Greater Things Than These - John 14

[DuckieLady]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

 

[Pearl]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

That is a difficult question @FluffyYellowDuck I don't have an answer.

 

[DuckieLady]

That is a difficult question @FluffyYellowDuck I don't have an answer.

I don't either, but after thinking about it I don't see anything in the Bible after Jesus ascension technically greater.

So I'm wondering if we will see things in the end, like Moses parting the red sea type stuff.

 

[Lambano]

Thinking of the Mother Theresa quote I put in the Christian Quotes thread (“We can do no great things, only small things with great love”), it wouldn’t surprise me if Jesus’s definition of “great” is different from ours. Luke 22:26 and Luke 9:46-48 come to mind.

 

[Hidden In Him]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.

John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

From Joyner's The Harvest:

Miracles which exceed even some of the most spectacular Biblical marvels will cause whole nations to acknowledge Jesus. Leaders of some of the most powerful communist countries will be openly confessing the Lord, and exhorting their people to follow Him. The visible glory of the Lord will appear upon some for periods of time and this glory will heal everyone it touches. The pillar of fire that led Israel will not even compare to the intense presence of the Lord in these days... Believers will be in awe continually, wondering each day what great new things they will see... Young children will cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, and divert raging floods with a word. Some will actually take dominion over entire hospitals and mental institutions, healing every patient in them by laying hands on the buildings. During the harvest the world will understand that "... the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders." (Joyner, The Harvest, P.33-34)

Why were you asking?

 

[Jay Ross]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.

Fluffy, this is a special word of encouragement from the Lord just for you. It is a promise of becoming a great servant unto the Lord doing signs and wonders that confirm who you are in Christ. Be humble with a servant heart unto the Lord.

Here are other verses where the Greek word translated as "greater" is also found: -

John 5:20: - 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

John 14:12: - 12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

John 19:11: - 11 Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

1 Cor 12:31: - 31 But earnestly desire the best/greater gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

James 4:6: - 6 But He gives more/greater grace. Therefore He says:

"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble."​

Be truly Blessed in the Lord, Fluffy.

Shalom

 

[Lambano]

I guess the “whosoever believes in Me” clause (i.e. every Christian should be doing miracles) causes me to stand by my original interpretation. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t raised the dead recently. A friend of mine from church is fighting breast cancer. I wish I could heal her - but I can’t. The best I can do is sit with her and pray with her during the chemo sessions.

 

[Berserk]

I guess the “whosoever believes in Me” clause (i.e. every Christian should be doing miracles) causes me to stand by my original interpretation. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t raised the dead recently. A friend of mine from church is fighting breast cancer. I wish I could heal her - but I can’t. The best I can do is sit with her and pray with her during the chemo sessions.

Rather than dumb down Jesus' promise, we must acknowledge our church's comparative spiritual ineptness and humbly ask why.
"But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and find out not the God talk of these arrogant people, but their power. For the kingdom of God depends not on God talk, but on power (1 Cor. 4:19-20)."

 

[Lambano]

Yeah, yeah. If my friend doesn't get healed from her cancer (please God, no!), it's all my fault. Thanks for the guilt trip. (Don't worry; I'm joking, sort of. Hey, a Christian should be able to laugh in the face of cancer, right?)

And if the "why" of it is that a sovereign God sovereignly decides when and where to display His power and glory?

Perhaps this is a promise that will have to be deferred to the Olam ha Ba, the World to Come. Which is a cop-out, I know. But I can't answer the question, "Why does God heal some, and not others?"

 

[Curtis]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

It means a greater amount of works, because His ministry and works was one person for only three years, compared to millions of believers empowered to do the same works for 20 centuries so far, which adds up to a much greater number of works.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Yeah, yeah. If my friend doesn't get healed from her cancer (please God, no!), it's all my fault. Thanks for the guilt trip. (Don't worry; I'm joking, sort of. Hey, a Christian should be able to laugh in the face of cancer, right?)

And if the "why" of it is that a sovereign God sovereignly decides when and where to display His power and glory?

Perhaps this is a promise that will have to be deferred to the Olam ha Ba, the World to Come. Which is a cop-out, I know. But I can't answer the question, "Why does God heal some, and not others?"

Greetings, Lambano.

This tends to be the response of those who balk at the notion we should be praying for the gifts, but Paul actually did teach that we should. In 1st Corinthians he said:

29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:29-31)

Then in Chapter 14, he states:

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy... let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. (1 Corinthians 14:1, 13)

Yes, the operation of the gifts and whether they will be used on a particular individual rests entirely with God. But us seeking Him to potentially be used as a vessel when He needs someone to heal, or prophecy, or give a word of knowledge, or interpret tongues, this appears to be something they were to being urged to do, yes?

