One of Jesus’ most compelling statements is a powerful message to us today: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).
Greater works? Jesus raised the dead! He must have known because of his origin—the virgin birth—that he had what might be humanly considered a “head start.” And because he was tempted on all counts (see Heb. 4:15), he knew we would be tempted, too. Still, the Master showed us the way through the healings that he accomplished, and he promised the Comforter, fulfilled in the coming of Christian Science, which would reveal for all time the “how” of that healing— as well as the basis for greater works.
What are some of these “greater works,” I’ve wondered? One possible answer in our times may lie in overcoming the increasing number of challenges to healing through prayer alone—for example, ramped up reports through instant 24/7 communication of the myriad dangers in our world, detailed descriptions of disease, predictions of calamities, and so on. Our healing work along these lines could be seen as “greater works.”
