The Invitation to do the Greater Things

[ThijsH]

One of the most provocative and encouraging statements I have found in the Bible is this one:

“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.” (John 14:12, NKJV)

For me, this means also that I should not put any limits on what I think I can or cannot do, or rather, what the Love, Power and Wisdom of God can do through me. I believe following Jesus is adventurous, do you also experience it this way?

[TheRootOfDavid]

One of the most provocative and encouraging statements I have found in the Bible is this one:

“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.” (John 14:12, NKJV)

For me, this means also that I should not put any limits on what I think I can or cannot do, or rather, what the Love, Power and Wisdom of God can do through me. I believe following Jesus is adventurous, do you also experience it this way?

That is just the beginning.

[onewithhim]

One of the most provocative and encouraging statements I have found in the Bible is this one:

“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.” (John 14:12, NKJV)

For me, this means also that I should not put any limits on what I think I can or cannot do, or rather, what the Love, Power and Wisdom of God can do through me. I believe following Jesus is adventurous, do you also experience it this way?

It is adventurous and satisfying to follow Jesus.

When he said what he said about his disciples doing things greater than his own works, he was referring to the fact that they would be witnessing to a greater expanse of earth, eventually the whole earth. He himself covered just the area in Israel. And there would be far more congregations throughout the earth than there were in Jesus' time.

Now we are waiting for Jesus to come and rid the earth of evil humans and usher in a Paradise earth where all people can live in peace and prosperity. We will be perfect, eventually, and have all the energy to clean up the planet and build beautiful homes for everyone. Then we will welcome back the people who have died. This itself is a greater work than Jesus did while here on Earth. He resurrected a handful of people, but his disciples will have the happy experience of taking care of all the resurrected ones...in the billions.

[ThijsH]

One of the most provocative and encouraging statements I have found in the Bible is this one:

“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.” (John 14:12, NKJV)

For me, this means also that I should not put any limits on what I think I can or cannot do, or rather, what the Love, Power and Wisdom of God can do through me. I believe following Jesus is adventurous, do you also experience it this way?

It is adventurous and satisfying to follow Jesus.

When he said what he said about his disciples doing things greater than his own works, he was referring to the fact that they would be witnessing to a greater expanse of earth, eventually the whole earth. He himself covered just the area in Israel. And there would be far more congregations throughout the earth than there were in Jesus' time.

Now we are waiting for Jesus to come and rid the earth of evil humans and usher in a Paradise earth where all people can live in peace and prosperity. We will be perfect, eventually, and have all the energy to clean up the planet and build beautiful homes for everyone. Then we will welcome back the people who have died. This itself is a greater work than Jesus did while here on Earth. He resurrected a handful of people, but his disciples will have the happy experience of taking care of all the resurrected ones...in the billions.

Hello onewithhim, thank you for your reply. I do believe the part about reaching more people, yes, that is certainly one aspect of this. I cannot believe it can only be about earth, since Jesus told us that “His Kingdom is not of this world.” That He would go before us, to Our Father’s House, and prepare a place for us. And that He asked us to follow Him.

So yes, reaching everyone, doing the Great Commission, that is part of the works, as I see it. And all for the purpose of having everyone follow Him to the Kingdom of God, which is not of this world. And leave all earthly matters behind. Everyone returning to the Father. Hallelujah!

[onewithhim]

One of the most provocative and encouraging statements I have found in the Bible is this one:

“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.” (John 14:12, NKJV)

For me, this means also that I should not put any limits on what I think I can or cannot do, or rather, what the Love, Power and Wisdom of God can do through me. I believe following Jesus is adventurous, do you also experience it this way?

It is adventurous and satisfying to follow Jesus.

When he said what he said about his disciples doing things greater than his own works, he was referring to the fact that they would be witnessing to a greater expanse of earth, eventually the whole earth. He himself covered just the area in Israel. And there would be far more congregations throughout the earth than there were in Jesus' time.

Now we are waiting for Jesus to come and rid the earth of evil humans and usher in a Paradise earth where all people can live in peace and prosperity. We will be perfect, eventually, and have all the energy to clean up the planet and build beautiful homes for everyone. Then we will welcome back the people who have died. This itself is a greater work than Jesus did while here on Earth. He resurrected a handful of people, but his disciples will have the happy experience of taking care of all the resurrected ones...in the billions.

Hello onewithhim, thank you for your reply. I do believe the part about reaching more people, yes, that is certainly one aspect of this. I cannot believe it can only be about earth, since Jesus told us that “His Kingdom is not of this world.” That He would go before us, to Our Father’s House, and prepare a place for us. And that He asked us to follow Him.

So yes, reaching everyone, doing the Great Commission, that is part of the works, as I see it. And all for the purpose of having everyone follow Him to the Kingdom of God, which is not of this world. And leave all earthly matters behind. Everyone returning to the Father. Hallelujah!

Jesus meant that the Kingdom is based in heaven (but it rules over the earth). The earth is a part of the Kingdom, one has to say---it is its courtyard, if you will. There will be billions of righteous people living on the earth forever. How can everybody go to heaven if we take into consideration this verse?

"The righteous will inherit the earth and live on it forever." (Psalm 37:29)

[ThijsH]

Hello, onewithhim, thanks for responding again. I understand that this psalm suggests the earth will exist forever, there are however also several quotes in the Bible which dispute this. Jesus has said things like, "My Kingdom is not of this world." "I will go to my Father's House to prepare a place for you." "Follow me!" and the more esoteric things from the letters of Paul, about the mysterie that we will no longer sleep. Therefore, I do not believe that being on earth can be the goal of a Christian, other than seeing it as a place to share love, healing, and the Gospel, and to invite everyone to turn to God again. That is how I see and understand things. Blessings to you!

