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Summary
In John 14:12, Jesus says, “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.”
Greater works — what does that mean? Jesus walked on water, and Peter did too… at least for a few steps. “Greater works than these will you do.” It’s the bane of every pastor. People say, “Pray for my healing, pastor; Jesus said, ‘Greater works will you do.’” The disciples healed everyone… sometimes, and also no one, sometimes. They healed… sometimes. And they cast out demons. I’ve done that, in Jesus’ name; it really freaked me out the first time! Jesus said to the 70, “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” After his chapter on “Gifts of the Spirit,” Paul wrote about “the still more excellent way.” So…
Maybe the Greater Works are not “signs and wonders,” but greater churches built by greater pastors. At one time, I was esteemed by many as a great pastor because my church grew greatly from a few people to a few thousand people. At times, I felt like I was walking on water . . . but not very far, AND only because I was running as fast as I possibly could.
We watched a video of young men trying to walk on water by running really, really, fast… It seemed to be working (15 million views), but the video — even a few steps — was a hoax.
John 14:13, Jesus says, “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.”
Jesus said this to The Eleven at the last supper. All 11 died martyr’s deaths, except John who was exiled to a prison colony. Don’t you think they would’ve prayed, “God, please — put out the flames; please give my executioner the flu; please don’t let Jesus die on a cross… in Jesus’ name”?
In two chapters and in this same monologue, John 16:24, Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask that your joy may be full.” Isn’t that incredible? They had cast out demons and healed the sick BUT had never asked anything in Jesus’ name. WOW!
In Jesus’ name, would you pray to get rich when He said, “Blessed are the poor”? Would you pray to crush your enemies when He commanded you to “Love your enemies”? Would you pray for the best seat at the banquet when Jesus commanded you to always take the worst (Luke 14:10)?
I bet I know one prayer that none of the disciples had ever prayed at any dinner party, and so, of course, could not have prayed in Jesus’ name. I bet that none of them had ever prayed, “Father let me be the one to wash the feet, everyone’s feet, including Judas.”
It’s important to be aware of context and the danger of refrigerator magnets that can only contain a few words. When Jesus said these things — “Greater works than these, etc.” — He had just taken the form of a slave, washed everyone’s feet, and said, “Now is the Son of man glorified… A new commandment I give you, ‘love one another as I have loved you.’” It’s new but old, because it’s eternal. And it’s old but new, because Jesus just showed them what it meant.”
John has written extensively about “The Bread of Life,” and the entire Revelation is about the Blood which is Wine. But in his Gospel, instead of retelling the words of institution, John recounts how Jesus washed everyone’s feet — as if to say, “This is what communion with Him looks like in your everyday life.”
If you went to a party and started washing everyone’s feet, people would be very annoyed and rightly assume that you were a sanctimonious religious nut, trying to justify yourself by shaming everyone else. But what if you went to that party, and silently prayed, “Our Father, let me see Judas with your eyes; let me see those who are disappointed in me with your compassion. Let me forget myself and get lost in them. Let me sit in the worst seat, that they would sit in a better seat. Father, let me see my world and the people you have made with your eyes, the eyes of Christ, and so tell them what they long to hear: ‘I love you!’ In the name of Jesus, Amen.”
The name Jesus (Yahweh + yasha), Yeshua, literally means, “God is Salvation.” What could “praying in the name of ‘God is Salvation’” mean except praying for the Salvation of all of the Father’s children — the people that He has made? And what prayer would the Savior be happier to answer than that one? And how could He better answer it than by giving you His own Spirit that would look through your eyes out upon a Judas with infinite compassion, wash His feet, and even call him “friend,” while being betrayed in a garden?
What if the greatest work so far was washing feet, and “the work, greater than these” was not only washing feet, but clipping toenails or some such thing? What if greatness went in that direction?
You know, as I thought about that this week, I was surprised by this amazing sense of relief and peace. It’s incredibly stressful, trying to exalt yourself at every dinner party, always trying to be the best and the first. It’s incredibly hard to always defend yourself, justify yourself — that is, always make yourself right. It all feels so wrong; it feels like hell.
