So, maybe I am a little slow from reading sociology theory, what is it that
we are doing here? All together, the great mass of us, what are we doing?
Rhonda
-----Original Message-----
From: The Electronic Church [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Kathy Du Bois
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 2:48 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Something to think about
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Okay, I'm not necessarily saying that I whole heartedly agree with
this line of thinking, but I thought I'd throw it in to the mix so
that we could chew on it together, especially considering our
conversation about healing and faith of late.
Kathy
January 27, 2006
Greater Works
by John Fischer
Ever wonder about that time when Jesus said that those who believe in
Him would do even greater works than He did? Well I don't know about
you, but I haven't
brought anyone back from the dead in the last few weeks. The last
time I stepped on water, I sank. I can't even cure the common cold,
and I can't make
the water in my glass into anything other than... water. What could
Jesus possibly mean by this statement? My only take on this up until
now has been to
assume I was falling way short of what I could be accomplishing with
my life. Well that's kind of depressing. Why did Jesus say this if He
was just going
to leave us all depressed by it?
Dave Roper, in his writing on John, has helped me to finally make
some sense of this. The actual statement is found in John 14:12,
"Anyone who believes
in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works,
because I am going to be with my Father." The key, Dave points out,
is in the statement:
"because I am going to be with my Father." In other words, these
greater works will be possible as a result of His leaving. Couple
that with his statement
a few verses later about coming back in the form of the Holy Spirit
who would indwell all believers, and you begin to get the picture.
Let me try and say it another way. It's as if Jesus were saying,
"Right now there is only one of me. Soon there will be many, because
I am going to my Father
in heaven from where I can direct my work through hundreds,
thousands, even millions of you all over the world."
"Our efforts," Dave Roper writes, "insignificant on the face of it
and largely unobserved, are joined to innumerable streams of effort
that result in the
stupendous flow of God's love and goodness to men and women, boys and
girls throughout the world. Thus we are part of a greater thing than
we could ever
imagine!"
Think of it. We are accomplishing greater works than Christ did when
He was here! It's what we can all do together as the singular "body
of Christ" that
is at work here. Talk about purpose! And your job is just as
important as anyone else's.
We are a part of something great. Just as a tiny stream begins high
in the mountains and is joined by countless tributaries until it
becomes a wide, rushing
river, so our little work becomes part of a work greater than what
even Jesus accomplished when He was here.
[Note: Saddleback Church, through it's network of purpose-driven
churches all over the world is currently organizing a global
initiative to bring healing,
literacy, mentoring and assistance to the poor through its P.E.A.C.E.
plan. It's a fulfillment of just what Jesus was talking about. For
more information
click here
http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/PEACE/PEACE_Plan.htm.
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Okay, I'm not necessarily saying that I whole heartedly agree with this
line of thinking, but I thought I'd throw it in to the mix so that we
could chew on it together, especially considering our conversation about
healing and faith of late.<br>
Kathy<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
<font size=4>January 27, 2006<br><br>
Greater Works<br>
by John Fischer<br><br>
Ever wonder about that time when Jesus said that those who believe in Him
would do even greater works than He did? Well I don't know about you, but
I haven't<br>
brought anyone back from the dead in the last few weeks. The last time I
stepped on water, I sank. I can't even cure the common cold, and I can't
make<br>
the water in my glass into anything other than... water. What could Jesus
possibly mean by this statement? My only take on this up until now has
been to<br>
assume I was falling way short of what I could be accomplishing with my
life. Well that's kind of depressing. Why did Jesus say this if He was
just going<br>
to leave us all depressed by it?<br><br>
Dave Roper, in his writing on John, has helped me to finally make some
sense of this. The actual statement is found in John 14:12, "Anyone who
believes<br>
in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because
I am going to be with my Father." The key, Dave points out, is in the
statement:<br>
"because I am going to be with my Father." In other words, these greater
works will be possible as a result of His leaving. Couple that with his
statement<br>
a few verses later about coming back in the form of the Holy Spirit who
would indwell all believers, and you begin to get the picture.<br><br>
Let me try and say it another way. It's as if Jesus were saying, "Right
now there is only one of me. Soon there will be many, because I am going
to my Father<br>
in heaven from where I can direct my work through hundreds, thousands,
even millions of you all over the world."<br><br>
"Our efforts," Dave Roper writes, "insignificant on the face of it and
largely unobserved, are joined to innumerable streams of effort that
result in the<br>
stupendous flow of God's love and goodness to men and women, boys and
girls throughout the world. Thus we are part of a greater thing than we
could ever<br>
imagine!"<br><br>
Think of it. We are accomplishing greater works than Christ did when He
was here! It's what we can all do together as the singular "body of
Christ" that<br>
is at work here. Talk about purpose! And your job is just as important as
anyone else's.<br><br>
We are a part of something great. Just as a tiny stream begins high in
the mountains and is joined by countless tributaries until it becomes a
wide, rushing<br>
river, so our little work becomes part of a work greater than what even
Jesus accomplished when He was here.<br><br>
[Note: Saddleback Church, through it's network of purpose-driven churches
all over the world is currently organizing a global initiative to bring
healing,<br>
literacy, mentoring and assistance to the poor through its P.E.A.C.E.
plan. It's a fulfillment of just what Jesus was talking about. For more
information<br>
click here<br>
<a href="http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/PEACE/PEACE_Plan.htm"
eudora="autourl">
http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/PEACE/PEACE_Plan.htm</a>.<br><br>
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