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He was All He Claimed, June 25
He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:12
.
After the Lord’s ascension, the disciples realized the fulfillment of His promise.
The scenes of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ were a living
reality to them. They saw that the prophecies had been literally fulfilled. They
searched the Scriptures, and accepted their teaching with a faith and assurance
unknown before. They knew that the divine Teacher was all that He had claimed to
be. As they told their experience, and exalted the love of God, men’s hearts were
melted and subdued, and multitudes believed on Jesus.
The Saviour’s promise to His disciples is a promise to His church to the end of
time. God did not design that His wonderful plan to redeem men should achieve only
insignificant results. All who will go to work, trusting not in what they themselves
can do, but in what God can do for and through them, will certainly realize the
fulfillment of His promise. “Greater works than these shall he do,” He declares;
“because I go unto my Father.”
As yet the disciples were unacquainted with the Saviour’s unlimited resources
and power. He said to them, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name”
(
John 16:24
). He explained that the secret of their success would be in asking
for strength and grace in His name. He would be present before the Father to make
request for them. The prayer of the humble suppliant He presents as His own desire
in that soul’s behalf. Every sincere prayer is heard in heaven. It may not be fluently
expressed; but if the heart is in it, it will ascend to the sanctuary where Jesus minis-
ters, and He will present it to the Father without one awkward, stammering word,
beautiful and fragrant with the incense of His own perfection.
The pathway of sincerity and integrity is not a path free from obstruction, but in
every difficulty we are to see a call to prayer. There is no one living who has any
power that he has not received from God, and the source whence it comes is open to
the weakest human being. “Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,” said Jesus, “that
will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my
name, I will do it” (
John 14:13, 14
) (
The Desire of Ages, 667
).
The Saviour was deeply anxious for His disciples to understand for what purpose
His divinity was united to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of
God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was manifested in Him
that He might be manifested in them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no
powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that
which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was
(
The Desire of Ages, 664
).
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