But maybe I could actually wash someone’s feet… if only for a moment. And for that moment, everything would be perfect, and my soul would rest. AND YET, that moment would be an absolute miracle. I couldn’t get there by trying, for the harder I try to love, the more I try to justify myself with works of love, and the less I do love.
On that day, many will say to Jesus, “‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And He will declare to them, ‘I never knew you.’” (If He does not know them, He didn’t make them, and they must be an illusion of their own making.) He will say to others, “’I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me…’” or maybe, “I was in the least of these, like Judas, and you washed my feet.” They’ll say, “I don’t remember that.” And He’ll say, “That’s because you weren’t trying to be that; you just were that; LOVE has become your nature. I Am Love.”
Love holds the Universe in His hand. He holds you in His hand. And Jesus is His hand. And so, what separates us from Him? How about the illusion that Love is an idea in our head and a great work that we can do, when Love is the One that does everything — including us?
Perhaps the greater work is not only washing feet, but clipping the toenails of people who despise you, while looking up into their face with the eyes of Christ — not because you have to, but because you want to?
John 14:9-11 (Just before 12-13), Jesus said to Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and you still don’t know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (It was Yahweh that just washed your feet, Philip)… “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father abiding in me does his works.” HIS WORKS!
If I go to a party, thinking that I have to save everyone, I won’t be able to love anyone, and I sure as hell won’t wash anyone’s feet. But Jesus knew something that I’m just barely beginning to know, and that is: “Yahweh, (Our Father) is Salvation.” On His own, “The Son can do nothing (John 5:19!),” but at home in the Father, with the Father at home in Him, He was literally Yahweh incarnate, saving “the world.” But it wasn’t “His work” to do; it was Love at work in Him, through Him, and as Him.
It’s such a relief to know that I’m not asked to save everyone at the party. And yet, I can wash their feet, and The Love in that moment will save them. And one day, The Love will say to me, “Look at the fish that you caught, Peter.”
John 14:12, “Greater [megas] works than these…” “Megas” in Greek often refers to quantity rather than quality. So, the same Coke that’s in a Mega Cup is the same Coke that’s in a Mini Cup, like the Faith in a Mustard Seed is the Same Faith that becomes a kingdom, and the same Love in giving a drink to a child is the same Love that will fill all things with Himself.
John 14:15-23, “If you love me” [“If” you do, it is a miracle, for Love is the Uncaused Cause] — “If you love me, you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper [parakletos — It means “One Called Alongside.” It’s a Helper made fit for us. We, each and all are made from the wounded side of the Last Adam] …even the Spirit of The Truth… You know Him, for he abides with you and will be [or “is”] in you… In that [the] day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments [like, “wash each other’s feet”] and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to [“in” or “by”] him… and we will come to him and make our abode with him.”
John Powell taught the course Theology of Faith at Loyola University. One year, Tommy was the resident atheist in his class. “Do you think I’ll ever find God?” asked Tommy with a sneer as he handed in his final exam. “No,” replied Professor Powell… “but I’m certain that He’ll find you.”
John Powell was relieved when Tommy graduated but grieved when he got the news: Tommy was diagnosed with terminal cancer. One day, he showed up in Professor Powell’s office. His body had been wasted away, but his eyes were bright. He said, “I got serious about looking for God and nothing happened. So, I decided that I didn’t care about God or some sort of afterlife… But I remembered something you said in your class: ‘The essential sadness is to go through life without loving.’ I figured that it would be equally sad to leave this world without telling those you love that you have loved them. So, I began with the hardest — my dad… Here I was in the shadow of death, and I was just beginning to open up… Then one day I turned around and God was there. He didn’t come to me when I pleaded with him… He found me after I stopped looking for him.”
Professor Powell gasped and said, “Tommy, you’re saying that the surest way of finding God is not to make Him your own private possession or instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening up to love.” Tommy soon passed, but only after he asked John Powell to tell the world: Love had found him.
John 14:31, “Rise, let us go from here.” They’re going to a garden (18:1, 19:41). We will all take His Life as our own private possession, and He will give His Life — the Life of Love. This is the Seventh Sign that is the Substance, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Stop seeking signs and surrender to the Substance in the garden sanctuary of your soul. Let Love make His home in you, through you, and as you. “My peace I give to you (John 14:27),” says Jesus, at home in you.