Open your Bibles to John chapter 14. This morning we're going to focus our attention on the meaning of just one verse. And we'll do this because this particular verse has become a key one. In a fairly intense modern theological debate between cessationists, those who believe that miraculous gifts have ceased in our day, and continuationists, on the other hand, who believe that miraculous gifts will continue until our Lord Jesus returns. It's going to be my contention here this morning that this verse really has nothing to do with that debate. Without getting into defending one side of this debate or the other, It will be my contention that this verse has often been misapplied by continuationists and doesn't really speak directly to the issue in the way that they suppose. Beginning in verse 7 with me, we'll read through verse 14, but our focus is going to be on verse 12. Jesus said, If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. And from now on you know Him and have seen Him. And Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip. He who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? 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. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also. It's the contention of many charismatic circles that Jesus is talking here about miraculous works, and that anyone who believes in him will be able to do these miraculous works that he has done. And not only that, but as Jesus says, in greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." Well, look at those last two verses there in this section next week, Lord willing. And as I said, this is a very controversial verse, and you can see why as I pointed it out to you when I read it. And my goal this morning in this teaching isn't to take sides in the issue. It's just to show how this verse isn't applicable in the way that some suppose that it is. And because it's not the easiest verse in the world to interpret, and because it is involved in this theological debate in our day, And because we're not having evening teaching, at which time I usually give you a chance to ask any questions that you might have from the morning's teaching, immediately following the service this morning, during the announcement time, I'll give you a few minutes then to ask any questions you might have of me on this issue. So just keep that in mind as I teach this. If you have questions, you'll have a chance to ask them right after the service has ended. With that, let's say a word of prayer. And then we'll launch into our attempt to understand this much misunderstood verse. Holy Father, my prayer is always that you would fill us with your spirit, that we might understand your word as we ought. It is our desire, Lord, to understand what it is Jesus intended to say when he uttered these words all those centuries ago. It is our intention, our desire, Lord, to know what it is that you want us to learn from these verses, this statement of Jesus, that you, through the power of your Holy Spirit, inspired to be recorded accurately for us, so that we might get to hear Jesus speak to us today the very words he spoke to the eleven all those centuries ago. Only we're in a different place than they were. We're on the other side of the cross. We're on the other side of the resurrection. We're on the other side of the ascension. We're on the other side of the bestowal of your spirit upon the church. And so, we have a greater privilege, but also a greater responsibility to understand your word correctly. And we ask, Lord, that you help us to do it. We recognize we're fully dependent upon you, Lord, to understand your word. So we humbly ask for your grace in this regard. In the name of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. Well, as I've already indicated, many modern continuationists, and there are different versions of this, there are some who call themselves open but cautious. They're open to the idea that miraculous gifts continue today, but they're very cautious about about that because they're not sure we really understand how these gifts function then. They're very conscious about what people are claiming today. And then there are the other end of the spectrum, the Charismatics, who are very focused on these issues and the continuation of this cause. It's really the Charismatic interpretation of this verse that I'm going to be challenging this morning. Charismatics have often cited this verse as teaching that all believers should be able to perform miraculous works to one extent or another. And their arguments typically go something like this. First of all, when Jesus refers to he who believes in the beginning of the verse, he is speaking generally of all believers and not just of the disciples to whom the words were originally addressed. So they're saying we can't restrict the meaning of this verse just to the disciples that were there, or later on, Matthias, when he would join them, or Paul, you know, and the other apostles. That Jesus is speaking more broadly than that. And by the way, I happen to agree with that. I think that's right. Secondly, they say, when Jesus refers to the works that he does, he has miraculous works, especially, if not exclusively, in mind. In fact, most of the charismatic interpreters that I've read of this verse say that when Jesus speaks of his works here, he's thinking of miracles, period. Third, they would say, when Jesus says that believers will do greater works than he himself did, He means that they too will do miraculous works, miraculous works that are often seen as, at the very least, being greater in number and perhaps even greater in impact for the kingdom than those that were performed by Jesus. Those are the basic