John 14 contains some of the most breath-taking and inspirational promises that are found in the Bible. 

I hadn't realized before that the context of the "greater things" and the promise "whatever you ask in my name I will do", are both about continuing the ministry of Jesus here on earth. They are about fulfilling the Great Commission. They are about bringing glory to the Father. They are not about us, though we do get to be tremendously blessed when they bear fruit for God through us. (I'm sure we can claim the words "whatever you ask in my name I will do" in our private lives as well, if our requests are pleasing to the Father – and if we make room for his sovereignty – but the context is mission.) 

John 14:1-14: "'Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me … I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.'

Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.'

Jesus answered: 'Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time (we have all been living together as a family for three years)? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father … Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do what I have been doing. They will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it'".

Note that there are no words of rebuke or disappointment here. It was harder for Philip in some ways than it is for us because we can look back at the cross and resurrection, but Jesus is full of grace and understanding towards him. He does all he can to help him to believe in his true identity by pointing to his miracles.

In a recent teaching series here at GodFirst on Radical Discipleship (defined as those who are learning to think and live like Jesus) Morné Smit said something like this: "Obedience is the heart of radical discipleship" and "unbelievable things are possible when disciples are obedient to the voice of God – supernatural things, heaven on earth things, life transformational things for the disciple themselves and for those around them." What about them then?