greater things

from my sermon on May 23, Pentecost, from John 14:8-17

The one believing in me will do the works that I do and greater works will he do. This is what Jesus says. Do you believe it?

Jesus taught, for just 3 years in a tiny part of the Middle East. Today the teachings of Jesus have spread throughout the world in schools, universities, seminaries, Sunday Schools, internet resources and the Bible in some 2000 dialects. Greater things.

Jesus healed. Today, we have gotten so used to the miracles we hardly pay attention any more. Heart transplants don't make the news anymore. We have surgeries, medicenes, therapies, rehab facilities, counseling, hospitals, clinics. Even dreaded diseases like HIV are no longer a death knell. We have ways of dealing with it and so many other maladies. Greater things.

Jesus raised the dead. I have seen it physically. I have been there in the hospital when we thought all hope was gone. The next week this same lady ran over my foot as she wheeled herself down the hall in her wheelchair. I have seen it relationally. I have watched marriages that were headed for divorce be reconciled and couples come together again. I have seen it spiritually. I have seen persons who were slaves to their addictions have an encounter with the Divine, their Higher Power, and literally go from death to life. Greater things.

Jesus more than anything proclaimed the gospel, the good news in his name. Peter on this Pentecost, some 2000 years ago, went from the denier of Christ to the evangelist of Christ. On that day some 3000 believed and were baptized. From that beginning, followers of Jesus have taken the gospel to every point of the compass across the globe. Greater things.

I went to a cont. ed. event a few weeks ago at University UMC in San Antonio where this came home to me. Reggie McNeal, a butterball of a man, was given one of the worst slots, 1 p.m. on the second day, right after lunch, the sleepy time. But he had the fire. He told us that the fastest growing religion in the world today is Christianity. In India, they are preparing for 1 million new church starts. In China, it is double that, 2 million new church starts. In Indonesia, after the tsunami, so many people were impressed with the Christian response to that disaster, that they wanted to be part of that movement too. In Africa, in the last century, the continent went from being 3% Christian to 47%. Eighty percent of Christians today are non-white, living in the southern hemisphere. Pentecost is happening! Happening everywhere except ....the USA, W. Europe, and Australia. The biggest mission field may be right outside of our doors.

We have gotten into a maintainence mode. We have gotten Jesus' words mixed up. We thought Jesus said, "Thy church come..." when he actually said, thy kingdom come. We thought he said, "I came that they may have church and have it abundantly..." when he actually said, that they may have life. We thought he said, "For God so loved the church that he gave his only son..." when he actually said, loved the world. We miss greater things because we have mixed up his words.

What Jesus says here is "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." Does to pray in Jesus name mean that it is like magic? No. Does it mean a blank check that we fill in with anything that we like? No. Does it mean that we have to end every prayer by saying, "In Jesus name"? No.

I think to pray in Jesus name means to pray like Jesus prays, for what Jesus prays. Remember last week when I asked you to listen for what Jesus is praying? That's what it means. One man in our prayer group says it is being mentored by Jesus. The more we pray in his name, the more our prayers are shaped by him.

It is like ringing this handbell. We learn to get in tune with Jesus prayer. Then greater things can happen because we are all in harmony with him and one another. And great things can happen like Imagine No Malaria. UM's listened and found that they were called to rid the continent of Africa of this disease in just a few years. And we are doing it. Greater things.

We can do greater things because we live on this side of the resurrection. Jesus promised us his Holy Spirit to be with us and in us forever. He will not leave us orphaned but will empower us with his Spirit. I have seen this power at work in this congregation. Two years ago we bought Bldg M. I wish I could say that I engineered this project, but it was a gift of the Holy Spirit, as people came together and worked together. Now we have handbells practicing over there, and Sunday school classes meeting, and offices for Score and Mobile Loaves and Fishes. How did we ever get by without M? You have become even more welcoming. I love talking to guests who say this is the friendliest church that they have visited. You allow me to take chances like a few weeks ago when we called of worship and Sunday school here so we could Rethink Church. We met the presence of Christ in those that we served in the community that morning.

What greater things does Christ hold for us? Two come to my mind. I would like to start another worship service to attract a whole other congregation here. Additionally, I would like to start a satellite site maybe in the Bee Caves area.

Christ has greater things in store for us. That is the good news I have to share today.