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Post 74 Seeking the Kingdom
Seek Truth.
In my last message, I tried to focus on the importance of the truth about God. It should be obvious if you are not working or operating in truth you will go astray. It would be like having a defective compass, you would never get to where you want to go. God can only honor the truth. We have so much information available to us, but the question is always, is what I believe or been taught true according to the Word of God? Jesus has made it clear that He is committed to fulfilling what He has promised, no more no less! God will not violate His own principles for anyone’s sake. Show More
One very simple thing to keep in mind is to ask yourself the question, “what would Jesus do”! This may seem like a simple question, but it is the doorway into finding out about the nature and character of God. If we try to know the character of Jesus, we then will know what He expects from us in every situation. Often our response to life’s circumstances is centered on what we want instead of responding to what Jesus wants.
Mature Christians.
This may come as a shock to some but, Jesus does not exist for the sole purpose of making you happy. As a new Christian, it is normal to focus on what you need from God, but again it’s important to make the effort to “grow-up or become mature in Christ. Jesus gave His all so that you would become mature and become more like Him. His plan for your life is to advance the Kingdom of God on earth by being witnesses of Him. So that all may know of Jesus!
- Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren”.
- Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”.
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:1-17, is speaking to the Corinthians who should be mature in Christ but have not given the evidence of that maturity and understanding. They are still behaving in a carnal manner. In other words, they proclaim that they are Christians, but they still behave as if they did not know Jesus Christ. He describes these kinds of Believers as babes in Christ. All Christians should desire to know more about Jesus, what He has done for us and what we can expect from Him.
Seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness.
The desired way in which to become mature in our relationship with Jesus is to follow His instructions, for instance in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.
The Kingdom Jesus is speaking of is a spiritual Kingdom, and it exists on earth as each believer acts according to what Jesus has taught. Luke 17:20, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” When you do what is required in the Kingdom, the Kingdom is being made manifest through you. Keep in mind the Kingdom has a King, and the King is Jesus. He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings (I Timothy 6:15 and Revelation 17:14).
If you have Him and He has you- you will have everything. Seek His “face” (Who He is) not His “hand” (only what He can provide).
The Old Testament of Law.
All that Jesus has promised to provide for His people is dependent on understanding the great change from the Old Testament to the New Testament. The New Testament of the Bible is not simply a continuation from the Old Testament. The New Testament proclaims that there is a new way in which God deals with His people, the followers of Jesus Christ.
As you know the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi, has to do with the creation and formation of a group of people into a nation known as Israel. The purpose of God’s plan was to show the rest of the heathen/idolatrous world, at that time, what a nation subjected to the one true God would look like. All the blessings and benefits of being one nation under God.
The means by which God would teach His people about His nature and character would be through something called the Law. God used Moses to bring His Ten commandments to the Hebrews or Israelites. The Law was then the Ten Commandments and all of the religious and social rules and regulations found in the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah, which was written by Moses.
Here is the critical point that is so important to understand. The Law handed down by God to Moses was “accepted by the people”. They agreed that the Law was good and that they would abide by the Law. This agreement meant that God and the people of Israel were in a “covenant relationship”. A covenant is more than a contract because God is one of the covenant heads. In this case, Moses was a covenant head too and he represented the people. When God makes a covenant He never reneges or changes His mind. What is important about this covenant is that it is a “Conditional Covenant”. That means that God’s response is based upon the people’s obedience or disobedience to the Law. Deuteronomy chapter 28 spells out the blessings and curses associated with the Law.
I hope you can see the conditional distinction. God will bless as long as you keep the Law. In other words, His response is based upon your behavior. Do good and be blessed, do evil and be cursed. Your relationship with God is “conditioned” upon your actions. Keep the Law perfectly and you would be in a perfect relationship with God.
The way to restore a relationship with God when one sinned or broke the Law, under the Old Testament, was to repent and provide a sacrifice. This was done year after year because no one could keep the Law perfectly. As you can imagine living under the Old Testament Covenant was a bit uncertain. You never quite knew where you stood with the Lord.
What the Old Testament Covenant proved according to the New Testament was that no one could keep the whole Law. Break one part of the Law and you have broken it all. James 2:10-11 states, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
The New Testament of Grace.
The Gospel message of the New Testament is “Good News.” The good news is that, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are no longer under the Law, but a better way has been provided for us. Ephesians 2: 8-9 states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works (Law), lest anyone should boast”.
The New Testament of Jesus Christ introduces a new or better covenant (the word better covenant is used 8 times in the book of Hebrews) which is called the New Covenant. This covenant is very different from the Old Covenant in that the New Covenant replaces the Law with Grace.
