Greater Things

Chuckle: Headline read: "Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half!" Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

Good Quote: "Every sunrise is a new message from God, and every sunset is His signature." --William Arthur Ward

Jesus said to His disciples: "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" (John 14:12 NIV).

This is one of the most profound and amazing declarations to come from the lips of our Lord. What is the truth Jesus wants us to understand from this passage? Surely, He doesn't mean that we will do greater miracles than raising people from the dead or the granting of eternal life. These miracles are as amazing as they get. The key lies in Jesus' statement as to why He said we will do greater things than He did while He was here on earth. This will be true "because I am going to the Father."

How did His going to the Father change what believers are able to do? It was the coming of the Holy Spirit into the lives of all believers who provides the motivation, direction, and power for us to do greater things. Later, Jesus said, "Unless I go away (to the Father), the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7 NIV). You see, after Jesus had gone, the disciples would be working in the power of the Holy Spirit, which would enable them, and us, to carry the Good News of God's Kingdom from Palestine to the entire world.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 NIV).

Jesus' earthly ministry was confined to a relatively small geographical area. It is through the Holy Spirit empowering faithful witnesses, beginning with the twelve, that His message has gone global. I believe the spread of Christianity around the world constitutes the "greater things" to which Jesus referred.

Down through the ages untold millions have been drawn to faith in Jesus Christ by faithful witnesses and the wooing of the Spirit as He exercises His power to redeem sinners and grant the assurance of eternal life. Our Lord wants each of us to be faithfully and actively involved in doing "greater things" in the power of the Spirit.

Love, Jerry & Dotse