Greater Works Than These Shall You Do

Devotion #5 of 13

VIEWING THE TEXT

"Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: otherwise, believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say unto you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall He do also; and greater works than these shall he do: because I go to the Father. And whatsoever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:11-15, NASV).

A proper view of Jesus

Carefully note the words of our blessed Lord. He is concerned about people's perception of Himself. He does not say, "Believe in Me, that I can do anything you desire." That is what religious charlatans say, but it is not what Jesus said. He requires us to see Him in relation to God the Father: "I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me." The foundation upon which the church is built is that Jesus "is the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt 16:16-18). A most critical question, therefore, is one Jesus Himself asked of His critics, "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?" (Matt 22:42). This view emphasizes objectivity rather than sights and sounds. God had a reason for sending the Son into the world, and Jesus is to be seen in relation to that reason. He did not come to resolve political, social, or personal difficulties--although He often does this while accomplishing His purpose. He is to be seen more through the eyes of Divine purpose than human need. Quite candidly, if you do not want what God offers you in Christ, He has nothing else to offer. 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, particularly political ones. One young man imagined Jesus would resolve an inheritance problem he was having with his brother. Jesus quickly told him, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" (Luke 12:14). His point was not that He was unequal to the challenges of his brother, or the resolution of human inequities. It was that His Father did not send Him into the world for that purpose. A Moses or Solomon can give good counsel -- we needed a Savior! Do not be offended by that term "miracle monger." Nor, indeed, suppose that I am among those who deny the existence of Divine working. There is not a spark of evidence in word or work that God has ceased to intervene in the affairs of men -- and do so transcendently to nature. This is not meant to diminish your persuasion of 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. Those in the grip of a quest for signs and wonders, find that quest dominating their lives and, therefore, diminishing eternity. All such 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 is to fulfill the purpose of God. His works were discriminating. He healed ONE man on Solomon's porch, which was filled with "a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered . . . " (John 5:3-9). Jesus told us He only SAID what the Father taught Him (John 8:28). He also affirmed that He only worked what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19). Both Christ's words and works were calculated to do the will of God. Neither of them occurred outside of Christ's immediate and cognitive fellowship with the Father. Jesus is the only valid exponent of God to this world. Men become involved in the work only when become involved with the Christ of the work. 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). If the individual does see Christ's words and works in relation to the Father, the objective of both is missed. Thus, no real profit will be realized from them. 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 about Christ, they must once again consider His works: they will testify to the truth. They do not need a fresh supply of works, they need to read of the ones He performed, and do so seriously and energetically. Thus it is written, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 10:30-31) Notice, He does not say we are to ask Him to do some more works. Rather, we are to consider the ones He had already done. Those that have a penchant for the extraordinary, however, cannot even think in this manner. They set an agenda for Jesus -- but He already has one, and it belongs to the Father! if you want to see something, "SEE JESUS" (John 12:21). If you want to win something, "WIN CHRIST" (Phil 3:8). if you want to learn something, "LEARN CHRIST" (Eph 4:20). If you want to know something, seek to "KNOW HIM" (Phil 3:10). Remember these three cardinal points. (1 Believe Him. (2 BELIEVE Him. (3 Believe HIM.

-- TOMORROW: -- MONDAY: HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME --