Greater Works and Answered Prayer

John 14:12-14

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

These words of Jesus are inspiring and encouraging. Here we have some powerful promises from our Lord Jesus Christ. He promises that those who believe in Him will do the works that He does, but more than that they will do greater works, and that He will do anything they ask in His name. It is because these promises are so immense and impressive that they also can be perplexing.

Some have taken these verses and tried to prove that all Christians should be miracle workers. They insist that miracles like those accomplished by our Lord (and even greater ones) should be expected today. Others wish to hear our Lord assuring them that anything they ask will be granted simply by invoking the name of Jesus. That is why it is always important for us to study a passage like this in context.

Remember Jesus and His disciples are in the upper room on the night before His crucifixion. Judas has just left to betray Him, and He’s been telling His disciples in one way or another that He is about to leave them to go to the Father. He told His disciples, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now” (John 13:36). This has left them confused and troubled. So in chapters 14-16 Jesus gave His disciples some final encouragement and instruction.

Jesus’ main purpose has been to comfort his disciples by showing that His absence from them will be even better than His physical presence. He is going to prepare a place for them so that they can be with Him forever (John 14:3-4). The cross is the means by which Jesus prepares a place for His disciples. Jesus’ promise that believers will do His works and greater works (John 14:12) is another assurance that Jesus’ departure will actually be better for those who believe in Him. Jesus promises in His absence to answer prayers uttered in His name (john 14:13-14), and He promises the Holy Spirit to those who love Jesus and keep His commandments (John 14:15-17). Thus, in Jesus’ absence the disciples will do greater works, their prayers in Jesus’ name will be answered, and they will have the power of the Holy Spirit. And one day Jesus will return to take believers home.

The Lord is leaving this world, and He is leaving His disciples behind, at least for a time. But Jesus is not abandoning His disciples as though they were orphans (John 14:18). Instead, He is encouraging them and empowering them to continue His work in this world. And in light of Jesus’ prayer that night for us who would believe in Jesus Christ through their word (John 17:20), these words of Jesus in John 14:12–14 are for us as well. What they say is that all of us who believe in Jesus will carry on with His work, and in some wonderful way, do something greater than the works of Jesus, and as a means to that end we Jesus will answer the prayers made in His name.

I want to examine those three promises in the text: All of us who believe in Jesus: (1) We will continue His work; (2) We will do greater things; and as a means to that (3) We will have what we ask in Jesus’ name.

1. We will continue the work of Jesus

Jesus says to His disciples (John 14:12a), “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.”

Jesus gets their attention with His signature phrase “Most assuredly I say to you.” Jesus uses this phrase to introduce new teachings and to emphasize the importance of what He is saying. What does He want them to pay close attention to? The promise He makes, “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.”

Who is the promise for?

To whom does Jesus direct this promise? First of course, He spoke this promise to His apostles who are in the upper room with Him. They would be the ones who would carry on His work. But is Jesus’ promise limited to the apostles alone? Jesus say “he who believes in Me.” We have seen this exact phrase before int John’s Gospel: “he who believes in Me.”

John 6:35, 47 — 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. … 47 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”
John 7:38 — 38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 11:25 — 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
John 12:44 — 44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

In other words “he who believes in Me” means those who are saved, those who have eternal life. Just as these other verses are for all believers, this is a promise to all believers. So you shouldn’t think: oh this is for just the apostles, or pastors, or spiritual, super Christians, or missionaries, or evangelists. No. The text says, “he who believes in Me.” Believers, pure and simple, will do the works of Jesus.

What are the works of Jesus? Jesus promises, “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.” In other words, all believers will do His works. Naturally, having read the first half of the Gospel of John, we might think of Jesus’ works in terms of His amazing miraculous signs. Just in John Jesus has:

turned water into wine (John 2:1–11).
healed the official’s son (John 4:46–54).
healed the man crippled for 38 years (John 5:1–9).
fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish (John 5: 1–14).
walked on water (John 6:19).
healed a man born blind (John 9:1–7).
raised Lazarus from the dead after four days in the grave (John 11:43–44).

Did Jesus mean that every Christian would do all these? Or that every Christian would do some of these? If so, most of us would have to confess that we fall way short of these kind of works. Most of us have done none of that, let alone “greater” things than that.

I think the works Jesus has in mind are not limited to miraculous signs and wonders. Four reasons that support this interpretation:

A. Not all have gifts of miracles. (1 Cor. 12)

It cannot be that all believers will do works of miracles and healings because in the New Testament letters where miracles are mentioned they are a gift that some Christians have and not others. For example, in 1 Corinthians 12 Paul says,

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit [of all]: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another [different] kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:7–11)

Later in that chapter Paul asks (1 Cor. 12:29-30), “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” The implied answer to all of those questions is, NO. All do not have those gifts, only some as the Spirit determines.

