As we travel through the last moments of Jesus’ teaching His disciples we can almost feel their fear for the future. Jesus has told them He will be leaving them. Many questions have been asked and answered, but Jesus still knew there was an uneasiness in their hearts. After all, their Shepherd that they had followed was leaving them. They had given up jobs, their families, and their homes to follow Christ. Everything they had been accustomed to was now in the rearview mirror. I’m sure they must have thought what will we do when Jesus leaves? In John 14:12-14 He offers them hope for the future.
Jesus starts verse 14 with the words “verily, verily,” this means truly, truly, in other words, listen up this is important. He further strengthens what He had just told them about the evidence of who He was. Now He offers to them an enabling power to do as He had done. They were present for the miracles so this must have caused them to have hope for the future, but also to have questions as to how this would happen. These would be done in His name, and they could do them because of their faith in Him.
Telling them they could do miracles in His name should not have been a great surprise. He had already sent them out to do miracles in Matthew 10:5-8. They had done as He said, but He was still here on earth for them to lean on and report back to on the works that were accomplished. Now He is giving them the responsibility without His physical presence.
While it was beyond what they expected when they were able to heal and perform miracles, He tells them they will do greater things than these. What could be greater? The miracle of salvation. This is the greatest miracle of all. To see a life transformed by the power of Jesus Christ is truly amazing. To see and be part of a soul being transported from the impending pit of Hell to the glorious future of Heaven is the greatest miracle of all time! This is the main purpose the disciples were left here, and this is the main purpose for every Christian. His going back to Heaven would allow these miracles to happen when Jesus sends His Holy Spirit to dwell and empower them.
John 14:12-14 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
Matthew 10:5-8 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”
Are you seeking to be a part of this miracle of winning others to Christ? Do you pray that God would put people in your pathway to talk to about Him? Everywhere we go there are multitudes of people who don’t know Jesus as their Savior. There are also those who think they know Him because they have been taught a false religion. They are basing their belief on their works, their membership in a church, or the words of a man who seems to have all the answers. Yet, they are lost! We need to be the disciples for this age. Once we have won them to Christ, we need to disciple them so they can run the race effectively and win others also. How many people could be pulled from the abyss of Hell and transported to the heights of Heaven, if we would only obey?
Too many times we are like the disciples sitting pondering and asking questions. The difference is we already have the answers. We have the beginning and the end. The only reason we don’t follow this command is our selfishness or our ignorance of the Bible. Neither of these is a valid excuse. Let’s get busy, remember the hope we have as expressed in I Peter 1:3-5, and pass it on.
I Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