[onewithhim]

Hello, onewithhim, thanks for responding again. I understand that this psalm suggests the earth will exist forever, there are however also several quotes in the Bible which dispute this. Jesus has said things like, "My Kingdom is not of this world." "I will go to my Father's House to prepare a place for you." "Follow me!" and the more esoteric things from the letters of Paul, about the mysterie that we will no longer sleep. Therefore, I do not believe that being on earth can be the goal of a Christian, other than seeing it as a place to share love, healing, and the Gospel, and to invite everyone to turn to God again. That is how I see and understand things. Blessings to you!

So you don't accept certain statements in the Bible like Psalm 37:29? You are picking and choosing which verses to believe? There is nothing in the Bible to dispute the fact that the earth will last forever. Jesus explained that his Kingdom was "not of this world" meaning that it was centered in heaven where he would be ruling from eventually. He would rule over the earth and its righteous occupants. He said that he would prepare a place for a certain relatively small group of anointed Christians to go to be with him. There is this small group that he called his "little flock"(Luke 12:32) that will rule in heaven with him. They will rule over billions of righteous people on the earth. He called them "the other sheep." (John 10:16) So Paul was referring to all the ones in the "little flock" when he made the statements that he did. They would follow Jesus to heaven. We cannot dismiss other passages in the Bible because we don't want to honor them. There are many scriptures that show that people will be on this earth forever.

"Evildoers will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth....The meek ones will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace." (Psalm 37:9, 11)

Isaiah 11 shows clearly that people will live on the earth when there is peace among men and animals. (Isaiah 11:6-9) It doesn't describe heaven.

There are many more throughout the Bible. Job, for another instance, looked forward to living again on earth with "flesh fresher than in youth." (Job 33:25)

[ThijsH]

Hello, onewithhim, thanks for responding again. I understand that this psalm suggests the earth will exist forever, there are however also several quotes in the Bible which dispute this. Jesus has said things like, "My Kingdom is not of this world." "I will go to my Father's House to prepare a place for you." "Follow me!" and the more esoteric things from the letters of Paul, about the mysterie that we will no longer sleep. Therefore, I do not believe that being on earth can be the goal of a Christian, other than seeing it as a place to share love, healing, and the Gospel, and to invite everyone to turn to God again. That is how I see and understand things. Blessings to you!

So you don't accept certain statements in the Bible like Psalm 37:29? You are picking and choosing which verses to believe? There is nothing in the Bible to dispute the fact that the earth will last forever. Jesus explained that his Kingdom was "not of this world" meaning that it was centered in heaven where he would be ruling from eventually. He would rule over the earth and its righteous occupants. He said that he would prepare a place for a certain relatively small group of anointed Christians to go to be with him. There is this small group that he called his "little flock"(Luke 12:32) that will rule in heaven with him. They will rule over billions of righteous people on the earth. He called them "the other sheep." (John 10:16) So Paul was referring to all the ones in the "little flock" when he made the statements that he did. They would follow Jesus to heaven. We cannot dismiss other passages in the Bible because we don't want to honor them. There are many scriptures that show that people will be on this earth forever.

"Evildoers will be cut off, but those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth....The meek ones will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace." (Psalm 37:9, 11)

Isaiah 11 shows clearly that people will live on the earth when there is peace among men and animals. (Isaiah 11:6-9) It doesn't describe heaven.

There are many more throughout the Bible. Job, for another instance, looked forward to living again on earth with "flesh fresher than in youth." (Job 33:25)

Well, I hear what you say, but cannot relate to it. There are many indications in the Bible that the earth is the kingdom of the flesh, and that Heaven is the Kingdom of Spirit. And as long as I am on earth, I will not fully experience the peace of God. Here I will experience suffering and be confronted with duality.

Following this philosophy, it would probably mean that God created two classes of children, the good ones and the mediocre ones, and only the good ones go to Heaven. And maybe we have a third class, the lousy ones, who have to go to hell. None of that would make sense to me.

I believe it is our destiny to, by the Grace of God, have our minds and lives be transformed to become more like Jesus. To recognize our purely spiritual nature, and to undergo resurrection and ascension, just like He did. Only those beliefs are compatible with a God of Perfection, I think. Peace, blessings to you!

[JehovahsWitness]

Hello, onewithhim, thanks for responding again. I understand that this psalm suggests the earth will exist forever, there are however also several quotes in the Bible which dispute this. Jesus has said things like, "My Kingdom is not of this world."

The kingdom (God's GOVERNMENT) is not "of this world" its power comes from HEAVEN and it rulers are located in heaven. However the inhabitants living on this our plant EARTH will benefit by being rules over by Jesus and other government members.

RULERS in heaven
SUBJECTS on EARTH

[JehovahsWitness]

Following this philosophy, it would probably mean that God created two classes of children, the good ones and the mediocre ones, and only the good ones go to Heaven. ...

No thats very human thinking- Christianity has no place for such fleshly assessments. The bible indicates righteous men like King David didnt go to heaven despite being counted as someone very dear to God. Jesus even indicated John the Baptist would not be a ruler in the government despite there being no greater Prophet.

Once one understands that any privilege in God's service is a gift and that being chosen to rule is an undeserved privilege entirely discontected from our sinful nature, then these fleshly assessment of those with a heavenly calling being "better Christians" is swept aside.

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

GOD'S KINGDOM , HEAVEN and ... THE 144, 000