The Greater Works Of Proclaiming The Gospel

We continue to ponder Jesus' strange saying about doing greater works:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. - Jhn 14:12-14 ESV

There are those who believe that the works of Jesus were his miracles. And since there are many, many disciples of Jesus around the world, a greater number of miracles can potentially be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, thus confirming the Gospel of Christ. So they write,

In John 14:12, Jesus makes an amazing claim “I tell you the truth, anyone, who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” How? Jesus says it will be done through the power of the Holy Spirit. In John 14–15, Jesus speaks often of “another Counselor,” the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17), which we know the disciples received at Pentecost (Acts 2:4). The Holy Spirit is the mechanism through which Jesus said His believers “will do even greater works. . . Now, billions of disciples exist worldwide, and through belief in Him and the agency of the Holy Spirit, many more miracles occur today than did in Jesus’ time.

But is this emphasis upon miracles what Jesus meant?

In John 5 we read about Jesus miraculously healing a cripple beside the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. The Jews wanted to kill him for doing this work on the Sabbath. Jesus responded that he was but doing the Father's work. And, says Jesus, greater works than these will the Father show his Son, so that you may marvel.

For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. - John 5:20-24 ESV

The greater works that Jesus did were to free us from judgment and grant us eternal life by his cross. These were far, far greater than healing a cripple. Jesus' greater works were accomplished on the cross when he cried, "It is finished!" Now the Spirit works through the Gospel to create faith in Jesus and his cross, as he said, "This is the work of God that you believe in whom he has sent" (John 6:29). This work of God is indeed a wonder and a marvel. Faith in Jesus means new birth, forgiveness of all sins, past, present and future. Forgiveness means that we are alive in Christ and that we who are in Christ will never die! Though our sinful bodies die, we confidently trust that Christ will raise us up and give us new bodies, filled forever with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 15:20-57).

In the light of this, what greater works can we possibly do? Greater (Greek meizon) means greater in degree: more in number, not in quality. Nothing can possibly be qualitatively greater than Jesus' works by which he rescued all mankind from judgment and eternal death. Jesus has accomplished these greater works. They are finished, complete! "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). But now we who have been made alive in Christ carry this Good News around the world. And as we proclaim this Gospel the Holy Spirit is working to create faith and new life.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. - Rom 1:16 ESV

To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 2Th 2:14 ESV

Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. - Jam 1:18 ESV

Pray for an opportunity to share this Good News. Pray that the Holy Spirit will use you to proclaim the greater works Jesus completed on the cross. More on this next time.

We Are God's Fruit Bearing Trees

In my last post I referred to a couple Bible verses that compare fruit bearing trees to God's reborn people in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. So we read in the very first Psalm that the man who meditates upon God's Holy Word continues to yield fruit in its season. I'd like to explore what it means for a Christian to yield fruit and to yield it "in its season." The stream, of course, is the Holy Spirit who continues to nourish and refresh through God's Word (Torah or instruction).

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. - Psa 1:3 ESV 

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul picks up the analogy as he speaks often about fruit and fruit bearing. 

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. . . . But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. - Rom 7:4, 6 ESV 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. - Gal 5:23-25 ESV 

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness  that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. - Phil 1:9-11 ESV

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. - Col 1:9-10 ESV 

Paul teaches us several important lessons in these passages about fruit. 

1. When Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary, we died with him. In turn, when he rose from the dead on the eighth day, we rose with him. So that we may now correctly say, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). 
2. Further, the Holy Spirit teaches us in that Word He has given to us that we are free. We have been freed from the law that previously condemned and enslaved us. That freedom became ours when we died and rose again with Christ. Because of Christ we are now, in God's eyes, completely without sin. So Paul writes, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). 
3. Released from the slavery of sin, the passions and drives of our sinful flesh, we are free to be fruit-bearing trees for God. This is a radically new way of living, sharply contrasted with the way of the flesh or the ways of this world of sinful men. Raised from the dead with Christ we have the life of Christ, the water of God, the Holy Spirit, ever bubbling up and flowing in our lives. 
4. In this new life, we delight to serve God. It is a joy and a pleasure. We are motivated, not by fear and anxiety, but rather by the love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ. No longer do we run from God to hide in hope that we will not be found out. Rather we run to God to ask, "How may I serve you, my Father?" So we are prepared to bear fruit, or to use Paul's other analogy, to walk by the Spirit. 
5. The power to bear fruit comes, of course, from the Spirit. As a tree withers and dies without water, so we die without the water of the Spirit. And that life-giving water flows in and from God's Word. The more we meditate upon God's Spirit-filled Word, the more we learn about God's love for us and His wondrous plan for our lives. Paul calls this knowledge of God's will spiritual wisdom, discernment and understanding. 
6. Such knowledge is never mere information and facts to be recited in order to pass some kind of examination or to impress people. It is so much more than that. Above all it is personal knowledge. Because of such knowledge I can now say, "Christ died for ME! I died and I rose with him! Christ lives within ME! I am a CHILD of the Heavenly Father. I know Him and He knows me. Now I can crawl right up on my Papa's lap to be held in His loving arms and ask whatever I want. He listens and always gives me what is best for me" (Luke 11:8-13; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). 
7. As this personal Spirit-given knowledge of my Papa's love for me grows within, so does my love for Him grow. And along with my growing love for Papa comes joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. As I learn to love Papa, I learn also to love those around me, all of whom He loves so very much. I become a fruit-bearing tree, bearing the fruit of a godly or God-like life. 

