Greater than Jesus?

“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me
will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”

These words from today’s Gospel (Jn. 14:1-12) are somewhat mind-blowing.

Whoever believes in Christ will do greater works than Christ himself?

Who can top taking away the sins of the world, reconciling all things in himself, restoring us to God, and opening the gates of heaven?

No one, of course - no one is greater than the Lord Jesus - but that’s not what our Lord is talking about.

Keep in mind that our Lord’s public ministry lasted only three years and that he stayed within a fairly small geographical area.

Yet, after our Lord returned to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit, what wondrous works were accomplished!

People sought healing from Christ through a touch of his garment, people later sought healing from the shadow of his chief Apostle Peter. And there have been so many other miracles and signs.

But the greatest work of those who have believed in Christ is to have brought billions of other people to faith in the Lord and to have spread his Gospel to every corner of the globe.

All of this work, of course, took place in and through Christ crucified and risen and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is much more work to do: billions more who need Christ, including so many who have wandered away from faith.

By the grace of God, we need to keep up the good work and to accelerate it.

“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me
will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”