represents the same actions as being done by Himself and by the
Father in heaven, carries with it large teachings which I do not
dwell upon now. Only I would ask you to consider how much is involved
in that fact, that, as a matter of course, and without explanation of
the difference, our Lord alternates the two forms, and sometimes
says, 'I will do it,' and sometimes says, 'The Father will do it.'
Does it not point to that great and blessed truth, 'Whatsoever thing
the Father doeth, that also doeth the Son likewise?'

But passing from that, let me ask you to note very carefully the
limitation, which is here given to the broad universality of the
declaration that desires shall be satisfied. 'If ye shall ask
anything in My name'; there is the definition of Christian prayer.
And what does it mean? Is a prayer, which from the beginning to the
end is reeking with self-will, hallowed because we say, as a kind of
charm at the end of it, 'For Christ's sake. Amen'? Is _that_ praying
in Christ's name? Surely not! What is the 'name' of Christ? His whole
revealed character. So these disciples could not pray in His name
'hitherto,' because His character was not all revealed. Therefore, to
pray in His name is to pray, recognising what He is, as revealed in
His life and death and resurrection and ascension, and to base all
our dependence of acceptance of our prayers upon that revealed
character. Is that all? Are any kind of wishes, which are presented
in dependence upon Christ as our only Hope and Channel of divine
blessing, certain to be fulfilled? Certainly not. To pray 'in My
name' means yet more than that. It means not only to pray in
dependence upon Christ as our only Ground of hope and Source of
acceptance and God's only Channel of blessing, but it means exactly
what the same phrase means when it is applied to us. If I say that I
am doing something in your name, that means on your behalf, as your