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149 The Miracles of Jesus: The Feeding of the 5000!
Today we will look at the fourth miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John. In each miraculous event, Jesus went from small groups to ever larger groups of people. Remember, the first miracle was at a family wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine. This sign was at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This is an important message for each of us who are called to serve the Lord. The message is that our ministry starts in the family. The family is the proving ground where some of the difficult lessons of life are learned. Show More
From there, Jesus performed a miracle for the Centurion whose son was dying and then the disabled man at the crowded Pool of Bethesda.
The next miracle is often referred to as the “feeding of the 5000”. After performing the mentioned signs and wonders, Jesus had many people following after Him. The multitudes were hungry for more signs, wonders, and profound sayings of Jesus. They were so hungry that they traveled great distances and even crossed the Sea of Galilee to see and hear Him. The question that we must ask is, why were they following Jesus? Some thought that Jesus would solve all their problems. Others thought He was the deliverer of Israel as King David was in his day. and still, others were just “thrill seekers” looking for an exciting time. Then some were drawn to His message of hope, healing, and wholeness. The lesson we learn here is that people are no different today. Everyone is seeking something.
Beginning in John 6:4, “Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, 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.” There are two points I would like to make here.
Philip Fails the Test
The first is Jesus is not afraid to test our faith. The testing of our faith is how we grow in maturity in Christ. James 1 says, “2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
The testing of our faith is how we learn who we truly trust. I remember an expression I heard long ago about faith, “We are legends in our own minds!” This means that in our minds, we are mighty people of faith, always doing the right things and overcoming the greatest challenges. However, it is not in our minds that life is lived; it is in the everyday ups and downs of life that our Christianity is worked out.
Being a Christian is all about who you trust! If you trust in your own strength, then you can only go as far as your strength will endure. If you trust in your intellect, then you can only go as far as your intellect can take you. However, if you trust in Jesus, there are no limits, and nothing is impossible. So, it makes a lot of sense to learn how to put our faith in Jesus in our everyday life, and this is how our faith is proven.
Jesus wanted to show Philip and the other disciples who they were trusting in. Jesus already knew the answer, but He needed to show His disciples what was really in their hearts. In this case, Philip failed the test! He forgot the message in Matthew 6 that he heard when Jesus said, “31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things, the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Instead of trusting in Jesus, Philip trusted in his own understanding of the circumstances.
Jesus and the disciples had two hundred denarii! What is a denarius worth? A denarius was equal to a day’s wage; therefore, 200 denarii would represent over a half year of wages. Later we find out that there were about 5000 men, not including women and children. This means there may have been 10-20 thousand people to feed with their money. In the natural, it was an impossible situation, and it’s always a challenge for us to “walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)”, but when Jesus is with us, nothing is impossible with God!
Andrew Fails the Tests
Then Andrew, Peter’s brother, also fails the test when he speaks unbelief in John 6:8, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?“ Andrew expressed doubt which is the enemy of faith. All he could see were five loaves and two fish, quickly forgetting what Jesus had done at the wedding at Cana, the Centurion’s son, and the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda.
In the Gospel of Mark is a great story that Jesus used to teach His disciples and us about doubt and faith. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, where he encountered a fig tree with no fruit on it. When He saw the barren tree, He said, within the hearing of the disciples, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” Later, when they passed the tree again, it was withered and dead. Listen to what Jesus said in Mark 11:22, “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Clearly, belief or faith cannot coexist with doubt and unbelief! The lesson for us is to combat doubt and unbelief, which the devil will use to weaken our faith. We need to learn how to rebuke the doubt and unbelief and walk in faith in the One who saved us and delivered us from darkness, and placed us in His glorious light.
The Stage is Set for another Miracle.
John 6:10 “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 thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.”
Jesus is the Lord of abundance. There is no shortage in heaven or supply chain issues.
Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (the Holy Spirit), 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” We often try to “figure out” how God will do something instead of simply trusting and believing that “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
An important detail to note is that Jesus did not distribute the food Himself. Jesus provided the food to the disciples, and the disciples were the ones who provided the food to the people. This is true of our outreach to our families, friends, and communities. The Lord has given all Believers the ministry of reconciliation to provide an atmosphere where the Gospel may be presented and received. There is a time to pray and a time to act. If Jesus is to be our example, then we should get the mind of God and go forth, as it says in Mark 16, “15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” We reach the lost through words and deeds, in particular, Holy Spirit anointed words and supernatural deeds!
There is no lack in the Kingdom of God on Earth
John 6:12, “So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
Can you imagine, they started with five loaves of bread and two fish, and ended up with 12 baskets full! One basket for each disciple that served. As I said earlier, there is no lack of abundance through the Lord. As Believers, we hold the keys to the Kingdom as it says in Matthew 16:10, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
This important saying of Jesus reminds us that whatever is allowed in Heaven is allowed on earth; whatever is not allowed in Heaven is not allowed in the Kingdom on earth. This should help us to know what we should be praying for and praying against. There is no sickness, disease, bondage, condemnation, or evil in Heaven. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the Holy Spirit living in us, we have the authority and power to establish His Kingdom on earth.
The Purpose of the feeding of the 5000
“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.” To many of the Jewish people, this miracle was evidence that Jesus was the Messiah who was prophesied in the Old Testament. These words and deeds of Jesus stirred up hope in a people who were downtrodden and without hope under Roman rule. They heard a message and saw a Man who gave them hope, and for many, that hope became faith, and that faith led people to make a decision to follow Jesus.
The same is true for us today. Our responsibility as Christians is to know Jesus and make Him known. Each one of us has been given different talents and abilities as well as a circle of influence. There are people that others may not be able to reach, but you can. Just as there are people, you can’t reach, but hopefully, other Christians can. We are all in this together, serving the same Lord and Savior. Your testimony of how and why you came to Christ may inspire others in your sphere of influence to make a decision for Jesus.
Finally, remember the disciples are the ones who passed out the bread and fishes Jesus gave them, but all the glory goes to our Jesus. It is not about you; it is about Him!
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148 The Miracles of Jesus- At the Pool of Bethesda
Third miracle of Jesus; The Lame Man is Healed!
Before getting into the third miracle that Jesus performed in the gospel of John, that is the healing of the disabled man who was infirm for 38 years. I want to give an overview of what I believe this episode in Jesus’ life teaches us.
The scripture I want to start off with is found in John 10:10, I’m sure you are familiar with it, but I hope to give you some deeper insight. Listen to what Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
An important truth to remember is that God does not cause sickness and disease; that is the work of the devil and sin in a fallen world. Remember what Jesus came to do, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”, 1 John 3:8. Jesus is the abundant life giver; never forget that. Show More
Who is the thief in John 10:10? We know that the thief is Satan or the devil. There are three things that the devil wants to do that is steal, kill, and destroy. Let’s look at each one of these one at a time.
The Thief wants to Steal.
Satan wants to steal everything that God has given you for your good. The first thing that comes to mind is the fruit of the Spirit, which is found in Galatians 5. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are yours because these are the traits of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit lives in you as a believer in Jesus Christ. They may not be especially evident, but as you pursue your relationship with Jesus, they will become more and more manifest.
The second thing the thief wants to steal from you is the Holy Spirit gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are as follows “7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Again, these are your gifts because the Holy Spirit dwells within you. In the same chapter, Paul admonishes us to “not be ignorant of these gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
Without the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we become powerless Christians. Powerless to be a witness for Jesus, powerless to be the healing hand of Jesus, and powerless to be a genuine leader for the cause of Christ.
The Thief wants to Kill
As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have an enemy, the devil. The devil’s strategy is that if he can’t have you, He will try to make you ineffective and, if necessary, kill you. It might sound frightening but remember Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” You see, the enemy can’t touch us if we remember who we belong to, Jesus!
The blood of the Lamb of God shed on the cross is our covering and protection. James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” First, obey the Lord, then resist the devil; you have authority in Jesus’ name.
