John 14:11-14
“Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see — these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Arkansas Razorbacks basketball forward Bobby Portis announced that he will not return to college for his junior year. Instead, he has declared himself eligible for the NBA draft this summer. Portis weighed the pros and cons of this decision, and in the end, the need to provide for his family probably proved to be the tipping point. Portis has already done wonderful things in his college career. He set school records as a Razorback…received national accolades…and won the hearts of Arkansans in particular – and Razorbacks fans in general. I am sure that his mother would tell you that his accomplishments far exceed her own – or anyone else’s in the Portis family.
Parents will often say, “I want better for my own kids than I had.” I don’t think too many parents would say, “I want my children to be mediocre,” or even, “If they do half as well as I have done, I’ll be happy!” So when we read this scripture and think about what Jesus is saying, it seems to me that He isn’t expecting us to literally turn water into wine or cast out demons. He most certainly does not expect us to be nailed to a cross for the sins of man, because HE has already covered that detail! I believe that Jesus wants us to “take a page from His book”, so to speak…and do all that we can to continue His work.
What are the works of Jesus? I made a mental list of some of them…and I am sure I have missed many. But in part, Jesus: demonstrated honor and glory to God, humility, kindness, mercy and compassion, respect for others, tolerance and forgiveness…fed the hungry…healed the sick and the injured…ministered to the poor…consoled the grieving and “poor in spirit”…and taught us how to pray – and to love one another.
Clearly, we cannot literally heal the sick and injured (unless we are physicians and nurses)…but we can do our best to minister to those who are experiencing these conditions. We can meet their needs to the best of our ability – and with the strength and power of God Almighty. We can feed the hungry – both literally and figuratively…we can show respect, tolerance, forgiveness, humility, kindness, mercy, and compassion. We can minister to the poor…we can console and encourage those who are grieving and hurting. We can pray…and love one another as God loved us. And in all of these things, we can give glory and honor to God!
At the end of the day, we will be doing what is best for our “family” – the body that we are a part of as believers in Jesus Christ and children of the Most High God. If we humbly do the works of Jesus according to God’s guidance and wisdom…and we call on Him to equip us… we will “do greater things” – not because WE are so wonderful, but because God is empowering our efforts.
We cannot all be NBA players and support our families in this manner. But we can serve on “Team Jesus” and do great things for the family of God. This should be our daily goal…to trust God to equip us to do whatever He ordains. We should confidently ask Him to give us these abilities, knowing that whatever we ask for that He has sanctioned will be accomplished.
There is no doubt that Bobby Portis would have garnered many more accolades in the next two years as an Arkansas Razorbacks basketball star. And I am sure he will receive a lot of recognition in the NBA. But at the end of the day, Bobby had to decide whether to make a difference and provide for his family now…or to stick around and make more of a name for himself in his home state. We have to decide the same thing – in a different way. Will we focus on what feels good to us…what promotes OUR agenda…or will we do the work of Jesus, and give God the glory? Will we make a point…or will we make a difference?
©2015 Debbie Robus
“Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see — these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Arkansas Razorbacks basketball forward Bobby Portis announced that he will not return to college for his junior year. Instead, he has declared himself eligible for the NBA draft this summer. Portis weighed the pros and cons of this decision, and in the end, the need to provide for his family probably proved to be the tipping point. Portis has already done wonderful things in his college career. He set school records as a Razorback…received national accolades…and won the hearts of Arkansans in particular – and Razorbacks fans in general. I am sure that his mother would tell you that his accomplishments far exceed her own – or anyone else’s in the Portis family.
Parents will often say, “I want better for my own kids than I had.” I don’t think too many parents would say, “I want my children to be mediocre,” or even, “If they do half as well as I have done, I’ll be happy!” So when we read this scripture and think about what Jesus is saying, it seems to me that He isn’t expecting us to literally turn water into wine or cast out demons. He most certainly does not expect us to be nailed to a cross for the sins of man, because HE has already covered that detail! I believe that Jesus wants us to “take a page from His book”, so to speak…and do all that we can to continue His work.
What are the works of Jesus? I made a mental list of some of them…and I am sure I have missed many. But in part, Jesus: demonstrated honor and glory to God, humility, kindness, mercy and compassion, respect for others, tolerance and forgiveness…fed the hungry…healed the sick and the injured…ministered to the poor…consoled the grieving and “poor in spirit”…and taught us how to pray – and to love one another.
Clearly, we cannot literally heal the sick and injured (unless we are physicians and nurses)…but we can do our best to minister to those who are experiencing these conditions. We can meet their needs to the best of our ability – and with the strength and power of God Almighty. We can feed the hungry – both literally and figuratively…we can show respect, tolerance, forgiveness, humility, kindness, mercy, and compassion. We can minister to the poor…we can console and encourage those who are grieving and hurting. We can pray…and love one another as God loved us. And in all of these things, we can give glory and honor to God!
At the end of the day, we will be doing what is best for our “family” – the body that we are a part of as believers in Jesus Christ and children of the Most High God. If we humbly do the works of Jesus according to God’s guidance and wisdom…and we call on Him to equip us… we will “do greater things” – not because WE are so wonderful, but because God is empowering our efforts.
We cannot all be NBA players and support our families in this manner. But we can serve on “Team Jesus” and do great things for the family of God. This should be our daily goal…to trust God to equip us to do whatever He ordains. We should confidently ask Him to give us these abilities, knowing that whatever we ask for that He has sanctioned will be accomplished.
There is no doubt that Bobby Portis would have garnered many more accolades in the next two years as an Arkansas Razorbacks basketball star. And I am sure he will receive a lot of recognition in the NBA. But at the end of the day, Bobby had to decide whether to make a difference and provide for his family now…or to stick around and make more of a name for himself in his home state. We have to decide the same thing – in a different way. Will we focus on what feels good to us…what promotes OUR agenda…or will we do the work of Jesus, and give God the glory? Will we make a point…or will we make a difference?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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