 

[Rita]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

For me the key is in the words ‘ because I am going to the father ‘…..what happened after the ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all men ( beginning at Pentecost )
Jesus was still limited to where he could go and what he could do because he was confined to a human body , but when the Holy Spirit came………….so much more happened because each person could now do the work of the Lord….

 

[Lambano]

This tends to be the response of those who balk at the notion we should be praying for the gifts, ...

Okay, that's a fair criticism. But I have prayed for the Gifts, both for myself and (with a nod to Rita's post above regarding the power of numbers) for the members of my church family. So, when you keep asking and keep not receiving, you conclude it's not God's will and you stop asking to spare yourself the faith-killing disappointment. (I've teed one up here for somebody to quote Matthew 7:7 or James 4:3. Step up to the plate, folks!)

But, caught here between the “Already” and the “Not Yet”, those "parting the Red Sea" (and a nod to Fluffy's second post here) types of manifestations of God's power are notable because they are rare in the extreme. (To say the least!) So also some of the less spectacular works. And the question is still, "Why?"

 

[VictoryinJesus]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

‘Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.’
makes me think of ‘Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.’ In
John 20:28-31…consider the last there in ‘that you may have life in His Name’ compliments ‘And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.’

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me
So that the Father may be glorified in the Son John 17:20-22 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [21] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. [22] And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

 

[David in NJ]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

The "Greater Things" - JESUS is referring us to MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”

But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

The Greater Things are you, me and those who were made in the Image of God and need Redemption thru His Blood.

 

[Robert Gwin]

What do you think Jesus meant by greater things? "Greater Things than these" has been going through my head for a couple of days now.


John 14:11-14
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus did much in the way of the primary reason he came maam, his apostles extended his work even to a greater extent. But even they were limited in the area in which they were able to proclaim the good news. Now nearly 2 millenniums down the road Jesus' disciples have nearly spread the message to the ends of the earth Mat 24:14; Acts 1:8

That is what Jesus meant by his future followers doing works greater than these that he had done.

 

[David in NJ]

Jesus did much in the way of the primary reason he came maam, his apostles extended his work even to a greater extent. But even they were limited in the area in which they were able to proclaim the good news. Now nearly 2 millenniums down the road Jesus' disciples have nearly spread the message to the ends of the earth Mat 24:14; Acts 1:8

That is what Jesus meant by his future followers doing works greater than these that he had done.

And THE Message is "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us = Immanuel = God with us.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgine will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel
For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government will be upon His shoulders.
And He will be called - Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

[bbyrd009]

I guess the “whosoever believes in Me” clause (i.e. every Christian should be doing miracles) causes me to stand by my original interpretation. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t raised the dead recently. A friend of mine from church is fighting breast cancer. I wish I could heal her - but I can’t. The best I can do is sit with her and pray with her during the chemo sessions.

fwiw vit D deficiency is apparently a better marker for breast cancer than a mammogram.
or iow yes, your friend is chronically deficient in vitamin d, and no, no one has a vested interest in telling her that

 

[bbyrd009]

Moses parting the red sea

Reed Sea seems more likely, and also makes for much better allegory, imo

 

[Hidden In Him]

Okay, that's a fair criticism. But I have prayed for the Gifts, both for myself and (with a nod to Rita's post above regarding the power of numbers) for the members of my church family. So, when you keep asking and keep not receiving, you conclude it's not God's will and you stop asking to spare yourself the faith-killing disappointment. (I've teed one up here for somebody to quote Matthew 7:7 or James 4:3. Step up to the plate, folks!)

Lol. I wouldn't have used either of those verses in reply. I would have simply said that with greater gifts comes greater spiritual responsibility, and I think many of us (including myself) may not be as ready for all that would come with greater spiritual influence over others as we think we would. SO many in the body of Christ today, and I mean even in leadership, are ready to stick out their hand and say, "Thus sayeth the Lord, payeth me, or thou shalt be under a curse." So many are living in lavish homes at the expense of the faithful. So many fall into pride, or lust, or many of the other weaknesses that plague us. Most just aren't ready to handle the kind of influence that would come with greater gifts, and I think that's the reason why the Lord reserves them for those who REALLY pay a price for them, in fasting, in years of earnest prayer, in pouring out their hearts to Him in tears, and being willing to do anything for it, not for the sake of glorifying themselves in ANY way shape or form, and fully prepared to take absolutely no glory unto themselves, but to give only glory unto God, and expect absolutely nothing from man other than to love and serve him. It's a mean world, and Satan will work people over when he sees they are empowered by God. It grabs his attention, and they will be subjected to vicious attacks on one end while being seduced with the offer of how wonderful things will be if they only submit to temptations on the other. Most aren't ready for it, IMO.