Word of our testimony is our outward expression by words and deeds that Jesus is our King. The thief wants to create fear that will cause us to doubt our God and ultimately not trust Jesus. We are ambassadors of Christ.
We don’t love our lives even to the death because we believe the promise that Jesus made in John 14:2, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” As believers in Jesus Christ, our home is Heaven, and one day each of us will depart this life to be with Jesus forever!
The Thief wants to Destroy
Your hope and faith in Jesus. The basis of our relationship with the Lord is faith, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We walk by faith and not by sight.” Faith is the key to all spiritual authority and power. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as spiritual, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it is the only way to please God, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
So, the devil will do whatever he can to discourage and dismantle our faith in Jesus. Remember, it is not faith in faith but faith in Jesus! The devil will try to get us to trust our experience, our education, our intellect, the pursuit of wealth, our friends, or any other thing that will cause us to take our eyes off Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!
Jesus’ Third Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda
As Jesus and His disciples traveled to Jerusalem, it is interesting that Jesus chose to go through the Sheep Gate to enter the city. Why would Jesus choose that gate? It was because there was a pool called Bethesda near the gate. This pool had five landings or porches where “a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed,” waited for the water to be stirred. Tradition had it that an angel would come down at certain times and stir up the waters, and it was believed that whoever got into the water first would be healed of whatever disease he had! Now you have to ask yourself the question, “why did Jesus go to the Pool of Bethesda? Let’s read the actual biblical account.
A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda
Jesus was able to cut through the traditions of men and reveal the truth of God. The tradition was that an angel of the Lord would stir up the waters of the pool, and the first one in would be healed. There is no scriptural basis for this practice. It was probably an event that became a practice that eventually became a tradition, a tradition of men. The Apostle Paul had this to say about traditions, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8 The truth that Jesus brought was, “believe in me and I will make you well!” that truth still stands today. Remember, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly!
John 5:5, “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.” 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. And that day was the Sabbath.”
Deceptions of the Devil
In my last post, I mentioned three general areas where we can be deceived.
- The first and most common area where we can be deceived is relying on personal experience as a basis for our relationship with Jesus. Our emotions can be a very unreliable indicator of truth. When we pray and don’t get what we want from God, our minds can then become fertile ground for the devil to come and deceive us with lies about God.
- The second area of deception is leaning on our own understanding or human logic. You must examine what you believe and why you believe it because most modern education creates skepticism for anything spiritual! (Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;). Depending on your own limited understanding, compared to God’s omniscience, is a trap of the enemy.
- The third area of misinformation is the incorrect teaching that the supernatural does not apply today. Many leaders are teaching that miracles don’t happen today. Yet, the New Testament is filled with miracles, signs, and wonders. The church also has a long history of miracles, signs, and wonders. Think about this; even your salvation is a miracle! However, the thief would try to keep you in ignorance of the glorious life that the Lord has for you.
The Religious Leaders Response to The Lame Man Healed.
10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”Isn’t it incredible and sad that in the face of a miracle only God could perform the religious Jews preferred to lean on their traditions. The religious leaders preferred legalism over mercy and grace. It is as if there were a veil across their eyes preventing them from seeing the truth, that Jesus was the Christ the hope of glory. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:12, “Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” As Christians, our covenant is found in the New Testament, where the veil is taken away.
The religious leaders did not recognize Jesus because they were more interested in their privilege and position than the truth! They did not make the connection between who Jesus was and the Old Testament prophecy in Jeremiah 31:31, “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” The New Covenant was clearly prophesied in the Old Covenant.
The veils of tradition and culture are strong, and when they are contrary to what Jesus purchased at the Cross of Calvary, we must reject them. We often hear people say, “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. The veil of culture is a subtle but powerful influence we are unaware of because we grew up in it. Prevailing attitudes about love, vengeance, gender, marriage, children, honesty, and integrity are built into the culture. These attitudes may be contrary to scriptures and yet widely accepted. However, are called to adhere to biblical truth.
