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      "Greater Works"
      John 14:7-14
      Theme: The same power that worked through Christ is accomplishing great things in the church.

        1. The Authentication of Christ’s Power – 14:7-11

          1. The Clarity of Christ’s Revelation of the Father – vv. 7-9

            1. Responding to Thomas’ question about the way to God, Jesus identified Himself as only way to the Father in v. 6.
            2. He then states that "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also"
            3. Essentially, Jesus indicates that for Thomas to ask a question like that, he had not fully grasped who Jesus was – he had not come to truly KNOW from Him.
            4. Because of various distractions and prejudices, Thomas had not perceived who and what Jesus is – however, it is not because of a failure of Christ Jesus to clearly reveal Himself.
            5. Jesus indicates to Thomas that what he had failed to grasp would become clear in the days ahead – "from now on you know Him, and have seen Him" – namely because he would comprehend who Jesus is.
            6. These clear comments by Jesus continue to stump the disciples – "Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us’."
            7. Essentially, Jesus confronts Philip who is stuck on seeing the Father in a mystical Theophany that would be the grandest experience known to any human being.
            8. Jesus calls him back to earth by indicating that throughout their relationship, Jesus had perfectly, clearly and gloriously revealed the Father – "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?"
            9. Everything that is to be known about God is knowable in Christ Jesus – in fact true knowledge of the Father cannot be obtained but by the true knowledge of the Son; and if the Son be really known, the Father is know also.
            10. "The Father is known just so far as the Son is known, no farther."

          2. The Confirmation of Christ’s Revelation of the Father – vv. 10-11

            1. Jesus calls for the disciples to recognize who He is on the basis of what He has taught them – "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?"
            2. That is, Jesus is claiming essential unity with the Father – that they are of the same essence.
            3. The teachings that Jesus provided to His disciples were just as much a work of divine power and disclosure as the signs and wonders – "The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works."
            4. Jesus calls on the disciples to believe in Him because of the essential unity that exists between Jesus and the Father – or because of the miraculous way that God has revealed Himself through Christ – "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves."
            5. Here we are urged to take Jesus at His word, but if it still needs some kind of verification, then believe because of the works that Jesus has done.

        2. The Ability Through Christ’s Power – 14:12

          1. The Promise of Progressive Manifestation of God’s Glory

            1. These works that assist those who are not able to merely accept His words are something that Jesus tells the disciples that God will continue to perform.
            2. He tells them: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also."
            3. There will be continued ability to see the truth of God verified through supernatural manifestation of God’s glory.
            4. In fact, Jesus goes even further to indicate that "…and greater works than these he will do."
            5. It is my understanding that because of the connection that Jesus has just make between the Father’s manifestation of His glory through the words that were spoken by Christ, that these "greater works" refer to the provision of Scripture – the inspired Word of God.
            6. Those who come to faith in Christ Jesus will be able to proclaim the truth of God – having come to faith through the truth itself – cp. 1 Peter 1:23; John 17:17
            7. Because of the Spirit’s work providing the truth of God’s Word through men, followers of Christ Jesus would be involved in something that is even greater than the manifestation of God’s truth know by them to that point – cp. 2 Peter 1:17-21

          2. The Prerequisite to Progressive Manifestation of God’s Glory

            1. However, before this could occur, Jesus had to ascend to the Father so that He could then dispatch the Holy Spirit to provide them with this power.
            2. He says that they will do these "greater works … because I go to the Father"
            3. However, when Jesus goes to the Father, He promised to send the Holy Spirit who would fill them with power – cp. Acts 1:8
            4. The Spirit of God would not be given until Jesus was glorified – that is, after atonement had been made and redemption was complete – cp. John 7:39
            5. Other miracles would accompany the Word of God – for the purpose of authenticating that Word as from God.
            6. The "power of God" made available to believers is tied directly to Scripture – cp. Romans 1:16.
            7. Clearly, the preaching of a risen Savior to every creature that results in the turning of lost souls from their darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to the service of God is the greatest feat accomplished by anyone anywhere at anytime.

        3. The Access to Christ’s Power – 14:13-14

          1. The Motivation for the Exercise of Christ’s Power – v. 13

            1. If the glorious works of God are to continue so that believers will be able to see such glorious things accomplished then they will have to look outside of themselves for the power to do them – "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
            2. "The disciples were very much aware that if He should leave them, not only would they be deprived of the advantage of His superior powers, but that their own, which were entirely dependent on Him, would be withdrawn also."
            3. Jesus makes it clear that by means of prayer, we are able to see His power unleashed through us in order that He might continue to insure that the Father is glorified.

          2. The Means of the Exercise of Christ’s Power – v. 14

            1. However we are not able to exert ourselves, harnassing God’s power through prayer and using it in a manner that is opportunistic or selfish.
            2. Instead, the only means to securing the power of God is to approach Him in the name of Jesus Christ – "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."
            3. To ask in Jesus name involves the following issues:
              1. Melding: That the believer is standing in a condition to represent Christ in the request – claiming our union with Him to be such that what we are asking is what Jesus would ask.
              2. Merit: That the believer claim the merits of Christ as the basis of approach – so that the Father looks beyond us and sees Christ as the genuine asker.
              3. Motive: That the believer limits his request to that which will result in the glory of God
            4. It is a carnal delusion to suppose that believers are able to obtain whatever they want – as though God has issued a blank check – simply by coming to Him "… in Jesus name."
            5. Essentially we are told that praying in Jesus name necessarily includes a heart that loves Him and a aggressively obeys Him – cp. 14:15

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