In the Bible, miracles occur mostly in clusters, mainly at times when God’s message needed to be authenticated. These include the times surrounding the exodus; the times of Elijah and Elisha; Daniel’s time; and the time of Christ and the apostles. In Acts, we see some pretty spectacular miracles done by the apostles, such as Peter’s shadow falling on the sick and healing them and his raising Dorcas from the dead (Acts 3:1-9; 5:12-16; 9:36-41). Acts 5:16 reports, “Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” This is very much like the miraculous works of Jesus.

Paul also saw some spectacular healings. Acts 19:11-12 reports, “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.”

The author of Hebrews, writing to the second generation of Jewish believers, reminds them how God testified to the truth of the gospel by performing signs and wonders and miracles through the first generation of believers in Christ (Heb. 2:3-4). He was trying to convince them of the truth of the gospel so that they wouldn’t go back to Judaism. If those early miracles were still commonplace, the author would have had a stronger argument by pointing to the very miracles done every day in their midst.

So I conclude that while God at times does spectacular miracles to authenticate His word, we are not living at a time where miracles are as commonplace as they were in the days of the early church. We should never doubt that if it is God’s will, He can miraculously heal or do other miracles through His people. But I do not know of anyone in our day experiencing near the same or greater miracles than Christ did.

B. Works include more than miracles.

The word “works” in John’s gospel in some contexts clearly includes Jesus’ miracles (John 7:3, 21; 9:4; 10:25 ,32, 33, 37, 38). But even though the word often includes the idea of miracles, the word “works” cannot be limited to signs and wonders in John’s gospel. For example, in John 6:28-29 Jesus identifies the “works of God” as believing: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” In John 8:39 Jesus exhorts the Jews to “do the works of Abraham,” and there is no record of Abraham doing any miracles. Jesus must mean, “do the deeds of Abraham,” or more likely, “believe like Abraham.”

Here in John 14, verse 10 is especially interesting, for their Jesus says, ” The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” Here the “words” of Jesus in the first part of the verse are defined as His “works” in the latter part of the verse. Thus, we have clear Evidence in the near context that the word “works” should not be restricted to signs and wonders. Indeed, when John wants to speak of miracles, he consistently uses the word “sign” (John 2:11, 18, 23; 3:2; 4:48, 54; 6:2, 14, 26, 30; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41; 11:47; 12:18, 37; 20:30). “Sign” is the unambiguous word John uses to describe Miracles, and the word “works” is a more general term, which may include miracles, but does not necessarily focus on signs and wonders.

C. Works should lead to belief

Notice the connection between John 14:11 and 12. “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” The word “believe” and “works” occur together in John 14:11 just like they come together in John 14:12. The purpose of Jesus’ works that people would believe. Jesus is saying, “If my word, my verbal testimony, is leaving doubts in your mind about who I am, look at my works. Let the works join with my words and lead you to faith.”

Then John 14:12: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.” Shouldn’t the function of the works be the same in both verses? In John 14:11 Jesus’ works function to lead people to believe in Him. In John 14:12 shouldn’t the works we do also lead people to believe?

Jesus connects these two things, works and faith by saying: believe in Me on account of My works — let My works lead you to faith (John 14:11), because whoever believes in Me (John 14:12a), will also do works that lead people to believe in Me.

So what defines these works is that they are pointers to Jesus which help people believe in Him. They are a witness along with Jesus words that lead people to faith. That’s what Jesus’ works do, and therefore that’s what all believers’ works will do. “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also” — the works that point people to faith. If you are a believer in Jesus, that’s what your life is. Your works, your life is a display of the trustworthiness of Jesus.

In John 10:25 we find the exact same phrase that Jesus uses here, “the works that I do.” “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.”” So again the function of the “works” in John 10:25 is exactly the same as here in John 14:11–12. Jesus’ works bear witness of Him so that people might believe.

All believers will be marked by this: they will be so united to Jesus that they will carry on His work by His power and do the kinds of things that will “bear witness” about Jesus. They will point people to Jesus, and through Jesus to the Father.

In John 13:35 Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” A life of love will draw attention to the truth of Christ and the reality of our own new life in Him. And in Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Christians are defined by good works which flow from faith in Jesus and point to the glory of God in Jesus Christ.

So I conclude that all believers will do the works of Jesus in the sense that what we do will testify to who Jesus is. Every Christian does these works — that is, lives this life. We are the aroma of Christ. We are the light of the world. We were dead. And we are alive, “created in Christ Jesus for good works — the works that Jesus did — which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10). A life of words and deeds that help people believe in Jesus. That’s the first part of our text: verse 12a, “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do.”

2. Doing Greater Works Than Jesus

The second part of this text (John 14:12b) is that, in some wonderful way, we will all do greater works than Jesus. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

As we have seen, “greater works” cannot mean “more miraculous.” You will be hard pressed to exceed walking on water, feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fish, and raising the dead. I don’t know of any Christian who has ever lived — inside or outside the New Testament — who has ever all of that or more.

