Week 4
Jesus healed people of all kinds of illness and injuries, he was able to bring peace to people’s
hearts and minds, he multiplied bread to feed people, and he even brought people back to life
once they had died. If that was not enough, he died on a cross for the sins of the whole world.
Knowing all that Jesus did, it is difficult to believe this statement that he made to the disciples.
John 14:12 (NIV)
[12] 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.
[12] 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.
So, is it that we do not have enough faith or was Jesus exaggerating what we would be able to
do? I believe it is neither of these. First of all, no one has to die on a cross to save the world.
Jesus already took care of that once and for all. Second, even though not one person in history
has been able to do all these other things by him or herself, the body of Christ has been doing
these things.
Some people have the gift of healing – they pray and miracles happen, or they go to medical school and use their knowledge and experience to heal people. Some people are able to counsel others and bring clarity and healing to their hearts and minds. Some people are able to grow crops, while others are gifted at distributing that food. There are also emergency personnel and everyday people on the streets that have helped people live even though their hearts stopped beating.
But there is one thing that we as the body of Christ have done that Jesus was not able to do while he lived here on earth. Take his message into all the world. And perhaps, this is what Jesus was referring to when he said we would do even greater things. He was limited in how many people he could reach by his own earthly life. Through us sharing his love by word and deed with all those we meet, his message is going all over the world.
By coming into the Father’s house, we accept that message for ourselves. By sharing it with others, we are doing far greater things than what Jesus was able to do here in his earthly ministry. We are his plan for sharing his love with all the world. But it is not all up to us. Help is on the way.
Time of Prayer:
1) 1 min – What is God saying to me through this devotional?
2) 1 min – What am I going to do about it?
3) 1 min – What do I want to say to God?
4) 2 min – Listen for what God wants to say to you now.
Some people have the gift of healing – they pray and miracles happen, or they go to medical school and use their knowledge and experience to heal people. Some people are able to counsel others and bring clarity and healing to their hearts and minds. Some people are able to grow crops, while others are gifted at distributing that food. There are also emergency personnel and everyday people on the streets that have helped people live even though their hearts stopped beating.
But there is one thing that we as the body of Christ have done that Jesus was not able to do while he lived here on earth. Take his message into all the world. And perhaps, this is what Jesus was referring to when he said we would do even greater things. He was limited in how many people he could reach by his own earthly life. Through us sharing his love by word and deed with all those we meet, his message is going all over the world.
By coming into the Father’s house, we accept that message for ourselves. By sharing it with others, we are doing far greater things than what Jesus was able to do here in his earthly ministry. We are his plan for sharing his love with all the world. But it is not all up to us. Help is on the way.
Time of Prayer:
1) 1 min – What is God saying to me through this devotional?
2) 1 min – What am I going to do about it?
3) 1 min – What do I want to say to God?
4) 2 min – Listen for what God wants to say to you now.