Greater Works You Will Do

Lesson #227

In our last lesson we started the verse, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12 ESV), but we didn’t finish. We still need to gain an understanding of what these “greater works” are that we are going to be able to do. Clearly the works do not refer to miracles because how can you do more than walk on water or raise the dead?

If we read to the end of the verse, we find that these greater works are somehow related to the fact that Jesus is going to his Father by way of the cross, where he will lay down his life for his sheep (John 10:15). But death could not hold him; he rises from the dead and ascends to his Father and, as he promised, sends the Holy Spirit to reside in us so we can do the works we are called to do. Take a look at John 20:21 – 23: “. . . “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld”” (ESV). The Father sent Jesus to purchase our salvation and provide the means of forgiveness, but as the Father sent Jesus, Jesus is sending us to do the work we were called to do and to do that work we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. That work, seems to be related to the last command given by Jesus: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19 – 20 ESV).

The cross was a historical marker. In the days before the cross, forgiveness of sin was in anticipation of the death and resurrection of Jesus, while after the cross forgiveness of sin was based on his finished work. For the first time ever, after the cross we were able to go and preach forgiveness of sin based on his finished work. Then came Pentecost and we received the Holy Spirit, which empowered us to teach about forgiveness in the finished work of Jesus and lead people to the cross and to their forgiveness and new birth. As believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit and in union with Christ, we will be instruments in leading people to their salvation. Many in the world today are suffering from persecution and even giving their lives in doing this assigned work. This work of sharing the gospel, based on what Jesus accomplished for us through the cross, is, I believe, the greater work.

In lesson #226, we looked at the first part of verse 12: “whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do.” In this lesson we looked at the last part of the verse: “greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” There is one more piece we need to consider to complete this and that is found in verse 13 and will be covered in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, looking back over this lesson and the one before it I find the works discussed in both are essentially the same. What makes the works greater in this lesson is the emphasis placed on the fact that they could only be done after the finished work Jesus completed on the cross. Before the cross, one could only point unbelievers to the cross and believe God’s promise that the purchase of our salvation would happen. After the cross we become priest who then can point unbelievers to the cross and the finished work and to their forgiveness. Father, thank you for calling us as priests, as instruments, in leading unbelievers to their salvation. Indeed, this is a greater work.