Greater Works

Posted on by korgrocker

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”
John 14:12-14 NLT

On the face of it, Jesus made a remarkable statement. Could we, as His believers, really do greater things than the Son of God? After all, look at the miraculous healings and signs that Jesus performed. He raised men from the dead, He healed all those who came to Him, He walked on the Sea of Galilee. How can there be anything greater that these?

The crime novels major on a combination of three factors needed to solve a crime – means, motive, and opportunity. And in some ways we can apply these three factors to doing the same works as Jesus. But before we do so, what are the “works” that Jesus was referring to? Our human, materialistic minds immediately jump to something that applies to our natural lives. Jesus said, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father”. But would that new car, or new anything, come to that, bring glory to God? So did Jesus just mean works for God’s Kingdom? Perhaps only spiritual works? 

To look at a New Testament example of a “great work“, we join Peter and John as they enter the Temple for the afternoon prayer meeting. At the gate was a beggar who was unable to walk and he asked them for some money. In Acts 3:6 we read, “But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”” Peter had the means – the name of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. He had the opportunity – an encounter at the Temple gate. He had the motive – to bring glory to God – Acts 3:13, “For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him”. 

But as far as we know, the miraculous signs that Jesus performed while He was here with us have never been exceeded. Even His Spirit-filled disciples never fed thousands of people from a packed lunch, or walked across any seas.  One example of “greater works” is possibly how the Apostles and others reached large numbers of people with the Good News of salvation. By the end of the book of Acts, the Gospel had reached most of the Middle East. Jesus only reached the people of Israel, and mainly Jews at that. Perhaps too the answers to prayer falls into the “greater works” category. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, amazing answers to prayers have been realised, as He lives and works through the lives of believers. But the key to performing “greater works” lies with Jesus’ simple requirement – “in my name”. Is what we do or pray for something that aligns with the name of Jesus? And we also must ask the question – does this “great work” bring glory to God?  It isn’t possible to sit down and make a list of “greater works” because it is only through the Holy Spirit’s leading that a “great work” will arise. Sadly, there are many today who believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit died out with the Apostles. But Jesus didn’t say that that was going to happen, and we pilgrims must always be on the look out for a Holy Spirit inspired opportunity to do a “great work” for God.

Mark’s closing verses in his Gospel read like this. “And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed”” (Mark 16:15-18). Can there be a “greater work” than this?

Dear Father God. We pray for opportunities to reach the lost around us. And we pray for the courage to reach out in faith by using the gifts You have given us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Be Astonished

Posted on by korgrocker

“So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.”
John 5:19-20 NLT

What can be more astonishing than to see a man, who had been paralysed for thirty eight years, healed of his affliction? But Jesus attributed the miracle to His Father, who, He said, showed Him what to do. And Jesus then said to the Jewish leaders, “you ain’t seen nothing yet!”, or words to that effect. Sadly, we know that the astonishment soon to be present in the minds of the religious folks of His day didn’t translate into their acceptance of their Messiah, but, rather, it led them down a path that resulted in His crucifixion.

How was it that Jesus could say that He only did what His Father showed Him? In our natural states, we have the opportunity at times to work with someone who is skilled at what he does. Apprenticeships are a good example of such a relationship. So, we have a bricklayer who shows an apprentice the way to lay bricks in straight lines, or a plumber who communicates all the tricks and good practices of his craft backed up by vocational training at a school or college. In our schools, teachers show pupils practical and theoretical methodologies in the subjects being studied. And through it all the person being trained develops the skills for themselves by practicing at every opportunity. In my primary years, I was taught how to play a piano. My small fingers developed the required dexterity as I practised the scales and arpeggios, and by learning to play musical pieces, translating squiggles and blobs written on a piece of paper into sounds corresponding as the piano keys were pressed. I did what my teacher showed me.

But when Jesus said “For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man” He wasn’t referring to His vocational training. This wasn’t like the carpenter’s shop, where Jesus took on and developed the skills of His natural father, Joseph. Jesus was referring to His Heavenly Father, who, He said, showed Him the works that He was to do. How was Jesus taught how to heal the paralysed Pool man? The answer lies in the relationship Jesus had with His Father. And, of course, Jesus was God as well as human, so He could do the things that God does. The Father/Son relationship was maintained through prayer and presence. Occasionally, the Scriptures recorded the audio of Father speaking to His Son. Mark 1:11, “And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.“” On another occasion, recorded in John 12:28, Jesus said, “Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.“” Jesus was constantly in touch with His Father. 

We pilgrims have the benefit of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and through Him we too can do astonishing acts. John 14:12-14, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” And there have been many occasions when God has done astonishing things through pilgrims like us. We look up the biographies of men and women like Kathryn Kuhlman or Smith Wigglesworth and are astonished. But none of the great miracle workers woke up one morning and started to do mighty works like Jesus. First came the relationship with our Heavenly Father. And because of our humanity we have to develop the faith to do the things God has in mind for us. Small steps of faith at first lead to greater things later. But we pilgrims humbly acknowledge that it is all about God and His glory, and not about us at all. We too only do what God has asked us to do, something that requires a trained listening ear to hear Him. And people will be astonished.

Dear Father God. It is so humbling to find that You have entrusted Your great works to human beings such as ourselves. Please help us as we take faltering steps into the land of astonishments. In Jesus’ name. Amen.