EXPECTING SOMETHING GREATER
Kay Keith Peebles 12/17/2021 21.45
My husband Larry published a great word last week entitled SOMETHING GREATER. This word I have written was inspired by his. Although it may be similar, I have gone in a slightly different direction to explain the subject.
There is a common phrase we use when a new invention or idea arises: “This is the greatest thing since sliced bread”. People are always recognizing bigger, better and greater things, accomplishments, discoveries and opportunities. The sports world is continually acclaiming the athletes that succeed in breaking a previous champion’s record. Every sport has its “latest and greatest”! Boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) called himself, “The Greatest”. Heroes can be found in every aspect of life but none can compare to Jesus and what He accomplished through His ministry, life, death and resurrection. His impact and sacrifice was not temporary. It was not only the GREATEST, it was and still is ETERNAL!
All of Israel was expecting their Messiah. Every Passover the Jews would leave a vacant chair for (a prophet in the spirit of) Elijah who was to come before the Messiah “preparing the way of the Lord”. Many wondered when John the Baptist came if he was “Elijah” or one like him. He was the prophesied messenger who introduced Jesus as the Son of God. See Luke Chapters 1-3.
Early in His ministry, Jesus travelled to Jacob’s well in Samaria in order to meet a woman who came to the well daily. She was personally broken by abuse and immoral living and being a Samaritan, she was rejected by the Jews. She felt abandoned by God not knowing where to worship Him. Jesus came to her specifically to not only free her but to announce to the world for the first time that He was the Messiah all Judaism was expecting to come. (See John Chapter 4).
It was noontime, the hottest time of day when she came alone to draw water. She, being an immoral woman, was not allowed to come in the cool of the day with the other honorable women. Jesus asked her to give Him a drink of water. She appeared offended with Him, a Jew and a man asking a Samaritan woman to give Him a drink! His response to her was provoking. “Jesus answered her, ‘If you had only known and had recognized God’s gift and Who this is that is saying to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him [instead] and He would have given you living water.’” John 4:10.
Looking at Him with eyes only seeing the natural situation, she retorted: “’You have nothing to draw with [no drawing bucket] and the well is deep; how then can You provide living water? [Where do You get Your living water]? Are You greater than and superior to our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well or who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also?’” John 4:11-12.
Jesus stretches her to wonder and consider something the people had long believed for but had never experienced as yet. “Jesus answered her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’” John 4:13-14.
Her curiosity became a desire as she contemplated His captivating words. Although she was still thinking in the natural she asked Him, “’Give me this water, so that I may never get thirsty nor have to come [continually all the way] here to draw.’” John 4:15. The Lord then showed her His “eternal water” would bring healing by cleansing her from all her sin. When He confronted her with her immoral lifestyle, she was not offended but comforted at the reality her sins could be forgiven and her brokenness healed!
After more discussion the Lord explained to her, “’But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.’” The woman thought Jesus was simply a prophet and she continued, “I know that Messiah is coming, He Who is called the Christ (the Anointed One); and when He arrives, He will tell us everything we need to know and make it clear to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I Who now speak with you am He.’” John 4:23-25.
She finally realized the One Greater whom her people had been expecting was standing right before her and speaking with her! She ran back to the city to tell the people. “Come, see a Man Who has told me everything I ever did! Can this be [is not this] the Christ? [Must not this be the Messiah, the Anointed One?]’” The people all followed to go and see their Messiah. This was the first mention of Jesus publicly acknowledging He is the Jewish Messiah. The Greater One they were expecting had come!
The Scribes and Pharisees were continually trying to find evidence to convict Jesus and put Him to death. They often followed Him as He taught the people about the Kingdom of God. They were the teachers of the Law and yet they did not recognize the living Word standing before them. He was the One who met Moses on the mountain and gave him the LAW! “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.” John 1:14.
It was out of His grace, love, and compassion Jesus confronted His spiritual leaders because they had fallen far away from the faith. They worshipped their own traditions, feared the people’s opinions and were ruthless in their upholding their man-made laws. They had made the faith impossible for the people to obey while they strutted about them in pride of their own positions and power.
The Jewish hierarchy accused Jesus of glorifying Himself, but all He did and said was given to Him by His heavenly Father. He gave all glory to God the Father in everything He did. Finally, they asked Jesus, “’Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and all the prophets died! Who do You make Yourself out to be?’” Jesus spoke: “’Your forefather Abraham was extremely happy at the hope and prospect of seeing My day (My incarnation); and he did see it and was delighted.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus replied, ‘I assure you most solemnly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I AM.’” See Hebrews 11:13 and Exodus 3:14.
The Jewish leaders were incensed that Jesus claimed to be I AM who called Moses upon Mount Saini and commissioned him to go to Pharaoh to release the Jews from slavery in Egypt. There was no one greater than I AM! Yet Jesus proved Who He was/is by the miracles He did before the people. There were four attesting miracles they knew only the coming Messiah could do (God Himself). They were 1) raising someone who had been dead 4 days – Lazarus, 2) healing someone born blind at birth, 3) healing a leper, 4) healing a paralytic! All four of these miracles are recorded in the Book of John. Absolutely, there is none greater than I AM and He is JESUS!
The story does not end there. It is truly amazing what Jesus declared over His future disciples (all believers), who would come to have faith in Him through the centuries since His resurrection. Jesus said, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things that these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as representing all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you ask in My name [as representing all that I AM]…” John 14:12-17. This declaration of Jesus began to be fulfilled by the disciples on the day of Pentecost. Attesting signs and miracles continued throughout the book of Acts and do to this day!
Since the first time I experienced true Revival in 1993, I have been reading about those who dared to believe this scripture, died to self, became filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and continued the miraculous works Jesus did. They were men and women like John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodworth Etter, Kathryn Kuhlman, Charles Finney, George Whitefield and John Wesley to name a few. I have collected Roberts Lairdon’s book series God’s Generals to study the differences between the church we have experienced and those who fulfilled the call of Jesus by doing “Greater Works”. Some names of those more contemporary are Oral Roberts, Lester Sumrall, F.F. Bosworth, George Jeffreys and Charles and Frances Hunter.
Those who have refused to press into the Presence of God and become transformed by the Word and the Power of the Holy Spirit have said the works of Jesus passed with the first Apostles. Not True!!! I have personally witnessed miracles over and over again. The Word of God is Truth! It is the miracle-working, life-changing, addiction killing, demon destroying, reforming power of God that changes everything! Many churches have no power and they are dwindling because the word they are preaching doesn’t work. The Bible is as real today as the day Jesus walked on the streets of Jerusalem. The blind still see, the deaf still hear, the lame still walk, those bound by demonic powers are set free and those entrenched in immoral sin are cleansed and delivered.
Nothing has changed from Jesus’ day. When He shows up, situations change. The Word still works! The Truth still is! The Power of God is still the Greatest and His Promises are still true! Those who will do mighty exploits in the coming days are those who truly Believe what the Lord said: “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these.”
He who is the GREATEST of all came 2,000 years ago. Now, instead of One, God has filled all who believe in Him, equipping them to be representatives of His Love, His Grace, His Compassion and His Power in the earth. His death on the cross did not bring an end to what He did, it brought exponential multiplication! When we testify of Who He is and seek His Presence in complete surrender, the Kingdom of God will manifest that He alone deserves all the glory because He is the Greatest of All!