Grace can only exist in an “unconditional covenant”, remember the Old Covenant was conditional. In this New Covenant God, the Father and Jesus Christ are the two covenant heads. What is great about this is that neither the Father nor Jesus can fail. This also means that anyone who agrees with Jesus (repents and believes) is part of the new covenant. Just as the Hebrews who agreed with Moses were part of the Old Covenant.
Grace.
As Christians, we have a right to God’s Grace. Nothing can be added. When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), it means that Jesus did everything necessary to secure our salvation and our ability to become more than conquerors in this life.
The only thing that God requires of us is to believe- this is what “faith” is all about. Believing that Jesus provided for our eternity and that He provided for the “abundant life” now.
I will continue on the subject of Grace and Faith in the next episode.
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Post 73 Is What You Know True?
Welcome to a new series in Pastor Vic’s Nuggets of Truth. I am calling this series “Living the Supernatural Life: A Journey into Grace and Faith” or simply Christianity 301. While our focus in this series will be on God’s Grace and His truth, we need to look at some important issues beforehand.
Many Voices
In Christianity, there are many voices proclaiming they have the truth about Father God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word the Bible. It can be very confusing. They can’t all be correct because so many of them contradict each other. So, how do we strip away what is false and find the truth about God and His will for us? Show More
First, we have to keep in mind that Satan is the father of all lies. This means every lie that is spoken or perpetrated originates with him. Satan uses deception to mislead people and draw them away from the truth about God. His plan is to make you feel weak and powerless so that you would depend on your strength instead of trusting in Jesus. Satan wants to create doubt in your life about God’s love, faithfulness, and plan for you. If he can create confusion, then you will seek the wrong things which will draw you further away from Jehovah God.
Secondly, we have to remember what Jesus said in John 8:31-34, that the truth will set you free and that if Jesus sets you free then you are free indeed! Now, what kind of freedom is Jesus talking about? Well, the most important freedom we have is that we are free to receive Heaven. because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Heaven is ours instead of Hell. Jesus also promised that we would be free from sin and the death and destruction that it brings. Freedom in Jesus also means that all of the promises of God are ours to obtain and enjoy.
Missing out on God’s best.
Jesus promised a lot, so why is it that so many live below their potential in God. Is it because so many have exchanged the truth for a lie? Listen to what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:25 “… who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen”. If one sincerely believes a lie about spiritual things that sincerity will count for nothing. It’s still a lie! If the truth sets free then a lie will produce bondage- physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Throughout our lives, we have been exposed to all kinds of influences. Some of those influences were good, noble, and consistent with God’s plan for us. However, we have also been exposed to influences that were negative, evil, and totally at odds with God’s will for us.
Make no mistake if you are deceived by Satan you will not be fulfilling God’s desire and you will be reaping the fruit of Satan which is pain, suffering, and heartache.
What I am trying to say is, the truth from God’s perspective, is essential to a blessed life. You cannot blame others for what you believe. As a believer, you have the Bible and the Holy Spirit of Truth to guide you in your search for the truth. Don’t assume that others are wiser, smarter, or more knowledgeable about the Word of God, search for yourself! Being a Christian is a life-long journey into God’s truth.
An Important Question
Here is a question you should ask yourself, “are you doing things to please God without knowing why”! This is where it is important to examine what you believe and why. Is it because someone told you that it is true or is it because you have discovered the truth for yourself in the Word?
In 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, the Apostle Paul talks about the “veil” of deception. This was a veil over the hearts of the legalistic Jews who were under the Law of Moses. As a result of the veil, they could not see that the Old Testament was referring to Jesus as the Messiah, and they rejected Him. Then Paul says, very clearly, the veil is removed in Jesus Christ.
If we want all that God has provided in Jesus Christ which is what Grace is, and the Faith to appropriate or access that Grace we need to be confident that what we believe is Truth!
World View And 7 Veils of Deception
The world’s view is a form of deception that attempts to marginalize or minimize the importance of God and His Church. Let me suggest that there are at least seven veils that every believer should examine in their lives.
- Veil of our sin nature (habits). When we come to Christ we are forgiven and become new creations (2Cor 5:17). This is referring to our spirit-man; we still have to overcome a lifetime of bad habits. Our sin-nature has been dealt with, but we may still have unrighteous attitudes and thoughts. This is overcome by the work of the Word and of the Spirit as we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2).
- Veil of family. Your relationship (or lack of) with parents, especially your father can shape your view of your Heavenly Father. A negative family life can transfer that negativity or lack of trust for our Heavenly Father. This attitude can twist the Good News message into one that is harsh, judgmental, and unloving.
