“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12.
Last Sunday this was one of the passages used by the Pastor during his sermon. It got me thinking… “yeah, where are the “greater things” that those of us who have faith in Jesus are doing today?” This was not a wish, a hope or even a command. It was to be a literal fact. Jesus said it was the “truth” of what we “will” do. Therefore it begs the questions: Have we been raising the dead? Have we been healing the sick? Have we been making the crippled whole? Have we prayed over those who are visually and hearing impaired, and healed them? Do those who know us, believe that they only need to touch our clothing or have our shadow pass over them, to be cured of their diseases? Have we been casting out demons? Have we been occasionally feeding thousands at one sitting? Have we walked on water in the middle of a storm to save others? Have we called out to hurricanes and tornados and proclaim, ”peace be still”, and they have stopped? Have we stepped in front of the accusing crowd and admonished, that those who are without sin should cast the first stone at the guilty? Have we turned water into wine to keep a celebration from ending prematurely? Have we done any of these things which Jesus did, much more the “greater things” that He said we would do?
Jesus stated: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mark 16: 17-20.
I know that these signs were not to be an end to themselves. These signs are to be a confirmation of the truth and power of His word. They are to lead others to Christ and to worship the glory of God. I understand that by and through His word we are to heal the spiritually sick; feed the spiritually hungry; give the water of life to the spiritually thirsty; raise the spiritually dead to life; help the spiritually blind to see and the spiritually deaf to hear; etc. But again I ask: where are the “greater things” that we do which signifies our faith in Christ to the world, or was Jesus a liar?
“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20.
Is it faith as small as a mustard seed that we lack?
Let’s make the impossible, possible!
Asabagna
The Second Book of Asabagna 
February 25, 2007 at 3:58 am
This is one of those passages that I wish I could say “This and that and this is how I see what Jesus said being fulfilled.” I’ve heard others say that Jesus meant the disciples or church collectively will fulfil this verse, but I’m not sure.
February 25, 2007 at 11:47 am
Neither am I John. I have seen where collectively the church and individuals at points in history have done “great things”… but for me they are few and too far inbetween. Today I am looking within my community and even country and I don’t see or hear of these “great things” being accomplished, whether on a spiritual, much less the literal level. May it’s just my perception or lack of understanding.
Asa
March 1, 2007 at 11:00 am
This is a hot one man! I absolutely love this post. It’s interesting to stop and think as the ‘mind’ of God how we react as assume responsibility. To be honest – I think it’s our responsibility to do the same things as Jesus did; raise the dead, heal the sick, speak to storms, and turn water into wine. It’s all about how you do it. I don’t think the miracles should be the focus – it’s the outcome of the miracles. That’s the big picture.
Kinda like what God asked Moses at the Red Sea…”what is that in your hand?” I believe it’s a matter of using what we have in our hand to effectuate change for God’s glory – isn’t that what Jesus did? Didn’t he use what he had for God’s glory…the true definition of ministry?
Yup – good one!
March 5, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Thanks for the encouragement my brother.
March 10, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Asa,
I think we can both agree that Jesus wasn’t a liar but you raise some good questions as it relates to the state of Christianity today. I was sharing this with my hubby and we both agreed that this form of communication (internet/blogs/email) is an example of a “greater thing.” Your thoughts are able to be seen by many and neither you nor I know the impact of those thoughts on some passerby.
I was sharing about something my kids said and it blessed a reader who had because of her problems had a tendency to take her eyes off of God, but my words helped her realize that taking her eyes off of God was not going to change her situation. Those words helped her to look at her situation differently and provided ‘healing’ to her soul and just like in the Bible that was the seed planting that God used and now Apollos can come water it and God receive the increase.
I think your words do the same and make your readers *think* about more than what we find ourselves in at the moment to something broader than us.
Like another commenter, I wish I could provide you with a concrete list but God is still using many of us to do greater things but it may not be as well-known considering how much other stuff is deemed newsworthy in our culture.
As for faith and the size of it, I do think that many of us lack the faith the size of a mustard seed. We trust God with our big issues and problems but feel that we can work out all the smaller issues not realizing that they are all inter-related. When crisis comes (think 9/11) people flocked to God/church but as soon as it was clear that we were no longer in eminent danger, people went back to doing what they were doing and no longer had room for God/church.
Be encouraged as I live with a miracle everyday in the form of my daughter. Born with an undetected liver disease, received a transplant at 7 1/2 months and approaching her 5th birthday. She loves God and is beautiful, smart and spunky. If I didn’t tell you and you saw her you would never know unless she showed you her scar. Jesus is truly working and he is using you and many others to do some great things.
Be blessed!