When the healed man was questioned by the religious leaders, “11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place” Clearly, the purpose of Jesus healing the crippled man was to glorify the Father, make the statement that He was from God and that He had the power and authority to administer mercy and grace to even the most insignificant of people. This miracle should encourage us, who the devil has tried to steal, kill and destroy, that our Lord and King is greater and has promised us the abundant life.
In closing, let me say what Peter said in 2Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
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147 Miracles of Jesus: A Son is Healed!
Before we look at the second miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John, let’s look at how Jesus communicated the Gospel to the people of His day. When Jesus started His ministry, He kept it low-key. He revealed Himself to His disciple and then in ever-increasing ways to more and more people. What is important to note is that the people Jesus personally impacted are the ones who became followers and then disciples. There was a one-to-one interaction between Jesus and the hearer. Another way to look at it is that experienced Jesus! There is something irresistible about Jesus to those who are seeking the way, the truth, and the life. Today we have the Holy Spirit to anoint our words and deeds to make that personal interaction with those who need to hear the Gospel. Remember, we don’t save; we are the messengers; it’s the Jesus encounter that saves through the work of the Holy Spirit. Show More
Jesus “preached” the “Good-news” gospel in one of two ways, with words and deeds. If those He met had doubts about the truthfulness of His words, which were words of wisdom, words of knowledge, and truth. Jesus would back up His words with the scriptures. The people would hear the anointing of His words and be convinced that Jesus was from God.
However, words were not Jesus’ only means of convincing people that He was sent from God. Jesus also used miracles as a sign that He was sent from God, and if the signs did not convince the people, the signs would at least cause people to wonder and then contemplate the possibility that only God could do these miraculous things. John 14:1, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”
The same is true today. If we want to reach people with the Gospel, we must use all the tools God has made available to us. His Word and His Power! If it were by preaching alone, everyone should be saved now! So, there must be more than words alone. 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.” Jesus promises that when we preach the Gospel of love and freedom, we will have the same authority and power as He did. When Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, descended from heaven to live in the Believer.
- John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 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. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
The First Miracle of Jesus
In the first miracle of Jesus, the turning of water into wine, He revealed Himself to His Mother, disciples, and the servants who filled the water pots with water. They witnessed the water turn into wine. The question I want you to consider is what did they think and what did they do afterward with what they heard and saw?
The Second Miracle of Jesus
The second miracle Jesus performed in the Gospel of John is healing the Nobleman’s son in John 4:46.
“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.”
An important point we could easily miss is that everyone who knew about the dying son knew that the son’s father went to Jesus, and through a long-distance word, the son was healed by Jesus. How do you think those who knew what happened were impacted? I can assure you that many believed because of that healing miracle and that they told everyone about what they had seen and heard.
We can do the same as Jesus if we have faith to believe that healing is for today and that Jesus can use you as His instrument of healing. 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.” Do you believe in Jesus? If so, then the promise of healing is in your hands.
Why Some Don’t Believe in Miracles for Today
The enemy of our soul is the devil, and he is described as the “father of lies (John 8:43-44)”, and we know that Jesus came to destroy the “works of the devil (1John 3:8),” through the “Spirit of truth! (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13).” This means that we need to trust the Word of God, and not be influenced by our emotions, negative thinking, or philosophies of the world or culture. As the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:3, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
It is the devil’s job to steal, kill and destroy your faith in a loving God. Satan is the master of deception, and the idea of a veil is that it partially hides the truth; it hides the truth just enough to void the truth. Then the truth is replaced by the lie. You see, if you tell a lie often enough and long enough, many will believe the lie.
General Veils of Deception
The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Paul was speaking to Believers who were being deceived away from the simplicity of the Gospel. The Gospel is simple; if one believes that Jesus came to die in our place, that we are forgiven of all our sins, past, present, and future, and that we are born-again, that is, a new creation. We get to start over again with our lives. However, we are not trying to rehabilitate our old life; trying to improve it; we get a new life! A new life that is filled with love, joy, peace, and the power of the Holy Spirit living inside us, if only we would believe.