contentions. That's a pretty standard way of reading the text if you are wearing charismatic glasses. That's the way you see these verses. That's the way you're predisposed to take them. However, as we examine the verse a little more closely in the context, I think we'll see that there are four contextual arguments against this common charismatic reading of the text. We'll read the verse again and then I'll get into these four arguments. The verse says, most assuredly, the Greek is Amen, Amen, truly, truly 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. First of all, as we saw last week, the works to which Jesus refers include more than miraculous works. The term refers to the entirety of his ministry, especially to his leading others to saving faith. Remember, I took a lot of time last week to go back into the Gospel of John and see where Jesus spoke of the works. that he did, and to see how he used the term. And he could use the term, as you recall, to refer to people who claim to be believers, but whose works, whose deeds were of the devil. And so he could use the word works to describe the deeds that someone does that show his true character. He could speak of the works that he did, not only as healing the blind man, the man born blind, but as his having then gone and led that man to saving faith. In fact, there's a focus on leading people to saving faith in each of those contexts where he speaks of works and connects it to performing his father's will. And we saw that last week, so I won't rehearse all of that. Suffice it to say that I think the ESV study Bible is correct when it essentially asserts this very same point. It says, in John's gospel, the term works, both in the singular and the plural, is a broader term than signs. And that's the term in John for a miracle generally, signs or wonders. While signs in John are characteristically, these notes say, miracles that attest to Jesus' identity as Messiah and Son of God and that lead unbelievers to faith, Jesus' works include both his miracles and his other activities and teachings, including the whole of his ministry. I'll give a number of good examples. These are all manifestations of the activity of God the Father. For Jesus said, the Father who dwells in me does his works. Here Jesus is teaching his disciples to imitate the things he did in his life in ministry. That is most assuredly an intention in what Jesus is saying here. That we should imitate Jesus in our life in ministry. That he intends that to happen when he says that we'll do the works that he does. But this means that the greater works that Jesus says that believers will do should probably be understood in a much broader sense, doesn't it? Focusing on the way in which these works will be used by Him to bring others to saving faith, in particular. Because that was His focus, with His works. Leading people to the Father. And in this very context, He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. His intention is that they will be His instruments. to lead others to the Father in the future. At any rate, Jesus cannot simply be referring to miraculous works. Not if you pay attention to the context. As D.A. Carson so aptly put it, Jesus' works may include more than his miracles, they never exclude them. But even so, greater works is not a transparent expression. I think he's right about it. It's not obvious when you first read this text what he means by greater works. You really have to pay very close attention to the context. He writes, it cannot simply mean more works, i.e. that the church will do more things than Jesus did, since it embraces so many people over such a long period of time. He says it cannot simply mean that, since there are perfectly good Greek ways of saying more, if that's what he meant, and since in any case the meaning would then be unbearably trite. He says, nor can greater works mean more spectacular or more supernatural works. It is hard to imagine works that are more spectacular or more supernatural than the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the multiplication of bread, and the turning of water into wine. The clues, he writes, to the expression's meaning are two. First, the final clause, where he says, because I am going to the Father. And second, the parallel to this, back in chapter 5 verse 20, where he says, for the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. Yes, to your amazement, He will show Him even greater things than these. The Greek there is the greater works than these. So these two clues that he highlights are going to make up my second and third contextual arguments. And I think he's right. is the second. The first argument we've already seen is that the word works here doesn't just mean miracles. So any interpretation that takes it that way and bases its understanding of the text on that understanding of the word works is just wrong-headed. Secondly, when Jesus says that his disciples will do greater works because I go to my Father, he's giving a reason why they will do greater works, or the ground upon which they will do greater works. And I think Carson's right to see that as a very important hint to his meaning here. Another really able scholar named Tom Schreiner happens to agree with that. He puts it this way. Going to the Father, then, provides the reason or ground for the greater works. But why does Jesus going to the Father make possible greater works? Where would that be? The rest of John's Gospel answers that question. Pastor George pointed this out to me this morning when we were talking about this verse, this very argument. He writes, in John 16.7, Jesus says, it is better for you that I go, for if I do not go, the parent thief, that