On the final night of Jesus’ life, he gathered the 12 men who he had spent the past 3 years personally teaching and training, and he had one final meal with them. He washed their feet. He prepared them for what was about to happen.
Yes, he was about to be betrayed, and yes, he was facing an agonizing death on the cross, but something more was about to happen. The Holy Spirit was about to come. With the coming of the Holy Spirit everything was about to change for them and for every believer to come. That includes us. You and I today are included in what Jesus shares on his final night of life.
Jesus says in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
John 16:7, “It is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.” Who is this ‘Advocate’ Jesus speaks of? This is the Holy Spirit. Other translations call Him the Divine Encourager, the Friend, the Helper, Comforter, Intercessor, Strengthener. This is the very presence of God dwelling within us.
After Jesus’ death on the cross, he appears again on earth for 40 days, instructing his disciples of their next steps for the Kingdom of God. Jesus says in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere.”
Now, Jesus’ followers have the power of the Holy Spirit living in them – God’s presence guiding them, strengthening them, interceding for them, working through them. And it’s time for them to step into what Jesus told them they would do.
Remember what Jesus said, “ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL DO THE SAME WORKS I HAVE DONE, AND EVEN GREATER WORKS BECAUSE I AM GOING TO BE WITH THE FATHER.” Because Jesus has gone to the Father, completed his mission here on Earth, given his life, and made a way for the Holy Spirit, now each of his followers walk in the same power he did and will do the same works and even greater works!
Does anyone else find that almost scary? Slightly hard to believe?
What, Jesus – we are supposed to do the same things you did? Somehow we’re going to do even greater things? How in the world are we supposed to do that? Oh yeah, he told us – through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
Now, it’s time we ask one very important question – DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT?
Do you believe Jesus when he says he’s given us something greater than him actually walking this Earth in the flesh like he did with the disciples? Do you believe the Holy Spirit strengthens and empowers you? And do you really believe you’re supposed to be doing the things Jesus did here?
I’ve spent 50 years of my life dismissing that. I’m just here trying to be a good person, trying to live a good life, trying to make it to Heaven. And because I’ve dismissed the very words Jesus spoke on the final night of his life, I’ve settled for playing little all while I have a great big power inside of me.
Maybe you have too.
Mercy Me has a song called “Say I Won’t” – I often play this song on our Adventure Retreats before we go do wild awesome, daring, thrilling, adventurous things. But there’s an opening line that says:
Yesterday, I didn’t understand
Doing thrity-five with a rocket inside
Didn’t know what I had
And now it hits me … what’s the rocket inside? It’s the Holy Spirit Jesus promised us. And here we are with all this inside, still going 35, moving in slow motion, getting nowhere, totally not realizing what we have. BUT TODAY, that changes. It begins right here. It’s time to take Jesus at his word and run with this.
Jesus, if you say you’re giving me something better than actually having you right here on Earth walking this out with me, GREAT, I receive that.
Jesus, if you say the Holy Spirit will strengthen me, guide me, help me, intercede for me, and empower me – I WANT IT!
Jesus, if you say with the power of the Holy Spirit, even I will do the works you did here on earth – Well, I dare to believe you.
That doesn’t have to make sense. That doesn’t have to fit in your little box. You simply have to believe what Jesus says, then do something with it!
It’s time we start recognizing the rocket we have inside of us and start doing what Jesus wants us to do with it. He wants us to do what he did! Yes, DO WHAT JESUS DID!
Soooooooo … what did Jesus do?
Remember the movement of WWJD – What Would Jesus Do? So powerful. It was a reminder to stop in our ordinary moments and consider how Jesus would have responded, then align our response with his. Life-changing, no doubt.
Yes, keep doing that! All the WWJD up in here! But also, WDJD – What DID Jesus Do.
If we’re going to show up with the power of the Holy Spirit living in us and fulfill Jesus’ call to get out there and do the same works he did, then we need to know what he did!
So, we’re beginning our series on “The Miracles of Jesus.” We’re going to walk through the gospels and study each miracle, the healings, the casting out of demons, the restorations, the storms, loving and reaching people with the offer of salvation. Kingdom work!
And with each miracle we study, we will remember Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
It won’t always make sense, but we will lean in and dare to believe we are chosen, we are called, and we are equipped to DO WHAT JESUS DID.
I don’t want us to just study the miracles of Jesus. I want us to start believing that the same Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus’ followers is alive and working in us today. I want us to stop living like we’re going 35 with a rocket inside and start recognizing what we’ve been given. Let’s open our eyes. Let’s stretch our faith. Let’s take Jesus at His word. And then let’s get out there and DO WHAT JESUS DID!
The rocket is already inside you. The power is already there. The Holy Spirit is already at work. The question isn’t whether God has equipped you. The question is whether you believe Him enough to use what He’s given you. So let’s stop playing small. Let’s stop dismissing the impossible. Let’s stop settling for 35 when there’s a rocket inside. It’s time to believe Jesus, follow Jesus, and DO WHAT JESUS DID!
And what would it look like for us to DO WHAT JESUS DID?
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