I can think of three general areas where a veil is created to hide the truth of God.
The first and most common area where we can be deceived is relying on personal experience as a basis of our relationship with Jesus. This often happens when we don’t get what we expect from the Lord. You may have prayed or believed for a certain outcome, and it didn’t happen. A sick one didn’t get well. A personal relationship fell apart. A pending financial disaster came to pass.
When we don’t get what we want from God, our mind can become a fertile ground for the devil to come in and point his ugly finger at God. Then the lies begin, God doesn’t love you, God doesn’t care about your circumstances, God doesn’t exist! All lies become believable because of our experience. Yet the scriptures clearly tell us that it is through the trials and tribulations of life that our faith has an opportunity to grow. You see, as painful as it might be, faith in God in the hard times moves God. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
God is not moved because you think you deserve His help or you did something in God’s name to receive His favor. God is moved by faith. Believing that whatever the scriptures say will come to pass! The Lord is bound to fulfill His word even when the Lord doesn’t act in a way we want Him to!” Do we seek Him for who He is, or do we seek Him for what He can do? That is an important question that spells the difference between spiritual faith and human want!
The second area of deception is leaning on our own understanding or human logic. You must examine what you believe and why you believe it because most modern education creates skepticism for anything spiritual! (Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;).
If you really believe that you are a new creation (2Corinthians 5:17), then you must accept that your mind or ways of thinking must change. 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.”
You must determine in your heart to follow Jesus with all your mind, soul, and heart; then, you will see the goodness of the Lord poured out on your life.
The third area of misinformation is the incorrect teaching that the supernatural only applied to the 12 disciples, or as some put it, “Miracles petered away when Peter passed away! Many leaders are teaching that miracles don’t happen today. Yet, the New Testament is filled with miracles, signs, and wonders. The church also has a long history of miracles, signs, and wonders. Think about this; even your salvation is a miracle! Colossians 2: 8, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
Conclusion
Jesus healed the Nobleman’s son. We don’t know what was wrong with the young man, but nevertheless, he was healed. Jesus purchased healing for us on the Cross of Calvary. If you have doubts about healing for today, I encourage you to pray for the sick when the Lord puts that on your heart, and in time you will see that miracles are still available today, and you can be God’s vessel for the supernatural.
In the words of Jesus to His disciples, “And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give”, Matthew 10:7-8. If you are a disciple of Jesus, this command is for you too!
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146 The Miracles of Jesus; Water into Wine!
Miracles, Signs, and Wonders.
Throughout Christian history, miracles, signs, and wonders have been a part of the Christian experience. We know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever; therefore, what was true in Jesus’ day is also true today. Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Show More
Whether you have experienced miracles, signs, and wonders is often connected to whether you believe in miracles, signs, and wonders for today. Understanding and moving in the supernatural realm requires that we operate in faith. Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ means that we believe in what he says. It does not depend on our personal experience or understanding; depending upon intellectual understanding and or personal experience is not faith. Recall Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Faith is believing in the unseen realm before it can be manifested in the physical realm. Especially in the spiritual realm, you get what you believe for!
Miracles, Signs, and Wonders occur every day.
How can one say that because they have not experienced miracles, signs, and wonders, they must not occur anymore? I have never seen a tiger in the wild, yet I believe they exist. My point is that just because you have not seen a certifiable miracle doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Recent surveys show that over 31 percent of the world’s population are Christians; that is 2.3 billion Christians out of 7.3 billion people. Believe me when I say that miracles, signs, and wonders occur daily throughout the world, from the remotest villages to the major cities.
Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” How does the Father draw people to Jesus? As I mentioned in my last post, the Father draws people to Jesus in three ways.
- Some come because of the prophecies of the Old Testament.
- Some come because they believe in the promises Jesus makes.
- Some come because they see the miracles, signs, and wonders Jesus performs.
Miracles, signs, and wonders are proofs that Jesus can be trusted! Because no one could do these things but the Lord.
Jesus’ Preparation for Ministry
Before Jesus performed His first miracle, we see that Jesus went through a series of steps of preparation.