is the helper referring to the Holy Spirit, will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. This fits beautifully with John 14, 12. Jesus says that it will be better if he goes, because only when he goes will the Spirit be sent. And in John 16, 8-11, it makes it clear that the Spirit, when he comes, will convict them, believers, 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. I think Tom Schreiner's on to something, and I'm quoting these different guys just to show you that it's not just me who thinks this way, who's reading the text this way. Actually, what I'm giving you is a version of a fairly common evangelical understanding of this passage for a long time. And in fact, the kind of interpretation I'm giving it goes all the way back to the early church. The idea that It's just focusing on miracles and all believers should somehow be doing them based on this text. It's a relatively new misreading of the text. There's not much new under the sun, but that particular misreading of this text is becoming more common. That's a fairly new thing. At any rate, believers will do greater works than Jesus after he has ascended to the Father precisely because, having ascended to the Father, he will bestow upon them the Holy Spirit to empower their witness. And they will do greater works than Jesus because they will also witness with more clarity to the meaning of his life, death, and resurrection on behalf of sinful men. In this regard, Jesus' teaching here is, I think, similar to his teaching elsewhere when he talked about the difference between John the Baptist and those who believe in Jesus after he had inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth. Listen to what he said. This is in Matthew 11.11. He uses the same word, greater, there even. He says, Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater. Now what does he mean by that? In what sense would believers in Jesus, even those who are least in the kingdom of heaven, be greater than John the Baptist? It's hard to imagine that, isn't it? I certainly don't feel when I read about John the Baptist, greater than John the Baptist. So what does Jesus mean? Well, I think he means that they'll be greater in that they will be witnesses to the fullness of revelation about who Jesus really is. and what he's really done to bring salvation to sinful men. See, we live on the other side of the cross from John the Baptist. We live on the other side of the resurrection. We live on the other side of Jesus' ascension, the other side of Pentecost. And we have greater revelation about the meaning of what Jesus did than John the Baptist ever had. How is he who is least in the kingdom greater than John the Baptist? Well, John the Baptist's job was to point to Christ. We're greater than John the Baptist in that we get to point to Jesus with much more clarity than John the Baptist could do. In other words, Jesus is saying, what a privilege it is to live in this time in history, the greatest of all the prophets, isn't as great as one of the children in our church who can tell their friend in their neighborhood about Jesus. They're even a greater witness than John the Baptist. I think this is a similar thing to what Jesus was saying when He says that those who believe in Him will do even greater works than He did. Because Jesus was saying these things and doing the things He did in the disciples' life on the other side of the cross. from where we are now, on the other side of His resurrection from where we are now, just like John the Baptist was. And Jesus is highlighting that after He goes to His Father, through His death, resurrection, and ascension, His exaltation to the Father in His right hand, He's saying, hey, you'll be greater witnesses than John the Baptist was, and you'll do even greater works than me. And if we pay attention to the way he spoke of his works before, he is especially bringing the truth to people so that they might be saved. D. A. Carson is again on point when he writes, the signs and works Jesus performed during his ministry could not fully accomplish their true end until after Jesus had risen from the dead and been exalted. Only at that point could they be seen for what they were. By contrast, the works believers are given to do through the power of the eschatological spirit after Jesus' glorification will be set in the framework of Jesus' death and triumph, and will therefore more immediately and truly reveal the Son. I think he's definitely on the right track there. Such an understanding fits really well also with the way in which our Lord spoke of the greater works earlier in his teaching ministry, and this leads to the third contextual argument. The third contextual argument is that Jesus' earlier reference to greater works refers to the manner in which he will bring everlasting life to those who believe in him. If you look for the term in the Greek, greater works, you go back to chapter 5, verse 20, and it's right there. So if we want to understand what he means by it here, wouldn't it be helpful to go back there and look at what he meant by it, assuming that Jesus is fairly consistent in the things that he says, right? In fact, absolutely consistent in the things that he says and does. So we'll begin reading John 5, verse 20 through verse 24. Get a feel for what Jesus is talking about. He says this in verse 20 of chapter 5, For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does, and He will show Him greater works. Those are the same Greek terms that are used in chapter 14, verse 12. He will show him greater works than these that you may marvel." Hmm. He's been doing some pretty powerful things. In fact, he had just healed a man who was lame. Right before he started talking about this. Then he says more about what he means. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom he will. Do you think me healing a layman is something? I can give everlasting life to anyone I want. For as the father raises the dead, he said, and gives life to them, even so the son gives life to whom he will. For the father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son, that all should honor the son just as they honor the father. Claiming equality with the father again. claiming deity again. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Most assuredly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. What are the greater works that the Father would show him that he had for him to do? Bringing all kinds of people to everlasting life through faith. Those are the greater works. People are so wrong-headed in our day and age. They seek after miracles, just like the ancient Jews. The Greeks seek after wisdom. The Jews seek after a sign. Always chasing after signs, chasing after wonders, chasing after miracles. And in the very process, belittling the greatest miracle of all. The transformation of the human heart. through faith in Jesus Christ. That's a greater work. They want to see someone get physically healed. Like that's a big thing. And they minimize what a big thing conversion is. There's no greater miracle than that. And that's what Jesus had in mind when he spoke in John 5. And I would put to you, it's what he has in mind When he's thinking about the mission of his disciples and those who believe in him after he's gone to the Father, that's what he has in mind in John 14, 12 as well. When he spoke to the 11 disciples about the greater works believers would do, I think he had in mind the greater works that his father would show him. These are the greater works that he himself, as it turns out, would do through those who believe in him. That's what Jesus was talking about. But these greater works depend upon Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension, since this is the way in which he will bring about the everlasting life that he's promised to believers. And this is why he says of the believer in the passage before us in John 14, 12, that greater works than these he will do because I go to my Father. See, all these saving things I'm doing have to happen before these greater works can happen. The greater works the Father is going to show him. Because his death, resurrection, and ascension is the basis for all these things. Therefore, because I go to my Father, If he doesn't go to the Father, these things can't happen. These greater works of salvation. Here's the fourth contextual argument. Jesus' following statements make it clear that the greater works his disciples will do will be in dependence upon him. This is another reason that they're greater works. They will be in complete dependence upon our risen Lord. That makes some great deal. Jesus, I think, is indicating that as great as it is to do the kind of works I'm doing, greater still is it to do them in my name, as my servant, and through my power. As risen, exalted Lord. I think he's looked to the future, because I go to my Father. But he says in the next two verses, and whatever you ask in my name that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Why are they greater? Well, because we get to glorify the Father as witnesses to the Son doing these works in a way we couldn't have before He went to His Father. And that makes Him greater. If you ask anything in my name, He says, I will do it. And we'll explain more about that next week. Those are really poorly understood verses by many today as well. But we see that Jesus, when He refers to the greater works that believers will do. He has in mind the works that they'll do in His name, and that I would argue He actually does through them. In fact, this is also why He'll go on to tell them that they can do nothing aside from dependence upon Him. He says this later in John 15.5, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. It's through our dependence upon Christ that these greater works will happen, because nothing can happen in service to the Father and the Kingdom, but in utter dependence upon Him. So all of these contextual clues taken together lead us to believe that Jesus is referring especially to the many people who will believe after He's died on the cross, risen from the dead, and ascended to God the Father, and after He is bestowed upon His followers the Holy Spirit, to empower them to be as witnesses to a lost and dying world. These believers will do the greater works of witnessing to others that they may be saved. They'll go about being greater than John the Baptist as witnesses for Jesus, as witnesses to the Messiah, the other side of the cross, the resurrection, the ascension. And they'll go about doing even greater works than Jesus for the same kind of reason. So I'll conclude by pointing out that the common charismatic interpretation of this verse doesn't really do justice to the context of John or to Jesus' other teachings at all. But one can also say, I think, that such an interpretation proves too much. They're trying to prove their case about miracles being for today, but I think they prove too much when they read the verse this way. because when they either assume or directly assert that all believers will be able to do even greater miraculous works than Jesus, it actually goes against the clear teaching of Scripture elsewhere. And I'll give you one good example of that from the teaching of the Apostle Paul. Here's what he says about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, beginning in verse 28. He asks a series of questions that expect a