October 3, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I beleive with all my heart that there will be a day coming very soon when the church will enter into a new understanding of it’s power and authority on earth. Most Christian’s today haven’t a clue as to what they’ve really inherited. Jesus passed the batton on to us, so that we could continue the work that he started. You can’t talk people into the kingdom of God. You have to demonstrate it power – miracles signs and wonders just like Jesus did.
October 3, 2008 at 5:44 pm
There is a new music that is going to be released on the earth. It is going to bring the religious into a new awareness and understanding of the supernatural realm. It is going to release corporate annointing on the church. It will be a form of worship music. God has confirmed this to me through many dreams and conversations.
March 3, 2009 at 4:43 am
You know what’s interesting to me, is that science has been able to further research these more supernatural acts by attempting to mix new technology with ancient (dead) knowledge.
I believe the sign will be those that naturally emanate these acts without the need of dabbling in the intervention of the manipulation of the base elements of this reality.
I believe the “greater things” will be the organic overflow of a life closely connected to God and his will. The issue for most people will be the fear that comes from recieving the truth concerning the cost.
If one were to blurt it out, it would sound as ridiculous as Jesus himself sounds to some when he says “leave everything and come with me”, “leave your home”. And I believe that this is just the beginning of what is needed to really connect with the truth that Jesus was talking about.
I don’t think I can name 5 people that have even attempted the basic requirements, and so it would seem from my current perspective the answer to your question, “where are the greater things?” is this;
They are accessible to all, but who among the current 6.x billion of us are willing to pay the price to get there?
April 28, 2011 at 5:40 pm
You are right. I’ve asked myself this question numerous times, but by definition, asking the question is confirmation of my lack of faith. “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe!” If I understand what the message is – like you’ve suggested – the means are there, plain as day, but who among us are willing to put all our eggs in that one basket? I want to be able to do this, believe that its within me to do, but can’t seem to maintain it. I need a catalyst, and any sort of catalyst is akin to Thomas placing his hands against the wounds of the risen Jesus: it’s the easy way out, and God doesn’t want the easy way for any of us … he wants us all or nothing, of our own volition.
My mother left me with a passage, can’t remember the book or the chapter, but its statement echoed that of “come with me”. Essentially, Jesus questions those listening by saying “Do not worry. Who has ever saved a moment in time by worrying? Consider the blade of grass. The grass has everything it needs to live and wants for nothing, the Lord provides it with everything. How much more important are you than a single blade of grass?”
What I got from this one passage was the very clear message that we shouldn’t worry about what’s in store for us, because we will reach a point in our existence that we will come into the fullness of our faith so long as we trust in God and in God’s “plan”. It’s not a matter of asking “where are the greater things” or “who is willing to pay the price” … it’s simply a question of when.
And Jesus answered that one. All in good time.
March 18, 2009 at 4:26 pm
The greater things spoken of are the utterance manifestations (speaking in tongues, interpretation, and prophecy). Speaking in tongues first occurred on the day of Pentecost, clearly after Christ ascended. The passage is literal: these manifestations of the holy spirit have been and continue to be operated by Christians, while Christ himself did not do them.
June 26, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Matthew 17:20 says, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain……………this is a revised version of the true bible and it has been interpreted WRONGLY it is a great objection to the true scriptures and the meaning of them.this is the true WORD- “if ye have faith AS a mustard seed (it doesnt say as small as), ye shall say unto”…. most if not all people believe this saying to mean that faith is in equal size to the seed and that one needs only a miniscule amount of faith, this is a LIE. if you love GOD please stop teaching this LIE. let me prove to you what GOD showed me…. Jesus said over and over to the desciples and others “ye of little faith” they ALREADY HAD LITTLE FAITH. he wants your faith to GROW AS the mustard seed to an abundant tree of faith…. you must work towards perfection,work towards wisdom work towards the hearing of the ALMIGHTY CREATOR> draw nigh to me and I will draw nigh to you. if you continue teaching others this revised version of deceit all will stay stagnant because they will think that they dont need to do that much and that is the opposite of the true word, its SATANS plan!!!!! THINK ABOUT these words PLEASE
March 3, 2011 at 2:28 am
Yes, but you see only a little, constant and unwavering, faith is required but for the whole not just for a part! The rest is filled in by Jesus if there is anything left undone when you are ready to leave. This is cause for inspiration and not a reason to sit on ones bottom and wait for Jesus to recognize the sitting and waiting for a desired result.
April 28, 2011 at 5:55 pm
I find it funny that I describe requiring proof or a catalyst as the “easy way” to find one’s faith in God, or that we refer to it as “paying the price” with regards to what Jesus asks us to give up in order to follow him. I’m pretty sure God sits up there and shakes His head at our inability to throw ourselves in His direction. From what the “experts” say, going in the Way of the Lord is the cat’s ass, and we’re pretty stupid holding ourselves back from the one opportunity that really has no “catch”.