Did Jesus Really Say That? Part 7: "You Will Do Even Greater Works"

It was the night before the cross. Jesus gathered with His disciples in the upper room, and the air was thick with dread. They had just heard that one of them would betray Him, that Peter would deny Him three times, and that Jesus Himself was leaving (John 13:21, 36–38).

Into that moment of confusion and fear, Jesus spoke words meant to steady their hearts:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms... I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1–2).

He was leaving, but not abandoning them. He was going ahead for their good. Then came a stunning promise:

“Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

What Are “The Works” of Christ?

To understand this astonishing claim, we must attend carefully to Jesus’ language. In John’s Gospel, works (erga) are not merely miracles. They are the visible expression of divine obedience and glory, the Father’s purpose accomplished through the Son (John 5:19–20, 36; 10:25, 37–38).

The supreme work of Christ was not calming storms or multiplying loaves. Those were signs pointing to something greater. His greatest work was His redemptive obedience. This work entailed His life, death, and resurrection to reconcile sinners to God (John 17:4; 19:30; 2 Cor. 5:19–21).

So when Jesus says His followers will do the “same works,” He means they will continue His mission: bearing witness to the Father’s glory through the proclamation and embodiment of the gospel (John 20:21–22).

What Does “Greater” Mean?

The word greater (meizona, μείζονα) does not mean superior in quality. No one surpasses Christ in power or perfection. Rather, it refers to scope and extent. The disciples would take His gospel to the nations. What Jesus accomplished once and for all, they would now declare everywhere and always (John 1:50; Acts 1:8).

At Pentecost, the promise became reality. Peter preached Christ crucified and risen, and three thousand souls were added in a single day (Acts 2:41). The work was greater, but not in glory. It was greater in reach. The Spirit-empowered church became the means by which the redeeming work of Christ spread from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. That ministry continues to this day, to a world more expansive than the apostles even imagined.

“Because I Am Going to the Father”

The hinge of Jesus’ promise is this phrase:

“Because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

His “going” includes His death, resurrection, and ascension. Having completed the work of redemption, He would return to the Father’s right hand in glory (Phil. 2:8–11; Heb. 1:3). From that exalted throne, He would pour out the promised Holy Spirit upon His people (John 7:37–39; Acts 2:33).

Before Pentecost, the Spirit was with the disciples; after Pentecost, He would dwell in them (John 14:17). While the Spirit was active in the Old Testament, indwelling certain individuals for certain tasks (e.g., Ex. 31:3; 1 Sam. 16:13), under the new covenant He now indwells all believers permanently, uniting them to Christ and empowering the mission of the church (Ezek. 36:27; Rom. 8:9–11; Eph. 2:19–22).

The living water that once flowed from Christ alone would now flow through every believer, bringing life and renewal wherever it spreads (Ezek. 47:1–12; John 7:38).

The Triune Work of Redemption

In this promise we glimpse the whole Trinity at work in salvation:

• The Father authors redemption and sends the Son (John 3:16–17).
• The Son accomplishes redemption through His obedient life and atoning death (John 17:4–5).
• The Spirit applies redemption, empowering the church to extend the gospel’s reach and bear fruit (Titus 3:5–6; Eph. 1:13–14).

Every true work of the believer is an echo of that divine work. It is God’s life flowing through His people to the praise of His glory (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13).

Salvation begins with God, extends to us, and returns to God in glory. The Father elects, the Son redeems, the Spirit applies. Every act of obedience, every work of faith, every fruit of repentance is the triune God’s grace at work in us.

The Power Behind the Promise: Prayer in His Name

Jesus immediately ties His promise to prayer:

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

Prayer “in Jesus’ name” is not a blank check or a magical incantation. It means asking in alignment with His character, mission, and revealed will (1 John 5:14–15). It is desiring what He desires, for the reasons He desires it.

To pray in His name is also to pray through His mediation. By doing so, we can approach the Father in the confidence that Christ Himself intercedes for us (Heb. 7:25). Our prayers are heard not because of their eloquence but because of His righteousness.

When we pray this way, our requests become extensions of His redemptive purpose. Whether for wisdom sought for holy living (Jas. 1:5), grace for faithful labor (Col. 3:23–24), courage to bear witness (Acts 4:29–31), these are prayers He delights to answer. They magnify the Father through the Son.

And even when we do not know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes for us “with groanings too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26–27). We never pray alone.

Ordinary Obedience, Extraordinary Fruit

The “greater works” of the kingdom are not always dramatic. They often look like quiet, steady faithfulness. They involve abiding in Christ and bearing fruit through ordinary obedience (John 15:4–5).

