Greater Works

Greater Works
by Caryl Havasy

Truly, truly, 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 the Father. ~ John 14:12

What did Jesus mean by “greater works”? In all my life, I have never met anyone who could heal the sick, restore sight to the blind, make the lame walk or raise the dead. What works could be greater than these?

The truth of greater works resides in the words “because I go to the Father.” While on earth, Jesus–being God in the flesh–was able to do many miracles and signs. He was able to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, raise the dead and make the lame walk. But the greater work, the work of salvation in the hearts of men that we are a part of, could be accomplished because His work on earth was complete. Only through the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection can we have forgiveness of sins, peace with God and eternal and abundant life. Only because Jesus is at the right hand of the Father can we be made alive in our spirits and saved from eternal death and condemnation. This is the great work of our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, our greater work, the eternal work entrusted to us who believe in Him, is that we be witnesses to the good news of this salvation.

The greatness of this work is also the enormity of this work. While Jesus was on earth He was physically limited from meeting and reaching every person. Yet after He ascended to heaven, he made provision to reach every person; “He asked the Father to give us another Helper to be with us forever; the Spirit of truth…who abides with you and is in you” (John 14:16-17). Because His Spirit is within us as believers, He is with us wherever we go. “For we are the fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:15). “It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world concerning sin, and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:9) “The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth” (John 16:13) and “testifies about Jesus” (John 15:26). And ultimately “It is Holy Spirit power upon us and in us that witnesses through us even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Because Jesus has gone to the Father, we have “this message of reconciliation, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20); and “Jesus will not return, the end will not come, until the good news of the gospel has been preached to the whole world” (Matthew 24:14). This is the greater works God has given believers in Christ.

So, how is work?