- We see in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, God speaks over Jesus, “And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”, then Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness In Luke 4.
- While in the wilderness, He is tempted by the devil for 40 days and finally rebukes Satan three times using the scriptures. It is then Jesus moves in power after the wilderness experience.
- At this point, Jesus proclaims His mission in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
Not all of us must go through this same series of events as Jesus did, but we all share in the ministry of Jesus, which is to go into all the world proclaiming His gospel of hope, healing, and wholeness.
The First Miracle, Turning Water into Wine.
The first of seven miracles in the Gospel of John is the turning of water to wine which is found in John 2:1-12.
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.” The fact that Jesus chose a wedding to perform His first miracle speaks to the value God has placed on the institution of marriage. Not marriage as simply a legal institution, but a spiritual commitment to love, honor and obey for both husband and wife.
Notice that Jesus’ family was already at the wedding and that Jesus and His disciples were invited. Apparently, this was a family event.
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.” Some have thought that the reference to Mary as “woman” was disrespectful, but in fact, it was appropriate for the times and culture. Jesus uses the same term when speaking to His mother from the cross in John 19:26, “When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”
When Jesus said, “My hour has not yet come.” to His mother, He was saying; I will do it in my own time. Always remember that we don’t tell Jesus what to do, He is Lord and Savior, and we serve Him in a special way as friends.
Mary’s response to the servants is instructive for all of us today; 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Instead of trying to understand how, why, and when, simply do it. So many miss God’s best because we try to reason with God instead of trusting and obeying; with God, all things are possible. While all things are possible, it doesn’t mean that all things will be easy; however, we can trust Jesus to anoint and empower us to accomplish what He has set out for us to do.
6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. That was about 120-180 gallons of water. Our God is the God of abundance, Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” There is no shortage of supply, power, and authority in heaven; it is by faith we bring it into today’s world.
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! The practice at weddings was to provide the good wine at the beginning of the reception and the inferior wine towards the end when everyone had drunk their fill. However, Jesus turns the table around by providing the best wine at the end of the reception. Jesus turns good into better. Turning that much water into wine, wow, that was some wedding party!
Moses turned water into blood in Exodus, which was symbolic of sacrifice and the Law; Jesus turned water into wine, which was symbolic of Grace and the “better Covenant.”
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” Why did the Apostle John choose this event at the wedding to illustrate Jesus’ first miracle? And what does it mean to “manifest His glory.”
The reason that the first miracle took place at a wedding was three-fold:
- The miracle helped solidify those disciples who believed in Jesus to see that He was truly sent from God.
- The conversion of water into wine is a scientific impossibility. Speaking as a former chemistry teacher, the formula for water is H2O, whereas the formula for alcohol is C2H5OH; not only that, but wines also contain acids, sugars, and phenolic compounds; this was a creative miracle. Only God can create something from nothing.
- Miracles manifest the glory of the Lord; what does it mean to glorify the Lord? How do we glorify the Lord today? The word “glory” comes from the Greek “Doxa,” which is where we get the word doxology, which is defined as “An expression of praise to God, especially a short hymn sung as part of a Christian worship service.” Therefore, glorifying the Lord means that when we come into His presence, all we want to do is praise, honor, and worship Him, the God of all creation! It is an overwhelming desire to bow down before Him.
Bringing Glory to the Lord
So how do we glorify the Lord in everyday practical terms? We glorify the Lord every time we obey Him, through the Word or the Spirit. The reformer Martin Luther once said, “God made the world out of nothing. It is only when we become nothing that God can make something out of us.” It is easy to believe that God made the entire universe out of nothing without any help from anyone or anything else. However, we often struggle with the idea that God can accomplish something great in our lives without our help. It requires faith in Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit to believe that the Lord has already equipped us to fulfill every task He puts before us.
