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 am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14)
Jesus is the ultimate one “who believes.” All things ARE possible for him. Guess what? He longs to do great things through us, too! In fact, he promised he would do even greater things through us than he did himself because he is now at the Father’s side helping us!
So isn’t it time that we quit talking about what we can’t do, and start believing in the one who can do great things? Paul put it this way: God can do “more than we can ask or imagine by his power at work in us.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
As we look back to the passages’ in John we must realize the reason Jesus gives for these greater works is because He goes to the Father. And when He goes to the Father, He will send the Spirit. He says later, Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you (John I6:7b). He is referring here to the coming of the Spirit. As the Spirit of God comes into human hearts and dwells in them, these things will happen. The Spirit is releasing to us the life of Jesus, so that it is still Jesus who is doing these things.
Regretfully many forget this truth and start following man as though we ordinary humans are somehow so capable that we can actually do greater things than the Son of God Himself did when He was here in the flesh. It is not by mere human power, praise God, it is through the power of the risen Lord, who dwells in us by means of the Spirit. So it is not the servant who is to be praised, rather Jesus Christ the Lord is the One worthy of all glory, honor and praise.
Notice that Jesus goes on immediately to say: And greater works than these will you do. So what are the greater works? It is obvious that it will not be greater miracles than that which the Lord did. Stop and think about it, now can you think of anything greater than opening the eyes of those born blind or speaking a word and enabling a lame man to walk or raising the dead? I know that I can not.
Yet I believe because we have been so intent on seeing the big miracles in front of us we have missed out on one of the greatest miracles of all – the miracle of Salvation. Yes miracles of eyes being opened and ears hearing are great and of course seeing the dead arise are powerful witnesses to God’s miraculous power. But I would present to you that anything done to the spirit of a person is permanent; that which is done to the flesh is merely temporary (not eternal). All those whom Jesus healed or raised from the dead died again. So what is done to the spirit of a person is far greater, and I honestly believe that this is what Jesus means by greater works.
We literally see the dead transformed before our eyes when one come to know the Lord, for the Word declares that they are dead in their sins. Until Jesus died on the cross and was seated at the right hand of the Father salvation was not yet complete – thus His going to be with the Father and the sending of Holy Spirit to complete the born-again process we now have the ability to see the Greater works that those before His death could not witness.
So go out today empowered to do greater works – release the message of the Kingdom to the lost that they might come to know this King who brings forth the power of eternal transformation, Jesus Christ. As they bow before Him having a spiritual witness that He is the Lord you will witness the greatest miracle of all – Salvation!
For indeed we serve an Awesome God.
Radical Disciples - A Remnant Revolution 