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Greater Works Fr. Ed Stube
A truly startling statement of Jesus is quoted in John 14:12: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."
Many times we may have looked at this verse, marveled at it, but then dismissed it because it does not agree with our experience. When experience fails to agree with the Scripture, it is the experience that requires adjustment, not the Scripture.
Jesus emphasized this statement strongly. He began the statement with the words, “Truly, truly, I say to you,” a preface He reserved for weighty pronouncements.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples in the context of His final instruction to them at the end of the Last Supper. They were struggling to understand what He was saying about His immanent departure, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and His provision for their future life and ministry. The disciples’ questions indicated that they did not understand:
•. Why Jesus had to go away.
•. Where He was going.
•. Who Jesus really was.
•. The way to know God the Father.
•. Jesus’ revelation of the Father.As proof of Who He is and of His relationship with God the Father, He stated that:
•. Only through Him could anyone know the Father (vv. 6 and 7)
•. All His words and works were really the Father’s words and works. He said and did nothing on His own (v.10)
•. They could come to know Him and believe in Him because of the words He had spoken and the works they had seen Him do (v.11).It is at this point that He shook their world even more by telling them that, if they believed in Him, they would do the same kind of works they had seen Him do and even greater works (v. 12). This means, of course, that the process of world redemption, initiated by the words and works of Jesus was to continue and flourish in greater and more glorious ways after His ascension (as He said, “because I go to the Father”).
He then outlined for them clearly how this was to be accomplished by giving them a series of magnificent promises of which He expected them and expects us to take advantage. Immediately after Jesus’ promise of the greater works, He made the further promise: " Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in His Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it " (vv. 13 and 14).
“Asking in His Name” means asking as His representative. His Name gives us His authorization. Just as Jesus only said and did what His Father authorized, so we must ask according to His will. This demands, of course, that we hear His instructions accurately and determine to follow them. The words we say, even in prayer, will not originate with us or call attention to ourselves or our own ideas and skills, but will bear witness to the glory of Jesus and His Father (v.13).
He then promises that, if we love Him and keep his commandments, He will send us the gift of another Counselor, the Spirit of truth (v.16). “In that day,” He said, “you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (v. 20). The Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus; He enables us to know Who He is and who we are, and the relationships that exist among us. He also teaches us all we need to know and enables His purposes to be fulfilled in our lives and ministries.
Love is equated with obedience. If we love Him aright, we will be totally obedient, His love will be perfected in us and our relationship with Him will be perfected (v. 21).
The marvelous promises of God are for those who love Him enough to hear and obey Him.
Jesus is asking His Church, “Have I been with you so long and yet you do not know Me? He who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.” This is the time for the Church to move into the fulness of God’s life and ministry.
•. Believe in Jesus—trust Him.
•. Take seriously Who He reveals Himself to be.•. Know Him—develop an intimate, continuous relationship with Him.
•. Know His purposes and goals—the desires of His heart.•. Love the Lord
•. Let the love issue in obedience moment by moment, day by day.•. Receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.
•. Let Him direct your words and your actions.
•. The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth; He will fulfill His life and ministry through you.Whatever you ask in His Name, He will do it, that His glory may be fully manifested in all the world in preparation for His coming and reign.
Knowing Jesus is more than working out a series of accurate theological statements about Him.
Loving Jesus is more than getting goose bumps when we think of Him or sing songs about Him.
...This page looks best when viewed through Netscape. It was last modified
on October 29, 2000.