We want to believe that God needs our talents or our personalities to accomplish His work. The truth is, we have nothing outside of Him! The Apostle Paul poses the question in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “…And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? Whatever you and I possess by way of ability or opportunity is a direct gift from God. “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” (John 3:27). Jesus said, “…I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Every time we obey the Lord in our words, attitudes, and deeds we glorify Him. Our lives are the witness that God is and is a rewarder of those who honor and seek Him.
Closing
12 After this, He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.” This verse makes it clear that Jesus had brothers and sisters as well as disciples. Some like to believe in the tradition that Jesus was the only child of Mary, but apparently, that was not the case. “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:55-56).
As Believers of Christ, we are always challenged to pursue the truth found in the Scriptures and lay aside those traditions and practices that don’t align with the Bible. If we are not careful, the traditions of man can entangle us in legalism and performance and prevent us from experiencing the fullness of the freedom that Jesus purchased for us. As the Apostle Paul points out to us in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
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145 We Walk by Faith, not by sight!”
“We Walk by Faith and not by Sight.”
Throughout Christian history, there have been people who believed in Jesus and those who rejected Jesus. The same is true today. It is frustrating and heartbreaking to share the Gospel only to find that the message of love, hope, and forgiveness falls on deaf ears. Even when Jesus walked the earth, there were those who would not believe in Him; however, He never let the disbelief of some prevent Him from proclaiming the Gospel or the Good News! In the same manner, we need to proclaim the Gospel of Christ by words and deeds. Show More
Jesus came to save the lost.
When you are lost, you are seeking direction to get out of your situation. I remember being lost in the forest with no map, compass, or GPS. I was so confident in my own ability to find a way out. The deeper into the woods, the more concerned I was that I could find my way out. After a few hours, I realized I was totally lost. All I could think of was to find a road or path leading back to civilization. In other words, I was seeking physical rescue! The good news is that I did find my way, but the point is that I didn’t know I was lost. I leaned on my understanding and sense of direction. The truth is in the forest, all the trees and bushes look the same.
Before I was born again, I was an atheist. I gave up on God, but God did not give up on me. Jesus pursued me for five years before the truth became real to me; that I was lost! It is the very same with people we share Jesus with. Some accept gladly because they realize they are lost, and Jesus provides the way. However, some don’t realize they are lost; they trust in their own ability, talents, and resources. For them, they are not ready for the Gospel, but that doesn’t mean they will never be ready to hear the truth that Jesus saves.
In a sense, when I accepted Jesus, I was like a ripe fruit falling off the tree into my Savior’s hand. Before that time, I was like that unripe fruit, so difficult to pick. Often that is the way with people when we share the Gospel; some are ripe, and some are unripe. Our prayer should be that those who are not ready to receive Jesus today will be ready to receive Him tomorrow.
Remember that Jesus experienced the same hardships of rejection, misunderstanding, and persecution you may be facing today; however, Jesus never gives up and neither should you!
Ways in which people come to Jesus
As we see in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry, some came to Him for different reasons:
- Some came because of the prophecies of the Old Testament
- Some came because they believed in the promises Jesus made
- Some came because they saw the signs and wonders Jesus performed
Whatever way people came to Jesus, they all had one thing in common, they all came by faith. Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
For the Jews, it was through the logos word of scripture, the written word of the Old Testament. Their righteousness came in following the Law of Moses. They believed that a Messiah was foretold, and because Jesus fulfilled so many of the prophecies, they believed He was the Messiah or Christ.
For the non-Jews, that means us, faith comes through the rhema word of God, and rhema means spoken word of God; that is when the New Testament speaks to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. Because of the Holy Spirit living in the Believer, God can speak to us as believers. (Read 1 Corinthians 2)
Finally, Jesus also used signs and wonders to stir up faith in all peoples. A sign is something that points to something else. For instance, a stop sign points to an intersection, or a billboard points to a business. Miraculous signs point to the miracle worker, Jesus. Wonders, on the other hand, make people wonder about the things of God and desire to know more.
Lets take a closer look at these three avenues to salvation
They came to Jesus because of Old Testament Prophesies.
