Works

Many who practice faith understand that their walk should include works. What does it mean to do "works"? Does it mean to feed the hungry and clothe the poor? These things should certainly flow out of our character and compassion. But Jesus was speaking about specific works that He was doing. These works were directly given Him to do by His Father in heaven.

"But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish- the very works that I do- bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me."
                                                                  John 5:36

"Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son does in like manner."
                                                                  John 5:19

Jesus makes it clear that all that He does, are the same as the Father does. There are no works of His own, no deeds that He decides to do because it seems the correct thing to do. He only does the works that He sees His Father doing. It has very little to do with doing "good deeds". All the works are designed and purposed to set men free from bondages of different types, whether sickness, sin, demon attacks.
Jesus even says that these works that He does, identify Him as having been sent from the Father, because they are the Father's works.
One example that shows the uniqueness of these works is found in John chapters 8 and 9.
Jesus has been trying to teach a crowd about who He is. They are a crowd who has worshipped God all of their lives. They have read the scriptures, and studied them. They have believed and accepted the interactions that God has had with their nation and their fathers. They believe themselves to be people of God, a covenant people. Jesus shockingly informs them that they are not a people of God. He says that they do not know God:

"He who is of God hears God's words, therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."                                                      John 8:47

Imagine how shocked these people are to hear Jesus claim that they do not know God, and do not belong to Him. How was Jesus so sure that these people were no of God? Because they did not know Him, Jesus.

"...If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me."          John 8:42

After Jesus made these pronouncements, the people took up stones to stone Him to death. They hated His words, and denied their truth. He supernaturally walked right through the midst of them unharmed.   
Shortly after passing through them, Jesus came upon a man who had been blind since birth. He fashioned clay from the ground, mixed with His saliva, and placed the mixture on the eyes of the blind man. He instructed the blind man to rinse his eyes in the pool of Siloam. "Siloam" means to send, in Hebrew. The root meaning of the word is to let go, to set free, to let loose.
Upon washing in this pool, the blind man could now see.
Jesus said of His actions:
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."                                                                 John 9:4

So let us think about this occasion that Jesus used to do the work of His Father.
First, it was a work done immediately after a crowd tried to stone Jesus to death. Any other person might have sought to avoid people after that, at least he would have felt some resentment afterwards. But Jesus immediately saw that the Father had a work for Him to do in the blind man, and Jesus was obedient to do it. This is what the Father sent Him to do. It didn't matter what the circumstances might be, nor what Jesus' thoughts and emotions might be after dealing with the hostile crowd.
Secondly, the work the Father had for Jesus to do at this moment was a work of deliverance, according to the meaning of the word "Siloam". It was the Father's desire to liberate this man from blindness.

Not only did Jesus determine to do the works that His Father gave Him to do, but He expected all those who believe in Him to do so also:
"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 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."
                                                                   John 14:10-12

Not only are we also to do these works of the Father, but even greater works than Jesus did.


The crowd we read about earlier claimed that Abraham was their father. Jesus disagreed. He told them, 
"If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham."      John 8:39

What works of Abraham was Jesus talking about?  We know Abraham acted out of belief or faith in the Father. He was obedient to do what God told him to do. But there is also a specific act that Abraham was involved in that, I think, Jesus was teaching about.
James 2:21-22 says:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?"
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?"
The works that Abraham did by faith was a specific kind of works. It was a works that the Father in heaven was doing. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son of covenant. The Father's plan and will was to sacrifice His only begotten Son also. The Father's works are sacrificial. He is willing to pay with His blood for the liberation of men. The sacrifice can only be done out of the faith of knowing that God has purposed it. God has said it. God, Himself, is doing it.
As we consider these greater works of the Father that Jesus said we would do, we need to understand the depth of the sacrificial heart of the Father that lies at the center of each work. It is not about doing good deeds. It is not about religious activities and charitable works. It is about the supernatural works of deliverance that can only pour out of us through a sacrificial heart like the Father's and the Son's. We cannot separate the works, from the Father who sent us.

Our Father is works.

"I Give Myself Away"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha3JbND1Sqg