“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”
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“Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else
believe Me for the very works’ sake.” Their faith might safely rest on
the evidence given in Christ’s works, works that no man, of himself,
ever had done, or ever could do. Christ’s work testified to His divinity.
Through Him the Father had been revealed.
If the disciples believed this vital connection between the Father
and the Son, their faith would not forsake them when they saw Christ’s
suffering and death to save a perishing world. Christ was seeking
to lead them from their low condition of faith to the experience they
might receive if they truly realized what He was,—God in human flesh.
He desired them to see that their faith must lead up to God, and be
anchored there. How earnestly and perseveringly our compassionate
Saviour sought to prepare His disciples for the storm of temptation
that was soon to beat upon them. He would have them hid with Him
in God.
As Christ was speaking these words, the glory of God was shining
from His countenance, and all present felt a sacred awe as they listened
with rapt attention to His words. Their hearts were more decidedly
drawn to Him; and as they were drawn to Christ in greater love, they
were drawn to one another. They felt that heaven was very near, and
that the words to which they listened were a message to them from
their heavenly Father.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,” Christ continued, “He that believeth
on Me, the works that I do shall he do also.” 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.
“And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My
Father.” By this Christ did not mean that the disciples’ work would
be of a more exalted character than His, but that it would have greater
extent. He did not refer merely to miracle working, but to all that
would take place under the working of the Holy Spirit.
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After the Lord’s ascension, the disciples realized the fulfillment of
His promise. The scenes of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension