What Jesus is encouraging us to do in John 14 is to invert the all-too-common paradigm for prayer. Rather than using prayer as a means to get what we want, he is inviting us to find a place in the greatest mission of all, the advent of the kingdom of God. Is prayer a matter of asking for things? Absolutely! But the things we should be most earnestly requesting are not our own pet wishes but the things that align most directly with the mission of God.

Truly, truly, I say to you, 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. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it
John 14:12-14

I’ve always been troubled by these words in John 14. In particular, I find the statement “greater works than these” unsettling. How could anyone do a “greater work” than Jesus did in his death and resurrection? The obvious answer is that no one can. Clearly, Jesus did not mean that believers will do “more powerful” or “more important” works than he himself accomplished. They may carry the gospel to further lands than Jesus visited, but in doing so, they at most announce a headline of which the subject is “Jesus”. Jesus is and will always be the greatest servant in the household of God. His feats are incomparable.

Now, I was recently reading this passage and saw it in a fresh way. The first thing I did was ignore the word “greater”. Instead of thinking about the qualitative bigness of the works we are invited to do, I merely thought about the fact that God wants us to partner with Him. It’s an incredible thought that God has projects for each one of us to be involved in. The truth is that the bigness or smallness of these tasks is of little importance. What is amazing is that none of us is overlooked. To be a disciple is to have a role in the mission of God. The implications of this are staggering.

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