Calvary Church

VISION SUNDAY – GREATER THINGS

‘We see a growing church, meeting in many locations around the world, helping people to know Jesus, find community and make a difference.’

We’re here to help people know Jesus because knowing Jesus is the key to life.

We’re here to help people find community because life is made rich through relationships.

We’re here to help people make a difference because lasting joy is found in serving others.

So long as there are people distant from God, disconnected from the family of God, and disengaged from the purpose of God, Calvary has work to do!

This year marks 100 years since Calvary was founded in 1924 by brothers Charles & Will Enticknap in Townsville, Queensland (Australia).

Who’d have imagined that through the simple faith of Charles & Will Enticknap, God would establish a church that impacts nations and generations.

What God started 100 years ago, He wants to expand in the century ahead.

John 14:12–14
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

We typically respond to the promise of ‘greater things’ in one of three ways:

· We think ‘Jesus didn’t really mean it’.
· We think ‘It doesn’t really apply to me’.
· We think ‘I don’t qualify’.

Jesus encourages us to believe to do greater things, ‘…because I am going to the Father’ (John 14:12)

On His way to the Father, Jesus went to the Cross, through the grave. The basis for the greater works is not the talent or merit of the believer, it’s the death, resurrection and exaltation of Jesus.

“Greater” means larger, stronger, more.

When Jesus ascended to the Father and poured out the Holy Spirit upon His followers, His work grew larger, stronger and reached more people.

The finished work of Jesus and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit ought lift our faith to believe for greater things.

If Jesus’ promise is ‘greater things’, what does that require of us?

1. We must see greater things

This scene was near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry; it was the Last Supper. But Jesus didn’t use the moment to look back. He used the moment to catapult their vision forward.

Nostalgia looks back but lacks vision.
Negativity looks forward but lacks faith.
Jesus invites us to look forward with faith.

We must not allow routine, failure or success to keep us from seeing greater things.

2. We must ask for greater things

John 14:13–14
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.

Jesus follows the promise (greater things) with a prompt (ask).

People with small vision pray small prayers. People believing for greater things, ask for greater things.

Ephesians 3:20–21
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We must be people who ask, for the sake of His glory, for the sake of His Church, and for the sake of the generations to come.

3. We must attempt greater things

The proof that we really take Jesus at His word on this is that we step out in faith and attempt to do that which seems beyond us.

John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever

With the help of the Holy Spirit, what are the things we should be believing for? To not believe, to never ask, to refuse to attempt, it to dishonour the Spirit of God given to us.

William Carey
Expect great things, attempt great things.