certain kind of answer. He says, and God has appointed these in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 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? That earnestly desire the best gifts, and yet I will show you a more excellent way. The expected answer to each of Paul's questions is, no, of course not. Of course not all are apostles. Of course not all are prophets. Of course not all are teachers. Of course not all will work miracles, etc. So in this way, Paul makes it very clear that not all believers were ever intended to do miraculous things, even if you are a continuationist. You can't believe that. All believers ought to be doing miracles, or healing people, or what have you. Because Paul makes it clear that's not. He therefore clearly did not understand Jesus as ever having taught that they would. And therefore, Jesus would be in complete disagreement, as Paul would, with the very common charismatic reading of John 14.12. Now, that doesn't mean that, again, whether you're a continuationist or a cessationist on this issue or not is beside the point when we read this text. If you're a continuationist, you can't use this verse the way Charismatics do. That's all. You have other verses you can use. In fact, I just read one from Paul. But regardless of where you stand on that issue, Conclude here that every believer won't experience a miracle, or won't ever witness a miracle, because as I said earlier, there is no greater miracle than the regeneration of a spiritually dead person. And if we think there is, shame on us! Shame on us if we think that. There is no greater miracle than the conversion of a sinner to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might be saved. And if we think there is, we don't get what it means that people are dead in their sins. We don't get what power of the Holy Spirit it takes to regenerate them and to grant them faith. We don't get the doctrine of salvation at all if we think that healing some lame man, for example, as important and glorious as that is, is a greater thing than leading someone to Christ. And we need to put on a different set of glasses. We need to put on some Jesus glasses as we read these texts and have the mind of Christ. Look to see what he meant. That's what I would say. So, in closing, why'd I spend all this time getting into this this morning? Well, part of my job as a pastor is to be an example to you of how to read the Bible correctly. And when there are aberrant interpretations out there, I want you to see why it is that traditionally the church has had a particular reading of this passage. It's not because we're out to lunch. Quite the contrary, it's because we have a much deeper understanding of the context in which these things are said than the average Joe who spouts this verse out of context and makes it mean something that Jesus never intended. And it's good to model for you that, I think. But also, why did I spend so much time on it? I want you to get how privileged you are to be a Christian. To live in the time of history that you live in. We get to live this side of the cross, looking back on it with an understanding John the Baptist only hoped to have. We get to live this side of the resurrection, looking back on it with an understanding that all the prophets dreamed they could have one day. We get to live on this side of the ascension and the exaltation of Jesus Christ to the Father's right hand where He will rule over all things until all of His enemies are put under His feet in His mission. This King of the Universe. We get to witness to who He is in a way that generations of believers who look forward to the Messiah could never get to do. Not even great prophets like Moses or Isaiah or even the greatest of all, John the Baptist, ever got to do what any of us get to do when we tell people about Jesus. How privileged we are. But with such privilege comes great responsibility. Shame on us when we don't see ourselves as privileged as we really are. by God's grace and not because we're any better than anyone else. Holy Father, I thank you for your word today. I hope that I've been able to make clear what I think it is Jesus meant, given the context. I'm not alone. There's a whole history of interpretation that says basically the same thing in the church. And I thank you for that. I thank you that we stand on the shoulders of believers who've gone before us as we read the Bible. And that we have a church community within which we can read the Bible, who has been faithful throughout the centuries. That Jesus is faithful, and he said, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. And we get to be his instruments in building his church. Doing those greater works he had in mind. Thank you for that privilege. Lord, forgive us when we forget what a miracle it is that any of us are saved. Forgive us when we view what you've done for us as a common sort of thing instead of the great and miraculous and awesome thing it really is. And forgive us when we forget that we don't have to, we get to witness from Jesus every day. Help us never to forget what a privilege that is, I pray. For those who have not yet come to know you, we pray that you'll do for them this morning what you've done for us. We were dead in our sins, and you open our eyes that we may see and enter your kingdom. You gave us ears to hear your word. Do that for them, we pray. Grant them faith and repentance, conviction for their sins, and desire for Jesus. Help them to trust in what Jesus has done through his death on the cross, through his resurrection from the dead, and his exaltation at your right hand. I ask these things in the name of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.