- Veil of education. As children, we tend to believe all that we are taught and as a result, we are taught values and morals that do not conform to the Bible. For example, something that many are taught would be, God did not create man and woman, but mankind evolved into their present form (Creation vs. Evolution).
- Veil of peers. For the sake of friendship, we tend to overlook and sometimes embrace the evil or bad behavior of others. As the Bible teaches “bad company corrupts good morals (1Cor 15:33). Those whom we are closest to can have the greatest influence on us. Choose your friends carefully.
- Veil of culture. A subtle but powerful influence that we are not aware of because we grew up in it. Attitudes about love, vengeance, gender, marriage, children, honesty, and integrity are built into the culture we live in. These attitudes may be contrary to scriptures and yet widely accepted. However, we are called to adhere to biblical truth, not to cultural “truths”.
- Veil of tradition. Jesus addressed the issue of the traditions of men. A common statement is, “It is the way we do things here!” Yes, but does it line up with the Word of God? The practice must line up with the Word of God.
- Veil of experience. Every individual is the sum total of their experiences in life. Both positive and negative experiences shape how we think and who we are. We are called to be Disciples of Christ; therefore, we should always examine our motives and behavior to make sure they are Christ-like.
Know Yourself
Since so much of what we know and believe is formed by our life experiences you can now understand why the Bible stresses the importance of knowing yourself and accurately judging yourself. “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1Corinthians 11:31). Coming to know yourself means to understand the truth about God’s Grace and Faith.
In closing let me quote these two scripture verses:
- John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”.
- John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”.
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Post 72 – God’s name is “I AM”!
In my last several Postings I’ve been trying to show that John’s Gospel points to the fact that Jesus is God. In my effort to emphasize Jesus’ deity I may have given the idea that Jesus is God alone. That is not what I am saying. I am a strong Trinitarian, I believe in the Trinity of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. they are co-equal and One. This is a faith issue. The human intellect or mind cannot fully comprehend it, but it is essential to coming into a relationship with God. Show More
Someone sent me a comment that “Jesus is not God; He is the Christ”. That is true the word Christ is not Jesus’ last name; it is His title. Christ is Greek and means Savior in English, and Messiah in Hebrew. However, the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus is God.
The Apostle Paul said that Jesus as God laid His Deity aside to live among us as a human being. Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men”. The Bible says it, that settles it!
God’s Covenant Name – “I AM”
In Exodus 3:13-14 a profound change in the relationship between God and man takes place. Up to this time in history, the Israelites or Hebrews would refer to God as El or Elohim; this was the general name used for God. As God prepares to use a reluctant Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, God reveals His personal name, indicating His desire for a covenant relationship with the Hebrew people. “Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13-14).
“I AM” can be translated as the “ever-existent one” and is God’s personal name. Before this time God describes Himself as Elohim a general name for God, note that Elohim is also a plural name, further evidence that God is Three-In-One. [Gen 1: In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth].
God’s Personal Name
The Ten Commandments forbid taking God’s name in vain. The very religious Hebrews were very afraid of misusing God’s name so they would avoid saying the name of God; instead, they would “refer to God as “Ha Shem” which means “The Name” or Adonai which means Lord. The early Hebrew writings had no vowels so when writing God’s name, it was spelled YHWH; this is called the Tetragrammaton. Latin translations of the Hebrew texts used the letters JHVH because they had ho Y in their alphabet. When the Hebrews would read YHWH, out loud, they would substitute the Hebrew word “Adonai” which means Lord, for fear of using God’s name in vain.
Later when the Hebrew language developed vowels, Hebrew scholars called Masoretes substituted the vowels of Adonai (Lord) into YHWH and got YaHWeH or YaHoVaH which later became JeHoVaH (Latinized because Latin had no “y” letter). Modern Christian Bibles use Yahweh, Jehovah or LORD (note the uppercase letters in LORD), to denote the personal name of God.
Different Bibles use different conventions in the choice of this word. As a side-note the Hebrews do not use any of these conventions; they still refer to God as Ha Shem or Adonai.”
[That was an excerpt from my book called, “Seeing the Forest for the Trees: God’s Promises Revealed.” Which is available at Amazon.com].
Descriptive Names of God
In the Bible God, the Father has many descriptive names, I have included the most familiar ones below. Notice that each name means something about the nature of God.
- The Great I AM is also called El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty) It was used in establishing of the Covenant of Law- Gen 17:1, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless”.
- The Great I AM is also called El Elyon (The
Most High God) Psalm 73:35, “Then they remembered that God was theirrock, And the Most HighGod their Redeemer”. - The Great I AM is also called Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner) Jehovah-Nissi Jehovah my banner, was the title given by Moses to the altar which he erected on the hill on the top of which he stood with uplifted hands while Israel prevailed over their enemies the Amalekites (Exodus 17:15).