Jesus fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophesies about the coming Messiah (Gk. Christ). Some of the Jews in Jesus’ time knew the scriptures and gladly accepted Him as the Son of God. While others, especially the Jewish leaders, were concerned more about money, position, and possible retribution by the Romans if Jesus was ever proclaimed King of Israel.
Listen to what Jesus said to those religious leaders who rejected Him in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” Jesus was saying that although they were experts in the Old Testament scriptures, their faith was in the book instead of the author of the book, God. They worshipped the creation, the Law of Moses, instead of the Creator. This may sound strange coming from a Bible-believing Christian, but the Bible does not save; the Bible points to the one who saves, Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ words, “no one comes to the Father except through Me! (John 14:6)
They came to Jesus because of the promises He made
The Bible is a book of promises and Jesus made many promises in the four Gospels, and I have taken ten of them to study. They are promises made by Jesus the Son of God, God Himself; therefore, we can put our faith in His words. God cannot lie and has the power and authority to make every promise come to pass. The following are great memory verses to help you glorify Jesus in your life. From the time Jesus walked the earth until today, multitudes of people have been saved by trusting in the words of Jesus.
- Jesus promised that if we come to Him when we are weary and tired, He will give us rest. Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
- When you think you are facing the impossible, Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- Jesus said when you’re ready to give up because of hardship or persecution, focus on Him; Matthew 24:13, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
- Jesus said when you need encouragement, encourage yourself in the Lord, John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.“
- When your faith or confidence in the Lord is low recall what Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
- When you stray from the righteous path or backslide, remember what Jesus said in John 15:3, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” Jesus’ grace is always sufficient.
- When you don’t sense God’s calling on your life, remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
- When your priorities in life become confused, Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
- When you begin to doubt your value to God, Jesus said in Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
- When you are facing impossible odds or circumstances, remember that Jesus said in Mark 9:2, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
They came to Jesus because of the signs and wonders He performed.
Jesus said in John 10:37, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” In this case, Jesus appealed to those who had doubts about His promises or did not know the prophecies concerning Him, but there could be no doubt about the miracles He performed.
Jesus performed so many miracles, signs, and wonders in the four Gospels. My favorite Gospel is the Gospel of John because you can sense how much John, the writer, loved Jesus and recognized that He was God in the flesh. John wrote in such a personal way. When Jesus was with His disciples at the Last Supper, John wrote about himself in John 13:23; “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” Clearly, John was perhaps bragging a little about his favored position with Jesus.
My wife, Dee, often jokingly tells me that “God loves the world, but I am His favorite!” Now in truth, we know that God is not a respecter of persons; all Believers are on equal standing in His eyes. However, knowing God loves you because you put your trust in what Jesus did for you brings love, joy, and peace.
Over the next several episodes, I will be looking at the seven miracles, signs, and wonders found in the gospel of John, and they are:
- The turning water into wine (John 2:1-12)
- The healing of the royal official’s son John (4:46-54)
- The healing of a paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-17)
- The feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14)
- Jesus walking on water (John 6:15-25)
- The healing of the blind man born blind (John 9:1-41)
- The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46)
My Testimony About Healing
As I close today, let me tell you about a miracle and a sign I experienced as a new Christian. My father-in-law came to live with us after suffering a heart attack, heart surgery, and a stroke. He was partially paralyzed on the right side; as a result, he walked with a cane, and his right arm was useless; it would just hang by his side. While he lived with us, he came to know the Lord.
At the time, I didn’t believe that healing was for today; my background in science prevented me from understanding that nothing is impossible with God. Anyhow, my father-in-law heard about a healing service in a distant town and arranged to go with some friends. I chose not to go because I didn’t believe in healing. Well, when he came back that night, he walked into the room without a cane, shook my hand with the arm that was paralyzed before, sat down at the table, and signed his name on a piece of paper for the first time in several years.
You see, my father-in-law received a miracle, but I received a sign… God still heals today. From that day forward, I became a firm believer in the whole Gospel; Jesus heals the heart, the mind, and the body. My Father in -law’s total healing was a sign to me; it was a sign pointing to a God that heals even today.
