What Can We Learn From Jesus’ Miracles
I believe that we can see that Jesus’ miracles were an important part of his ministry. There were those (over 2000 years ago, and I’m sure today) who doubted and were fearful of the power the miracles. Think about it. Jesus can raise the dead, heal the sick, calm a storm, turn water into wine and walk on the water of the Sea of Galilee. He can multiply five loaves and 2 fish into enough food to feed 5,000 hungry people. I will come to Jesus defense with The Word. He was moved with compassion, seeing the sick and troubled….
Matthew 14:14 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick”. This is in Matthew’s account of Jesus feeding the 5,000.
Matthew 20:34 ” Jesus had compassion on them (two blind men) and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him”.
Mark 1:41-42 “Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man (with leprosy). ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured”.
Mark 6:34 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things”. This is Mark’s account of feeding the 5,000.
Luke 7:13 “When Jesus saw her (the widow, whose son Jesus raised from the dead), his heart went out to her and he said, ’don’t cry’. Can’t you just hear Jesus say, ‘Don’t Cry’!
John 11:35 “Jesus Wept”. He wept over the grief of those who mourned the death (and their unbelief) of Lazarus.
Isaiah 53:3 tells us that Jesus “was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrow, and familiar with suffering”.
In a day (I’m talking about the here and now), when we can become distrustful of human nature and motives, we as believers in Jesus, should not let that distrust creep into our hearts and minds, concerning the signs and wonders of Jesus. I’m afraid that we live in a time and place where ’sensationalism has been used to draw people (numbers), in the name of Jesus. (Remember in John 7:3-4, the ‘brothers’ wanted Jesus to ’show himself’?) It’s used on a daily basis to sell products and draw people into lifestyles, not suitable for followers of Christ. It creeps into life (and the lives of our children). ”Sensationalism is the use of sensational subject matter or treatment” Merriam Webster ~ Online Dictionary. That’s why it’s so important that we BELIEVE and understand (ready to give account) what we BELIEVE in. No ’defense mechanism’ needed (see Day 6 of “The Teacher” http://butterflybiblestudies.com/the-teacher-day-6/ ), other than the message of Christ.
The Gospel of John gives us insight into the purpose for the miracles of Jesus. Remember, John 2:11 said, “This, the first of his miraculous signs (changing water into wine), Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” 1. The miracles are signs. 2. The miracles revealed Christ’s glory. 3. They caused the disciples to put their faith in Him. Sure, the miracles attracted attention to Jesus. But The Father has a deep, spiritual purpose for the miracles. Doesn’t it strengthen your faith when the Glory of the Lord is manifested in your life, when you see and know His faithfulness, when you feel His presence in good times and hard times. All of this is the miracle, of the love, of God the Father through the power of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Think of Jesus’ miracles like this. They are like ’signs’ pointing, leading somewhere…..
Jesus miracles are signs that identify Him. He made Himself known through them. Without a shadow of a doubt, the disciples not only believed in Jesus, but they learned that they could trust His Word. Think about the power of God revealed in the first miracle. He changed the substance of one thing (water) into another (wine). Think about the power of God in your own life. He changes (transforms) us from one creature, into a totally new creature. That is the power of God through Christ.
Christ’s miracles (whether they happened 2000 years ago, or yesterday in our own lives) teach us who He is and His message. The difference between those who BELIEVE and those who do not believe, is a matter of the heart of the hearer. Our oldest Grandson is being baptized tomorrow evening. He is 9 years old, but because of the miracle of Christ, he BELIEVES. That, my friends, is a miracle. Jesus revealed Himself to a 9 year old child through Himself…not me, not his parents, not his friends…but through Himself (Christ).
And finally,
What Is Jesus Teaching His Disciples ~~ Revealing To Them
In John 1:49, Nathanael declared to Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God and King of Israel”…simply because Jesus said to him, “I know you because I saw you while you were still under the fig tree, before Philip called you” (Nathanael couldn’t understand how Jesus knew him)…remember, the heart of the hearer.
The Word of the Old Testament spoke to the disciples, because they watched and listened to Him, and because they followed Him…they came to know Him. Remember, when Jesus cleared the temple (John 2:17; see also Psalm 69:9), the disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me”. They remembered Jesus said, “destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19). They remembered this after Jesus was raised from the dead (they followed Him to that time and beyond) Through Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, he taught them to seize the moment…now is the time to spread the Word. He taught them to trust His voice on the Sea of Galilee, and take Him at His Word. We can see their belief strengthening, as they spend time with Him.
These are my heart’s ponderings on these first 7 verses in John’s Gospel. Believe, in Jesus name. Know the heart of the Gospel. Understand that the miraculous signs and wonder’s purpose is to manifest the Glory of God, demonstrate to us His compassionate love for us and cause us to BELIEVE, without a shadow of a doubt. Let those who were witnesses to Christ’s power on earth, be a witness to us. Let the illustrations Christ gave Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman become part of your own witness for Christ, along with what He has personally done for you.
Thought to Ponder: Go out and share the hope you have in Christ…And, don’t forget to give God the Glory!
Scripture for tomorrow: John Chapter 8
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 8:22 pm and is filed under Bible Studies, Sharing The Gospel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
