“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 NAS
We will do greater works than Jesus?
I used to think Jesus was talking about the miraculous things he was doing called works in this verse. This verse used to leave me wondering, how can I do greater works than Jesus. Today, I know Jesus is talking to all believers, as one body, the body of Christ as a whole. As our head guides and directs our body, Jesus does likewise, with the body of Christ as the head of the church.
He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Col 1:18 NAS
Jesus loves the body, the church, even with all of our struggles and faults in our body of flesh, more than we can imagine. He sees us not in the flesh but in the perfection of our born-again and perfected Spirit. Fully cleansed, sanctified, holy, righteous, complete and perfect by His one-time sacrifice for all sin, for all time. We are holy because He is Holy, the body is connected to the head.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. Eph 5:25-27 NAS
Jesus had one body of flesh and could only be in one place in this world at a time. But now, there are so many of us who make up the body of Christ, spread wide across the earth sharing the gospel and living the truth, thus doing greater works as Jesus stated we would do. Not greater miracles as I once thought, but greater works. The primary purpose behind Jesus miracles was so people would believe Jesus was who He claimed to be, believing he was speaking the truth, trusting Him and thus turning to Him to be saved.
“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.” John 14:11 NAS
A much greater work than any miracle in this temporal world is that the lost believe and be saved for eternity. Jesus always did the work of the Father, to lead others to believe the gospel and be saved. Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." John 6:29 NASThe work of the Father is what we are supposed to be doing too, to lead others to believe so they can be saved. As the body of Christ, we are sharing the gospel that can only be believed if it is heard according to God. To be heard it must be spoken with words.
for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Rom 10:14-25 NAS
Sharing the gospel around the world each and every day, leading more to believe and be saved, is the greater work that we do as the body of Christ.
Here is a free resource you can use to help you boldly share the good news so more will believe: https://www.god-evidence-truth.com. Please share this free ebook with others.
Learn how the above study ties in with faith without works is dead in James: Faith Without Works is DeadMore New Covenant Bible Studies that Apply:I Am Holy, I Am Sanctified, I Am Perfected
God Said a Believer Can Never be Considered Unholy
I Am a New Creation IN CHRIST
Great Evangelism Question
Faith Without Works is Dead
Christians Do Good Works Because Our Salvation is Guaranteed
Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross.
And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20