GREATER WORKS -- Monday:
"For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel . . . Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." (John 5:20; 14:12)
Notice, Jesus declared the Father would show Him greater works in order that His disciples might marvel! This was the prophecy of an era in which God would work things of a greater magnitude and order than had ever been done before. They would be "greater" than the creation, which was "the work" of God's hand (Psa 8:6). They would be "greater" than the works done by Jesus during His earthly ministry. They would be works of a different and higher order.
There is little difference between the pre-Pentecostal disciples' view of Jesus and that of the average miracle-monger. They looked at Jesus as the appointed means to resolving temporal dilemmas.
Do not be offended by that statement. It is not meant to diminish our Lord's ability, or the availability of His power to us. A "monger" is one promoting something undesirable. In this case, we are speaking of an unlawful appetite for the miraculous. A quest for signs and wonders dominates such people and therefore diminishes eternity. All such people need to listen to Jesus. He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him. He works in concert with the Father, and in strict keeping with His "eternal purpose." He does not allow us to view Him in any other way.
ON ACCOUNT OF THE WORKS. The words of Jesus are arresting. "The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works . . . believe on account of the works themselves" (v 9b-10). Christ's "Word" and "works" are wed together, and cannot be separated. Both of them were wrought by God Himself. The objective of both utterance and miracle was to fulfill the purpose of God.
Jesus is the only exponent of God to this world. His purpose is to reconcile us to God (2 Cor. 5:18-20), and bring us to God (Heb. 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:18). If this does not occur, nothing of lasting value has taken place. Believing "on account of" His works will, therefore, persuade the individual that Jesus is the "Way" to God: the appointed means of being "joined to the Lord" (John 14:6; 1 Cor. 6:17).
Christ calls upon His followers to believe He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him. Proof that this is the case is found in what Jesus said and did. If men have not come to the proper conclusion, they must once again consider His works: they will testify to the truth.
Notice, He does not say they are to ask Him to do some more works. They are to consider the ones He had already done. Those who have a penchant for the extraordinary, however, cannot even think in this manner.
HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME. The qualification for doing "greater works" is not possessing an unusual anointing. It is not receiving the purported baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Jesus could not have stated it more clearly. "He who believes in Me . . ." And what does that mean?
This is the person who is convinced of the truth of the Gospel. He comprehends and embraces the record God has given of His Son. Such a person is more persuaded of Jesus than of the world. The Person of Christ is more important than his own person, and eternal life is seen as contingent upon Jesus alone.
The one believing in Christ has abandoned anything and everything that interferes with that persuasion. He is engaged in a fervent quest to "know Christ," and "be found in Him, not having his own righteousness" (Phil. 3:7-11).
Faith will not gain the attention of this world, but it does get the attention of God!
THE WORKS THAT I DO. The works Jesus did were the Father's works. His promise is that we too will be involved in the Father's works. God Himself will work through us and in us for His own glory. His objective will not be to impress men, but to fulfill His eternal purpose.
BECAUSE I GO TO THE FATHER. The cause of the greatness of the works is a Savior resident in heaven, not supernatural power resident in men! Jesus is now doing more from heaven than He did when He was upon the earth!
WHATSOEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME. There is nothing glamorous about asking. This is a work of faith, and it is honored in heaven. To ask in Jesus' name is to ask with a mind that is in harmony with Christ's mind and in synch with God's purpose.
THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED. The purpose of "greater works" is not to salvage the world. It is not the make the world a better place to live. Jesus makes it plain: it is that the Father may be glorified.
By this, Jesus means that God's will is accomplished in such a manner as to cause heavenly hosts to magnify Him, and insightful people on earth to thank Him. Anything that does not accrue to God's glory in heaven and the earth cannot possibly be a "greater work."
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for enrolling the body of Christ in Your great works.