“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. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it.” John 14:12-14Jesus was at the end of His time here on earth and He was counseling and comforting His disciples as He was preparing them for what He was going to endure on the cross even though I don’t think they truly grasped what was about to take place. I found it humbling, inspiring and fascinating all at the same time to think that Jesus was telling His disciples that with faith they could do what He had been doing and actually even greater things. Really…even greater things???? The key to this incredible revelation is in faith. That mysterious word that all of our eternity hinges on. We have faith that God is who He says He is. We have faith that we are truly saved from our sin and will spend eternity with God. Jesus exhorts us to have faith in Him and if we do that we will accomplish what He did AND even greater things. Faith…as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. I wonder, how is it that my faith is smaller than a mustard seed? I certainly don’t see myself moving any mountains. I think it’s because I tend to look at what I can do within my own power. That’s the difference…my power versus God’s power. Faith, Hebrews says, “is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” If we have faith in Christ we will do what He did. I started to think, “what did He really do while He was here on this earth?” Besides His death on the cross, which I don’t think He is referring to, I think I found my answer summed up in Isaiah 61:1-3:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
With this example I should…
- preach good news to the poor
- bind up the brokenhearted
- free the captives
- release the prisoners
- comfort those who mourn
- provide for the grieving
- beauty instead of ashes
- gladness instead of mourning
- praise instead of despair
- be oaks of righteousness for God’s glory!!
The only thing separating me from this lifestyle of Christ is my choice to walk in faith and obedience. As I began this new year I ponder about how I want to live out the rest of my life. I really have two choices. I could live the rest of my life in maintenance mode, just doing enough to get by or I could live my life in faith and live an incredible adventurous and exciting life. The choice is really up to me because God is calling me to live in faith and if I do…I can do all these things through Christ who gives me the strength.