Also, the word “greater” does not refer to a greater number of works. Certainly believers have gone further and done more in sheer numbers than Christ did when He was here on earth, But if John wanted to refer to a greater number of works, he probably would have used the Greek word polla meaning “more.” A careful study of the word “greater” (from the word “mega”) in John’s gospel shows that the word consistently refers to something that is greater in quality rather than something that is greater in number.

For instance, in John 5:36 ” But I have a greater witness than John’s….” The witness is not greater in number, but greater in quality, because it is the Father’s testimony. In John 5:20 Jesus says, ” For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.” This verse is very close to John 14:12 because in both verses Jesus speaks of “greater works.” Jesus is contrasting here His healing of the lame man on the Sabbath (John 5:1-16) with the greater works that He would do in the future. The greater works in the context appear to the communication of spiritual life (John 5:21,24-25), the judgment of all (5:22), and the future resurrection from the dead (John 5:29). The point here is not that these works are greater in number, but they are qualitatively superior to the healing of a man who was lame. These works are superior because they will last forever, while the lame man certainly got sick again and died.

What does Jesus mean by “greater works”?

The verse itself gives us a clue to the meaning. John 14:12 ends, “because I go to My Father.” Jesus is saying that His disciples will not only continue His works, but will do greater ones because He goes to the Father. And on the way to the Father, He goes to the cross and lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:15; 1:29), rises from the dead and ascends to the Father, from where He sends the Holy Spirit so the disciples are empowered to do the works they are called to do. That of course is the context here, Jesus says next (John 14:16-17) “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

Jesus will later say (John 16:7) “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

The greater works, then, refer to the extended work of the Spirit, which will occur when Jesus ascends to the Father. John 16:8-11 makes it clear that the Spirit when he comes will convict unbelievers of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Such conviction of sinners is clearly another way of describing the “greater works” which will occur after Jesus goes. Greater than any healing is the inclusion of one’s name in the book of life. Jesus reminds his disciples of this when they are so excited about casting out demons in Luke 10:20. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

John 20:21-23 also confirms this interpretation. “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.””

Here Jesus breathes the Spirit on the disciples, which in a symbolic way anticipates Pentecost. When the Spirit comes, they will have the power in the name of Jesus to forgive sins and to retain them. The greatest work of all is surely for sins to be forgiven, and this verse hints that such a work was available to believers more extensively after Jesus had given his life for sinners and ascended to the right hand of God.

Jesus’ disciples are to continue His work by receiving the Holy Spirit and, in that power, proclaiming the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus — on the basis of Jesus death and resurrection.

What are the “greater works” that you will do — all of you? You will receive the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of the crucified and risen Christ. And in the power the Spirit your works of love and your message of life in Christ will be the instrument of their forgiveness on the basis of the finished work of Christ (John 20:23). This will be greater than Jesus’s earthly miracles because this is what He came to accomplish by His death and resurrection.

The greatest work that God can perform is salvation. When through our life and message people come to believe in Jesus Christ the greatest miracle occurs. People who are dead in sins become alive in Christ. Sinners are forgiven. Children of wrath become children of God—redeemed, justified, sanctified, glorified. There is no greater miracle.

That leaves us just a moment for John 14:13-14. I will be very brief here because this truth comes up again in John 15:7, 16 and John 16:23–24. I hope to deal with it more extensively then.

3. Everything We Need, We Can Ask for and Receive

Jesus says, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 12:13–14).

The main point here is: “You will have everything you need to do the works that Jesus does — even the greater works.”

As you seek to carry on my work in the world, and as you seek to let your light shine, and live in love, and offer forgiveness of sins in the name of the crucified and risen Christ, ask me for whatever you need and I will give it to you. “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

Only one condition that Jesus states twice: “in My name.” Verse 13: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do.” Verse 14: “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” The purpose of Jesus answering our prayers in His name is for the glory of God, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

In fact, I think that is what it means to pray in the name of Jesus. It is to pray that the Father may be glorified in the Son. All true prayer that is in the name, the authority, the person of Jesus is for the glory of God.

Jesus isn’t promising that He will do any crazy thing you ask, as long as you tack on, “in Jesus’ name, Amen” to your prayer! The context of “whatever you ask” is tied into doing Jesus’ works.

It’s like Jesus is saying, “I give you the Holy Spirit to continue my work and do greater things. And I promise you that you can ask for anything in my name for this mission — for the glory of my Father.

To ask in Jesus’ name is to recognize that His name is above every name that is named, both in this age and in the age to come (Eph. 1:21). He has the power to answer!

I wonder if you’re willing to pray like this… Are you willing to cry out to God and ask Him to do whatever it takes to bring people to believe in Jesus? Are you depending on the Holy Spirit in you to do the greater works of love and forgiveness so that people will see Jesus in you?