07/12/2002 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

Good Sabbath, dear brothers and sisters!

Yahshua made a very remarkable statement in John 14:12.

The only-begotten son of Yahweh, who had been healing people all across Judea, who had given sight to the blind and even raised some from the dead, said that his disciples, indeed all his followers, would do greater works than he had done!

John 14:12. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE HE WILL DO, because I go to My Father."

What were these greater works? What works did the disciples do that were greater than Yahshua did?

Listen as Yahshua continues and gives us a clue:

John 14:13-17 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 15. If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; 17. the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."

The clue is that the Holy Spirit was involved in doing these works.

Two indications are found in the book of Acts.

The first is the well-known story of that first Pentecost after Yahshua rose. They were all gathered together to keep the feast and then there was a great sound like wind:

Acts 2:4-8 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8. And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?"

This led to the listeners asking what they needed to do:

Acts 2:38-43 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Yahshua the Messiah for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as Yahweh our Elohim will call." 40. And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." 41. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

NOW – here come the greater works. See how THEIR LIVES WERE CHANGED:

42. And THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43. Then FEAR CAME UPON EVERY PERSON, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Let's look at another story:

Acts 8:9-19 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10. to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God." 11. And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of Yahweh and the name of Yahshua the Messiah, both men and women were baptized. 13. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. 14. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Yahweh, they sent Peter and John to them, 15. who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16. For as yet it had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the master Yahshua. 17. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19. saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

This was a better trick than Simon the sorcerer had ever been able to do. When the apostles laid their hands on the new believers, something VERY UNUSUAL happened.

Some say it was a very visible immediate sign like speaking in different languages, but I believe it was a more significant impact of a changed life, a life now lived for Yahweh. Either way, this great miracle was done through the Holy Spirit and it was good enough that Simon the sorcerer offered a bribe to be able to do it too.

Let's look at the last supper,

After three and a half years of Yahshua's teaching and example, look where the disciples are:

Luke 22:24-26 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25. Yahshua said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves."

Yahshua had not gone to the Father yet. The Spirit had not yet entered them. Yahshua told the disciples that night:

John 16:6-7 "Because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send it to you."

He had already told them:

John 6:65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

It is the action of the Yahweh's Holy Spirit that draws people to Him. That Holy Spirit was only sent after Yahshua died and went to the Father.

Paul had a few words to say about the spirit in us.

Romans 8:3-10 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, Yahweh did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4. that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those w 6. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Yahweh; for it is not subject to the law of Yahweh, nor indeed can it be. 8. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please Yahweh. 9. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Yahweh dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of The Messiah, he is not His. 10. A

"Dead because of sin"

Dead because of trying to be the greatest ‘high mucky-muck' at the last supper when the new covenant was being sealed by the blood of Yahshua the Messiah.

Dead because ". . . . What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." Luke 16:15

Dead because to be carnally minded is death.

"BUT THE SPIRIT IS LIFE"

Life because the direction of the person is CHANGED. He or she is now going Yahweh's way!

Life because they are following the footsteps of Yahshua which the disciples COULD NOT follow before the spirit was given. But, dear friends, those footsteps are the ONLY PATH that leads to where Yahshua the Messiah is today – with the Father forever.

Life because of righteousness. Because, "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people." Jeremiah 31:33

Life because the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness, self-control. Nothing in Yahweh's law stands against such things. Galatians 5:22-23.

Friends, I can't say it any better than Moses said it:

Deuteronomy 30:19, "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your children may live!"

May Yahweh bless you richly as you take advantage of the wonderful blessings he has prepared for you!

HalleluYAH!