Abiding in Christ is not mystical passivity but persevering faith. It is union with Christ expressed through the ordinary means of grace by which the Spirit conforms us to His image. When we listen to God in His Word, pray in dependence on His Spirit, and live in fellowship with His people, we remain connected to the vine and bear much fruit (John 15:5).

When a parent prays over a child, when a believer forgives an enemy, when someone shares the gospel across a coffee table: these are the Spirit’s works, expanding Christ’s kingdom in breadth and depth. What began in an upper room now fills the earth.

Jesus’ departure was not His defeat but His deployment. By His Spirit, He turns timid disciples into bold witnesses. He still does so today, primarily through ordinary people made alive by extraordinary grace.

Christ still turns ordinary faith into extraordinary fruit, all for His glory and the world’s good.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20–21).

Reflection & Discussion

Use these questions for personal reflection, journaling, or group conversation.

What do you think Jesus meant by “greater works”?

Jesus promised that those who believe in Him would do “greater works” than His own (John 14:12). How do you understand this? How does realizing that “greater” refers to scope, not superiority, change how you view Christian mission today? (Acts 1:8; John 20:21–22; Ephesians 2:10)

How does Christ’s ascension shape your confidence in mission?

Jesus said these greater works would happen because He was going to the Father (John 14:12). How does His ascension—and His ongoing reign—encourage you to live and serve with assurance? (Hebrews 7:25; Philippians 2:8–11; Acts 2:33)

Where do you see the Holy Spirit working through ordinary obedience?

The Spirit’s power often shows itself not in the spectacular, but in quiet, steady faithfulness. Where in your daily life—family, work, church—might the Spirit be bearing fruit through ordinary obedience? (John 15:4–5; Galatians 5:22–23; Philippians 2:13)

How does understanding the Spirit’s indwelling presence change how you live?

Before Pentecost, the Spirit was with God’s people; after Pentecost, He dwells within every believer (John 14:17). How does that truth shape your view of prayer, holiness, and perseverance? (Ezekiel 36:27; Romans 8:9–11; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

What does it mean to pray “in Jesus’ name”?

Praying in Jesus’ name is not a formula but an act of alignment—seeking what Christ desires, for His glory. What might it look like to bring your prayers under His lordship? (John 14:13–14; 1 John 5:14–15; Hebrews 4:14–16)

When have you experienced the Spirit’s help in prayer?

Even when words fail, the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26–27). Can you recall a time when God strengthened or redirected your heart through prayer you could not fully express? (Psalm 62:8; Ephesians 6:18)

How does union with Christ redefine your sense of fruitfulness?

Abiding in Christ is the lifeline of Christian fruitfulness (John 15:5). How does union with Him reshape your ambitions, your metrics for “success,” and your patience in bearing fruit? (Colossians 3:1–4; 2 Corinthians 3:5; WCF 13.1)

Where do you see “greater works” in your community or church?

Think about where you see God multiplying His grace—through teaching, mercy, evangelism, or quiet faithfulness. How do these reflect the Spirit’s ongoing fulfillment of Jesus’ promise? (Acts 2:41–47; Ephesians 3:20–21; Philippians 1:6)

Related Scriptures for Further Study

• John 14:12–14 – The promise of greater works through Christ’s ascension.
• John 5:19–20, 36 – The Son’s works bear witness to the Father’s glory.
• John 7:37–39 – The Spirit as living water flowing from Christ and His people.
• John 15:4–5 – Abiding in Christ as the source of lasting fruit.
• John 17:4–5 – Christ glorifies the Father by finishing the work given Him.
• Acts 1:8 – The Spirit’s power extends Christ’s mission to the ends of the earth.
• Acts 2:33, 41 – The exalted Christ pours out the Spirit; thousands believe.
• Romans 8:9–11, 26–27 – The indwelling Spirit gives life and intercedes for believers.
• 1 Corinthians 3:6–9 – God gives the growth; His servants labor together.
• 2 Corinthians 3:5–6 – Our sufficiency is from God, who makes us ministers of the Spirit.
• Ephesians 2:10 – Created in Christ for good works prepared in advance.
• Philippians 2:13 – God works in us to will and to act for His good pleasure.
• Hebrews 7:25 – Christ intercedes for His people at the Father’s right hand.
• Ezekiel 36:27 – The promise of the Spirit’s indwelling power and renewal.
• Titus 3:5–6 – Salvation by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Spirit.
• 1 Peter 4:10–11 – Serving by the strength that God supplies, to His glory.
• Ephesians 3:20–21 – God’s power at work in the church brings Him glory forever.

These sermon summaries are solely intended for the personal devotional use of church members and friends. They are not transcripts or academic works and should not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

Originally prepared by Kevin Labby during his vocational service at First Evangelical Free Church of McKeesport. Used with permission. Copyright remains with the church. Please do not reproduce or distribute without written consent from both the church and the author.