HERE is progression in all experience and in all study that the child of God should recognize in order to grow in understanding. Jesus spoke of this to His disciples among the last things that He gave in His personal ministry. Wishing them to know that much yet remained for them to learn, He said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye can not bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; . . . and He will show you things to come." John 16:12, 13.
And in harmony with the thought of advancement, He gave them instruction on the subject of prayer at that time which He could not give when He taught them on prayer in the beginning of His ministry. In His early lessons, He taught them how to pray to the "Father" in heaven, but when He gave that beautiful model regarding the name of the Father, He could not, or at least He did not, teach them how to use the name of the Son in prayer. And even up to the time of His ascension, there were many lessons held in reservation which the Holy Spirit was to teach them later.
But on that occasion, while Christ was endeavoring to teach His disciples what they might be able to comprehend of His ministry for them after He would ascend to heaven, He introduced the subject of how they should use His name in their prayers. Yet much of what He then said on prayer was in anticipation of a fuller understanding that would be given by the Spirit during His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. However, He could at that time properly speak of the provision which was being made for His separation from them and for their future needs; therefore, in making arrangements with them relative to future prayer, He said, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Asking in His name was to especially avail after He should ascend to the Father, for then their prayers were to be made in His name.
Christ came to this world as a man; He lived as a man; and in the name of humanity, and for humanity, He died a sacrifice for man. And after His death He arose and ascended to heaven, but still retained His humanity. All this was done that He might in exalted and glorified humanity represent man. He is now in heaven and on the throne of God as the Son of Man, also as the Son of God. Thus He has united man in His name with the throne of God. And, too, He has a name which is above any name, so that at the name of Jesus every intelligent being in heaven and in earth is asked to bow. The power of that name relates equally to His love, to His position, and to His potency. Thus the name of Jesus has become the all-prevailing name in which our requests are to be made known to God. This is so because it is Christ that the Father always hears, and it is through Christ that our prayers reach the throne. Those which He passes on to the Father, and which are indorsed by Him, receive favorable answers.
He that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And He delivered him to his mother.
He now says, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it." Christ's ascension to heaven after His incarnation and sacrifice opened the way for man to pray in His name, and for Him to be man's Helper in prayer. It was in consideration of these things that Christ said, "It is expedient for you that I go away." He could help them more by going to heaven than He could by remaining on earth, for He would be present with the Father and with the angels in their counsels in man's behalf. He would be there in authority and power to send help from heaven for men on earth, because He had died to redeem them, and there is now dwelling in Him "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye [Christians] are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." Col. 2:9, 10.
Believers who are now connected with Him on earth will stand for Him; therefore, in the Judgment it will be said of them and of their deeds of kindness performed here, "I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee?" And His answer will be, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Thus it is shown that Christ's needy people
stand for Him on earth, while it is said that He is in heaven, "now to appear in the presence of God for us." Those workers who labor in the Gospel now are sent by His authority to labor under commission from His hand. So He says, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations."
They are also stamped with His seal; therefore it is said, "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance."
And now that we have been baptized into His name, we should pray in His name. Further, since we have been adopted into the family which bears His name, we can, in that name, obtain all that we need according to His riches in glory. It was after He was received up into glory that He sent richest gifts back to His people on earth, for it was then that humanity through the glorified Son of God was more directly connected with the power on high. And since His children abide in Him, and He abides at the right hand of the Father, holding all power in heaven and earth, what have His children to fear? Could more desirable provision be made for them?
