Believe in Jesus, Who Is Enough.

The conversation with the disciples continues in John 14:7-15. Jesus is going away, and the disciples cannot go with Him. Their hearts are troubled.

Philip, representing all the disciples, desires more. He wants to see the Father and that will be enough (John 14:8). The problem from Philip’s perspective is bigger than who he sees Jesus as being. Yet, Jesus is enough. Enough for the disciples then, and enough for each believer now.

See Jesus

Jesus desires for the disciples and each believer to see the Father through Him. There is unity and oneness between the Father and the Son (John 14:9). Jesus, who proved His identity by signs and miracles, is the only way to the Father (John 14:11). When we see the Son, we see the Father.

Hear Jesus

Jesus says if the disciples have heard His words, then they have heard the words of the Father (John 14:10). Today, we have the words of Jesus and the recording of His ways in the preserved Word of God. Jesus planned all along that we would have His Word (John 16:12-14). In letters to the churches, the Holy Spirit uses the disciples to teach the truths of Jesus’s words and His ways. The words of Jesus are the words of the Father. When we hear the Son, we hear the Father.

Believe in Jesus

Jesus instructs the disciples to believe because of His works (John 14:10-12). The miracles of Jesus identify who He is and point to the Father who sent Him. Jesus wants us to believe.

Jesus reveals God the Father to others, and those who believe in Jesus Christ reveal Him. Others should be able to see Jesus in each believer. As Jesus represented the Father, so we are to represent Jesus.

Greater Works

Jesus states that those who believe in Him will do greater works than He has done (John 14:12). We need to understand the works done by Jesus. The gospel of John uses the word ‘works’ in reference to Jesus’s activities (John 10:31) and encompasses one of the words for ‘miracle’ (John 7:21-23).

In John 6:25-33, Jesus defines the work of God as believing in Him whom the Father has sent. We are doing the work of God when we believe in Jesus and that He was sent by the Father. The works and miracles of Jesus are intended for the greater work which is for each one to believe and have eternal life.

We can do the greater works because Jesus goes to the Father (John 14:12). Jesus accomplishes the work of the cross, paying for the sins of the world and conquering death. Because Jesus was obedient to the Father, we can now do the greater work of new birth in Christ by the Spirit of God through the Word of God.

One spiritually dead who becomes alive in Jesus Christ is the greater work of each believer (John 5:20-21).

Application Points

• Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God? Jesus is clear that only He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Jesus, we can have confidence about our eternity with the Father.
• Do you believe that one who repents and believes upon Jesus is the greater work that God would have you do? Are you praying for those around you and proclaiming the gospel that God would use you to accomplish the greater work of salvation?

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

• John 12