- The Great I AM is also called Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals) In the wilderness the people began to complain about the water, and God made the bitter waters sweet. Exodus 15:25-26, “There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, 26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
- The Great I AM is also called Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord My Righteousness) Jeremiah 23:5-6, “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”.
- The Great I AM is also called Jehovah Jira (The Lord Will Provide) Genesis 22 13, “Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son Issac. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
- The Great I AM is also called Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace) Judges 6: 22, “Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So, Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God!
For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.”23 Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar there to theLord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace.
The Seven “I Am”s of the New Testament
Just as the Old Testament Covenant uses descriptive names of Yahweh or Jehovah God, the New Testament Covenant uses names to describe Jesus’ identity with Father God. Jesus uses the phrase “I AM” seven times in the Gospel of John. Remember the number Seven is the number of completion or perfection in the Bible, and “I AM” is God’s name. These seven “I AM”s represent signs that identify Jesus as God”.
- “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51) As bread sustains physical life, so Christ offers and sustains spiritual life.
- “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) To a world lost in darkness, Christ offers Himself as a light in the darkness.
- “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9) Jesus protects His followers as shepherds protect their flocks from predators.
- “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Death is not the final word for those in Christ.
- “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14) Jesus is committed to caring and watching over those who are His.
- “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the source of all truth and knowledge about God.
- “I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5) By attaching ourselves to Christ, we enable His life to flow in and through us. Then we cannot help but bear fruit that will honor the Father.
The only names of Jesus’ character that you need to know are that “He is the way maker, the miracle worker, the promise keeper and the light in the darkness”. Let those truths become a reality in your life and you will experience a fresh new overcoming relationship with the Lord!
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Post 71 Jesus is Lord! Part – 3
Remember each of the Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were recounting the life of Jesus and in particular the ministry of Jesus on earth. Each Gospel writer was writing from a different perspective and to a slightly different audience. The first three Gospels cover approximately the same materials and are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels. The word synopsis means a summary. John’s Gospel is unique in that it is not so much a summary of Jesus’ life and ministry but is a clear look at Jesus as God incarnate. In other words that Jesus is God! Show More
John focuses his writing on the miracles of Jesus not as events but as a sign of Jesus’ power and authority over nature and life. All of the signs point to the fact that Jesus must be God in the flesh.
Now we will continue to look at the miracles of Jesus. I discussed the first four miracles in the last post. I will continue with the next three.
Miracle Five – John 6 Jesus Walks on the Sea
Jesus showed that He had control over the physical laws of nature by walking on water.
15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediatelythe boat was at the land where they were going.
Miracle Six – John 9 A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
Jesus demonstrated His authority over congenital defects, by healing the man who was blind from birth.
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Miracle Seven – John 11 Lazarus Raised from the Dead
The greatest miracle was shown by Jesus’ authority over death itself.
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
Conclusion
- Jesus showed that He had control over the physical laws of nature by walking on water.
- Jesus demonstrated His authority over congenital defects, by healing the man who was blind from birth.
- The greatest miracle was shown by Jesus’ authority over death itself.
What is very true of our God is that nothing is impossible with Him and that everything seen, and unseen was created by Him. Link that with the fact that God loves you and you have a God that will move Heaven and earth for you!
John 21:25 “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen”.
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Post 70 Jesus is Lord (God)! Part 2
Seven Miracles found in the Gospel of John
Miracle One – John 2, Water Turned to Wine.
Jesus demonstrated his power over time by instantly changing water into wine.
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
6 Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.Miracle Two – John 4, A Nobleman’s Son Healed.
Jesus showed his control of space by healing the nobleman’s son from a distance of several miles away.
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.
54This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.Miracle Three – John 5, A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda.
The Lord’s authority over infirmity was shown by the cure of the man at the pool of Bethesda.
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (Dependence on man and not God!)
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.Miracle Four – John 6, Feeding the Five Thousand.
Jesus demonstrated His authority over lack by feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed
Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up Hiseyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanksup, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”Conclusion
- Jesus demonstrated his power over time by instantly changing water into wine.
- Jesus showed his control of space by healing the nobleman’s son from a distance of several miles away.
- The Lord’s authority over infirmity was shown by the cure of the man at the pool of Bethesda.
- Jesus demonstrated His authority over lack by feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.
Whatever your need is, Jesus is willing and able to show Himself strong on your behalf. Just trust Him and walk by faith and not by sight. Don’t listen to those around you who try to put doubt and fear in your mind.
That’s all we have time for today. I will continue with the other three miracles found in John’s Gospel next time.
Until then may God Bless you abundantly…
