“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they 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 Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:12-14 NIV).
As Jesus neared the end of His earthly ministry, He told His disciples they would do “greater things than these.” This statement could easily be misunderstood, leading some to believe they can receive anything they desire simply by asking in Jesus’ name. But what did Jesus truly mean?
The context of this passage helps us understand. Jesus was responding to a question from Philip, one of His disciples who would soon flee in fear when Jesus was arrested. At this moment, Jesus was casting a vision for Philip, Peter, and the rest of the disciples—preparing them in advance for their coming failure. Though they would soon desert Him, God’s work would continue. The Son they abandoned would still glorify the Father. Jesus expressed confidence that the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Helper, would transform these fearful men into bold apostles of the gospel. Nearly 2,000 years later, history has proven Jesus right.
But praise God—Christ sent the Holy Spirit, and the light of the gospel continues to shine in many communities!
The Holy Spirit’s work through the Church has accomplished the same and even greater things. Consider Peter, who denied Christ, and Philip, who deserted Him. After being filled with the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, these men boldly proclaimed the gospel. The work Jesus declared as “finished” on the cross, they preached in its fullness to the crowds. This must be the “greater things” Jesus spoke of! They could now declare, “…God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!” (Acts 2:36b) alongside Jesus’ own words: “The time has come…The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).
At times, God moved in power through these men, performing miracles of healing. Other times, He simply gave them the words to share the good news with others. In Jerusalem and Samaria, many believed and were baptized. The Holy Spirit worked in their lives, and the number of believers grew. The lame were healed and sinners were forgiven. Gatherings of believers formed in village after village, town after town, city after city.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus had a physical body, voluntarily confined to a single location. But when the Holy Spirit came, the movement of believers spread across the earth. They prayed in Jesus’ name and saw healing, the advancement of the gospel, and new believers putting their faith in Christ. History shows that wherever the gospel has gone and churches have been established, communities have flourished—healthcare, literacy, and economies have improved. Consider the names of hospitals around us—how many exist because of the influence of Jesus and His Church? If the gospel were erased from the world today along with the lives transformed by Christ, the world would be a dark and hopeless place. But praise God—Christ sent the Holy Spirit, and the light of the gospel continues to shine in many communities! I thank God for you, reader, as I trust and pray you seek to shine Christ’s light in your home, church, and neighborhood!
The church leaders in Rosedale Network of Churches found each other over the years because they desired to make the light of Christ shine even brighter together. This light shines through Rosedale International as it brings the good news of Jesus to villages still waiting for an established church. It shines through Rosedale Bible College (RBC) as it equips kingdom workers who will lead homes, businesses, churches, and missions for years to come. It shines through the 30 new network pastors who recently committed to training in Principles of Biblical Interpretation provided by Rosedale Network and RBC. It shines through the promotion of Jesus’ teaching and our distinct way of living in the world through the Living Anabaptism podcast, released by Rosedale Network’s office. Our network’s commission to mature and multiply churches is simply in obedience to Jesus’ words to go, baptize, and make disciples of all nations.
The good news of Jesus shines brightest when we boldly trust and obey His teachings together. We shine bright when we live as Jesus taught, fearing not those who can destroy the body, but only the One who decides eternal destinies. We shine bright when we do not trust in horses, chariots, or any human leader, but in the name of the Lord our God. We shine bright as ambassadors of the kingdom of Heaven, living out the way of Jesus in our homes, workplaces, churches, and communities. We shine bright when we speak as image-bearers of the Creator, as beloved children of the Savior, and as loyal subjects of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We shine bright when we seek to do our daily, little tasks, in the name of Christ, with great love.
We trust that the Holy Spirit will take our small acts of faith and obedience and compound them into greater things so that many will glorify our Father in heaven for all of eternity! So may it be.
Photo credit: Ai generated