In blogs in July of this year I wrote about the special gifts given by the life-giving Spirit, the so-called charismatic or spiritual gifts. For now, let us simply rejoice in the life of the Holy Spirit, God's refreshing stream, so that we may all bear fruit in every good work and increase in our personal knowledge of God's love. 

Good Managers Of God's Varied Grace

So far in our discussion of spiritual gifts we have looked at three of the most common passages quoted: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4, both of the two '12s' and one of the two '4s'. We proceed now to the second of the '4s', I Peter 4:10-11, 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. - 1Pet 4:10-11 ESV

As always, we must consider the context of Peter's words. He points out that Christ suffered once for the sins of all men that he might bring us to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was made alive in the spirit and proclaimed his victory over sin and death. This victory is ours. As Noah and his family were rescued from the flood and brought safely through it by the ark, so in our baptism the risen Christ has proclaimed to us that all our sins are washed away. We stand before God now with clean consciences, servants of the risen and ascended Christ (1 Peter 3:18-22).


Arm yourselves with this way of thinking, says Peter. You have died with Christ and risen with him to a new life in the spirit as opposed to your former life guided by your sinful human flesh. You have been reborn and like newborn infants, you can't get enough of the pure spiritual milk. It tastes so very good, ever reminding you of the Lord's goodness and mercy (1 Peter 2:2-3). That milk, that Word is His way of growing you up in Christ. Live now as people who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you (Romans 8:9-11; 1 Peter 4:1-2).

You are therefore a spiritual person, blessed with new life and faith in our risen Lord Jesus Christ. As a spiritual person you have also received a gift (charisma). Use it. That's why the Spirit gave it to you, to use. Use it to serve others in the body of Christ. Be a good steward and manager of God's varied grace.

Here are a couple examples:

• if you have a gift of speaking, speak the oracles or words of God (Matt.10:19-20)
• if you have a gift of serving, serve by the strength that God supplies (1 Cor. 3:10)

The purpose for using your gift, whatever it is, is to glorify and make God great through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. So be it. Amen (1 Peter 4:11).

As in all four of the passages studied, we find no instructions about taking a quiz, using a tool or studying a list to discover one's spiritual gift(s). We are instead told again and again to meditate upon the Gospel and to rejoice in the fact that we are God's beloved children by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We are alive in the spirit. We have the life of God's Spirit within us. And that same Spirit always gives gifts, special gifts by which we are empowered to serve one another and bring glory to the blessed name of Jesus. We know what those gifts are. We are gifted people. We are given opportunities to use our gifts. We are called and empowered by that Spirit in many and varied circumstances. Trust the Spirit.

Tomorrow I'll wrap up this brief study with a summary.

Signs Of The Visible Church

In a posting last week I pointed to the signs of Christ's power and presence as the LORD of the OT. Read the signs, study them and you will see, says John, that Immanuel (God with us) is indeed with us. So I pointed out that Jesus is present among His people whenever and wherever they gather to share His Word and minister Baptism and His Supper in His name. That is where you will find Him.

Turn it around then. Where is Christ's church, His body? Wherever Christ is present among His people, creating and nourishing faith in Him. And how does He do this? By means of His Word, either His Word spoken or His Word shared in the water of Baptism and the bread and wine of His Supper. He is present to do even greater things through these modern day signs than turn water into wine, heal a nobleman's servant or raise Lazarus from the dead. He brings healing to our souls, forgiveness for all our sins and a life that will never cease. Listen to Paul.

Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.- Rom. 6:3-7 NLT

No one other than the LORD Christ can do such great acts of power. In Baptism He and He alone is able to create this new life. In our baptism He declares that we were crucified, that we died and were buried with Him. He declares that God's judgment upon sin was satisfied on His cross. He declares that we share His new life. And since what He proclaims, what He speaks, always comes to pass, it happens. We are alive. Our old self no longer controls us. Christ lives in us. This is the ongoing miracle of Pentecost. Paul again:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Gal 2:20 ESV

 No power on earth can work such a miracle. No power of man can perform such a deed. And you and I who are in Christ, we who have Christ living in us, we who have received the outpouring of His Spirit—we know what this means. These then are the signs of Christ's church. Where the Gospel is proclaimed and the Sacraments are administered and shared there is Christ at work. And where Christ is at work, there is His church.

There are, of course, other signs by which you may detect the presence of Christ's body, the church on this earth. These would include prayer, the teaching of the Ten Commandments, the willingness of Christians to suffer, their clinging to eternal life even when threatened by death, their care for others regardless of who they are and so forth. But none of those signs carry the weight and importance of the proclaiming of the Gospel and the ministering of the Sacraments to God's children. Through these primary signs Christ and the Holy Spirit create, sustain and nourish faith in Him. This is why we Lutherans, for example, are so very concerned that everything taught in God's Word—and nothing other than God's word—continue to be taught.

But more on that next time.