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
The awareness of Almighty God within encourages us to continue His work on this earth. It is staggering to consider that He has chosen to dwell within us through the presence of His Holy Spirit. Anchored by Ephesians 3:20, let us live with the awareness that we have been destined to do ‘greater works’ as Jesus promised in our verse today.
In our pursuit of learning God through daily events, we discover His nature, His will and His purpose. Invited to engage with His activity, we have been graced (enabled) to do these greater works, “of his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” Jesus is doing His part in heaven, and we are left here on this earth to do ours. We are graced to extend His Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:17.
From the onset of creation, mankind was to be fruitful and multiply. Colossians tells us that bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God is fully pleasing to the Father. Our destiny is to increase: to increase with the increase of God. Greater works that these can mean more in splendour, number, or simply because more believers are doing His work.
The parable of talents in Matthew’s gospel teaches us that we are to take what has been given and increase it for the glory of God. It identifies the one with unused hidden talents as the one who knows God incorrectly.
What if we were to meet every moment, aware of the power at work in us, both to will and to do His pleasure? We would surely stretch forth hands, open our mouths, lay hands on the sick and cast out devils. To know we have been designed and equipped for greater works is to know we are also pruned to bear much fruit. Life with God revolves around our destiny in Him, and He is never weary in His work with us.
John 15 expresses the fruit-bearing process.
John 15:2 ~ pruned to bear more fruit.
John 15:5 ~ abiding bears much fruit
John 15:8 ~ bearing much fruit glories the Father and proves we are disciples of Jesus.
John 15:16 ~ Chosen and appointed by Jesus to go and bear fruit, and our fruit is to remain.
The greater one within enables us to do the greater works.