for the fact that he will soon be departing if ye love me, keep my commandments love for Christ is in evidence of grace by nature. We do not loving by nature. We do not see his beautiful qualities by nature key is not attractive. There is nothing appealing that's made known to us in the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 53 verse three he is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised, and we esteemed him not. If you love someone you esteem them to see qualities in them that are attractive you appreciate them but we did not esteem. Jesus, because by nature.

We were enemies of God. Jesus called his disciples friends but that was after Grace had been bestowed upon them in nature. We are enemies we do not see his greatness is beauty, his power, his love, his grace, his marvelous works. But we love him, if indeed you can say today of a truth I love Jesus we love him because according to first John chapter 4 verse 19 we love him because he first loved us. That wasn't a matter that came to David by her study hidden by something of a change of attitude we finally concluded that Jesus is Worthington when he started to love him, you love them today is because he love you first is loved his own from before the foundation of the world God made choice of the people gave them to his son and he love them. Titus chapter 2 verse 14 says that he gave himself for us that he might read deem us from all iniquity, and so he demonstrated his love by giving himself forests is love was not just in word. We are told we are not to love in word only, but in deed and in truth. God demonstrated his love by giving his son. The son proved his mother because he gave himself he went to the cross that he might redeem us from all iniquity, so then second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14 says the love of Christ constrain us. We now love him because we see his superiority. We see his greatness, his glory, we see his works sing to him how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear. It suits his sorrows keels his wounds and drives away is surely you can say today that there's no other name to compare with the name of Jesus. If you hear somebody in conversation talking about Jesus.

It catches your attention and you want to come to tune in on the conversation. What somebody saying they're talking about my Savior.

I want to overhear what they have to say here that him describes his beauty and his greatness the marvels of his work in your touch by to come here in the worship service and sing hymns of praise to Jesus Christ, you made to loving and what is that motivates you the love of Christ constrain us no other motive is acceptable as far as any service that we rendered to the Lord, you could be very diligent at a variety of task done even in the name of Jesus.

But if the motivation is not love. It's all empty. It's all empty just going through the motions going through the routine but there's nothing to it. If it's not out of love for Jesus Christ's love him because there's been an inward change which something had happened on the inside wasn't that somebody could just come along and talk us into the idea that it would be worthwhile thing to love Jesus and that we must decided that sounds good and I think I'll start loving brother had to be an inward change because since by nature. We are set since we are at enmity against God. Not loving him we had to be transformed. Titus chapter 3 verse four first verses of in describing our fallen state. We were foolish, disobedient, deceived, but verse four says after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward manner. What brought about a change.

There's an intervention. It's the Lord himself intervening, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us with the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Here's an inward transformation the washing of regeneration, the renewing of the Holy Ghost. He said it abundantly on us and you see nobody can take any credit for it as though they participated in our gave some portion to that which was necessary to bring about this change because he says it's not by works of righteousness which we have done but it's according to his mercy that he saved us, you understand that truth today to understand that it's not in any part relying upon some worth or merit ourselves, but according to his mercy and grace that is given us in Christ Jesus, so mom for Christ is in evidence of Greg's Jesus is saying it.

If you love me, keep my commandments.

That's going to be the proof and test of it. That's the evidence of his law and the love that God had in sending his son into the world to save sinners something beyond our ability to really complicate. We believe the fact of the truth of God has proven his mama given his and we now love him because he first loved us.

Our love is often so weak compared to what to be, but love for Christ is an evidence of divine grace. I hope today your numbered among those that can say indeed the one I see my own weakness in freight to love Jesus because I believe on him as the savior of muscle how to we preach again next time the suit was Sarah Bradley, Junior, saying that God richly bless you and